Benny Sounds Off: The Mountain Goats

B

John Darnielle, guitarist/mastermind behind tMG
      

 It’s really no secret that I’m a fan of The Mountain Goats, and basically anything that John Darnielle has done musically.  From his early solo boombox cassette recordings to the fancy studio albums he’s been delivering to us year after year as of late, I’ve loved every second of every song that he’s released.  I’ve been a fan since late 2008, when I heard a song on the first episode of the last season of Adult Swim claymation heartstring-tugger Moral Orel.  When I heard the lyrics “I hope you die; I hope we both die” (song: No Children) in the credits of that particular episode, I just knew that I’d stumbled upon something amazing that I had to look up and check out.  At first, I was taken aback at how vast their/his discography was.  Thirteen studio albums, six cassette releases, three compilations, and countless other tracks, singles, and EP’s.  Yikes.   It was quite intimidating at first, I must admit, but as I listened more and my journey through the mind of Mr. Darnielle turned into full-on obsession, I began to see the pure beauty and passion that is The Mountain Goats.  So I decided to do this little write up about my favorite releases that he’s put out.  And maybe, just maybe, it’ll turn you on to this spectacular songwriter and this amazing band as well.  So, here we go.

1.       

Taboo VI: The Homecoming (1991)

 Darnielle’s first recording under the name The Mountain Goats, released on Shrimper records.  Long out-of-print, and pretty much disowned by it’s creator, it’s a hard release to track down indeed.  Copies go for hundreds of dollars on Ebay.  But fortunately, due to the magic that is the Internet, tMG connoisseurs such as me are able to finally listen to these ancient tracks.  While many have dismissed it due to Darnielle’s (then) lacking singing voice and the different style from later tMG material, I find it to be one of my personal favorites.  Production is as raw as it can get, and gives this release a certain charm that differentiates itself from later releases.  With the heartbreaking song “Don’t Take the Dogs Away”, and a fun cover of The Drifters’ “This Magic Moment”, plus the introduction of the infamous Alpha couple, which would culminate later into their own album, what’s not to like?  Well, based on Darnielle’s less-than-positive outlook about the album, and the fact that most tMG fans don’t even know of it’s existence, this album is doomed to be one of the least known tMG releases, for the time being at least.

2.        

All Hail West Texas (2002)

The last boombox recording, and arguably the best.  Funny thing is, the first time I listened to this release, I wasn’t a fan to put it nicely.  I thought that the lyrical themes were silly and it was kind of a turn off.  But as I listened to it more and began to peel back the layers of the album, it became one of my all time favorites.  Songs like “The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton” and “Color in Your Cheeks” still don’t fail to put a smile on my face.  And “The Mess Inside” still breaks my heart every time.  A great overall release, and sadly, the end of an era.

3.      

Tallahassee (2003)

Without a doubt the most famous of Darnielle’s albums, and in my opinion, the best overall.  This album defines dysfunction.  Taking its story and themes from Darnielle’s (in)famous Alpha couple, he decided that, instead of dedicating one or two songs to the tragic lovers/self loathers, he’d dedicate and entire album.  And boy is it good.  The album opens with the couple moving to Tallahassee, into a run-down dilapidated house, a metaphor for their marriage.  Consequently, they begin drinking themselves to death, and throughout the album are unsure if they actually still love each other or if it’s all gone up in smoke.  As the album concludes, we’re left breathless.  This album is absolutely incredible, and should be listened to as a whole instead of individual tracks.  Best tracks include “No Children”, “Peacocks”, “Idylls of the King”, “International Small Arms Traffic Blues”, pretty much the whole album.  I can’t recommend this album highly enough.

4.       The Sunset Tree: 

The Sunset Tree (2005)

The most autobiographical, and heartbreaking, of Darnielle’s albums.  Subject detail includes the relationship with his abusive stepfather (“Hast Thou Considered the Tetrapod?” “Pale Green Things”) his mother (“Up the Wolves”) and pretty much just life through his childhood.  I don’t want to say too much about this album, because I believe it’s something that should be taken in on its own without too much description.  But you’ll understand how good it really is when you listen to it.

With each album released, my love for this band grows more and more.  I encourage you, the reader, to go and listen to each of these albums, and I dare you to not come out a fan like I am.  Everything about them is so good, and like I said in my Tallahassee description, I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Things Fall Apart - Album Review

We all know that sometimes, things don’t go as planned.  Sometimes things go downhill, and can implode, leaving us to sometimes wonder “What the fuck just happened?”  No one knows this possibly more than the Ohio-based band Things Fall Apart.  Formed in 2011 by Dustin Morris, Cameron Boggs, Chris Windle and Terrell Talley from the ashes of other local-area bands, and with a split with Michigan hardcore band Dead & Gone forthcoming with a weekend tour with said band coming in February, they seem to be on their way of bringing their brand of soul-crushing music to as many people as they can.  And in no way is that really a negative thing.

“You are strong. You are brave. I am envious of that. You can win,” shouts Things Fall Apart vocalist/guitarist Dustin Morris on opening track “You Can Win”, with vocals that harken back to more established acts, such as Touche Amore and Pianos Become the Teeth and the like.  The balance between the lyrics and the bleak sounding instrumentals is pulled off well here, and this is personally one of my favorite tracks.

Second track “What Went Wrong?” puts vocals, while still great, on the backburner it seems,  appearing in only the first half of the five-and-a-half minute long track.  This gives the album its first breath of fresh air, and really gives the rest of the band a chance to shine.  Bass and layers of guitar provide the bleak atmosphere, and shows that the lyrics aren’t needed (at least all of the time) to keep the desperate atmosphere of the track.

The EP continues on with “Cincinnati”, which is the angriest, and what seems, most desperate track on the album, and one of the best tracks for sure.  Lyrics such as “Lead me on time and time again; You look to use me” and “I’ll say what you want to hear”, show a side of the band that most of us in our late teens/early twenties can relate to.  Perhaps the most noteworthy highlight of the track is the vocal interlude towards the middle of the track provided by ex-Tight Grip vocalist Ian Jett, who sings lines such as “I am the comfort that you seek; I am the answer that you will never find” that will send shivers down your spine with how much passion bleeds into them.

I can sum up my opinion of concluding track “Who I Am & Where I Want to Be” with really only one word: Crushing.  The lyric “I am no longer who I want to be” is repeated numerous times in the track, and with each repetition the urgency of the statement grows more and more until we’re left breathless by the end.  As a whole, this EP is solid, with tracks that I’m sure that you’re going to want to keep on repeat, if for to listen back to catch a missed lyric, or to revel in the atmosphere of it all.  I know that I have already.  Catch them (if you’re able to) on their upcoming weekend tour with Dead & Gone in the next few weeks.  

Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/thingsfallapartband (other links can be found from there)

Overall album rating: 4/5

Choice cuts: "You Can Win", "Cincinnati"

Dead & Gone "Abandonment" Album Review

As the four or five people who read this blog know, I'm a huge fan of up-and-coming Detroit based hardcore act Dead & Gone.  I honestly was blown away by their EP "Catharsis" that came out this past summer.  Seamlessly intertwining introspective lyrics written by lead vocalist Steven Mason with abrasive instrumentals provided to us by guitarist Aaron Salo, bassist Brad Wolf, and drummer Jade Dunn that harken back to more established HxC acts such as Have Heart and Band, I had high hopes for this band.  Well, I think that it's pretty safe to say that those hopes have been exceeded by their latest EP, titled "Abandonment", which was put online for free just a few days ago on October 17th.

On this release, everything has evolved since Catharsis.  The instrumental tracks seem to swap out the youth crew sensibilites that the last release had with more post-hardcore ones, and that's not a bad thing in the slightest.  Whereas the songs on Catharsis were faced-paced and crushing, these tracks are slowed down considerably from that release, giving them a more menacing, Defeater-type vibe.  Even I had to do a second take when I first heard them.  Vocals on this release have considerably improved and are even better than they were before.   The musician ship has also improved very much so.  Production values have gone up ten fold.  And the lyrics are very relateable and very well written, and in some cases are even more devastating then the songs themselves.

And now, for the actual songs themselves.  Opener "Growing Pains" is about exactly what the title suggests.  It opens with an instrumental passage that accurately sets the tone for the rest of the record.  Then comes an abrupt change of pace, and Mason recounts to us, the listeners, his experiences in the past two years pertaining to becoming an adult and the changes that come with it, shouting desperately in a deliberate attempt to make us feel uncomfortable in the best way possible.  This continues in subsequent track "Drowning But Not Dying", where the instrumentalists really shine the most in my opinion, especially drummer Jade Dunn.

"Inside and Out", which is the third track from the record, honestly caught me off guard the first time that I heard it.  Written as a slow-paced love song, Mason pours out his feelings about his significant other the way that D&G does best, and it turns out to be one of the best songs on the record.  And finally, closer "Rapid City, South Dakota" shows just how far along this band has come, with excellent guitar-bass harmonization, bombastic drumming, and vocals that will for sure send shivers down your spine.

I can't really think of any gripes that I have with this release.  Sure, there are a few nit-picky things here and there, like some of the drumming slightly falling out of time on the last song, and, in my personal opinion, some of the heightened production values making the songs on here feel less intense than songs on Catharsis.  I don't know if that was the intention or not, but in no way does it hurt how hard this EP hits.  And the vocals are still the make-or-break reason that will decide if you like this band or if you'll tune out.  But as I said, besides the last thing which I personally love, these are all nit-picky things.  The EP as a whole is an incredibly crafted collection of songs.  If you haven't listened to Dead & Gone, I recommend that you do.  If you like hardcore, that is.  They're an incredible band, and an incredible group of guys, and I don't think you'll be disappointed if you check them out.  I anxiously await the full length that they will undoubtedly release, and I have no doubts in my mind that it'll be excellent.  These guys have INCREDIBLE amounts of potential, and can hold their own in a scene where everyone's looking for something new.

Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/tyranitarhc?sk=wall
Band Camp link (download the album for free!): http://deadandgone.bandcamp.com/
Overall album rating: 4.8/5
Choice cuts: All four tracks.

The World is a Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Afraid to Die - "Formlessness EP" Album Review

Hailing from Willmantic, Connecticut, and described as “Emo, Indie, and Post Hardcore” on their Band Camp tags, The World is a Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Afraid to Die is an interesting band to say the least.  Combining soothing, almost ambient instrumentals with insightful lyrics, TWIABP should be a breath of fresh air for anyone to listen to.  Released in August 2010, their EP “Formlessness” showcases what they’re all about perfectly.  And boy, are they good at what they do.

I discovered this band as I do most of my music nowadays (from my good friend Daniel), and I was instantly hooked.  From the sudden explosion of sound near the end of first track “Victim Kin Seek Suit” to the frantic, almost desperately shouted lyrics over the synthesizer in “Gordon Paul”, through the almost sing-along lyrics in “Walnut Street is Dead (Long Live Walnut Street)” to the synth intro and overall mood of closer “Eyjafjallajokull Dance”, you can tell that this is a band that puts nothing but love into their music.  And it pays off for sure.

Now I don’t really think that I can recommend this band to everyone.  They play what is seen to be as a niche genre of music.  But if you can, go see them, maybe buy a CD, and support these guys.  Music like this is hard to come by.  This is the kind of music that, no matter how bad of a mood you may be in, will cheer you up at least a little bit.  That’s the effect that it had on me, at least.

Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/twiabp

Band Camp (Pay what you want for the album) link: http://theworldis.bandcamp.com/

Album rating: 4 out of 5

Grey Gordon "EP" Album Review

Now, if you know me personally/follow me on Twitter or Last.FM, it’s not hard to guess that I’m a Pop-Punk and Hardcore dude.  But sometimes, I like to give The Wonder Years a break (sounds weird, right?), and listen to a band/artist that most people wouldn’t expect a guy like me to listen to.  And Grey Gordon, a folk musician from Fort Wayne, Indiana and a friend of mine, is one of those artists.  His latest EP, which he sent to me to listen to and review, is a breath of fresh air.  The music reminds me of some old Richie Havens (Don’t know who that is?  Look him up), with lyrics that instantly make me think of John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats during his lo-fi Boombox recording days, even though the production on this EP is of remarkable quality.  With each chord strummed, I can hear each note perfectly and Grey’s vocals are as clear as they are good.

From the opening chords of “Banned from the In Crowd” to the last line of “Underwhelmed”, you can tell that Grey has a lot on his mind.  From lyrics about breaking edge to staying hopeful, it’s hard not to be moved by this four song EP.  Track number three, “First World Blues”, already has about forty plays on my iTunes queue, and I’ve had the track for only about a week.  The complete honesty of the lyrics also reminds me of The Wonder Years in a way.  Musically, there’s only one instrument accompanying the vocals, which is Grey playing along on his acoustic guitar.  This gives it the folksy feel, and to be completely honest, when I heard the demo for “In Crowd”, it reminded me of Richie Havens playing “Handsome Johnny” at Woodstock.  Obviously without the political connotations, but still musically and the way that he sings is completely reminiscent of Havens to me.  Did I just compare Grey to pretty much a legend in folk music?  Yeah.  I went there.

Clocking in at about ten minutes, you can probably take the time out of your day to give this a listen.  And who knows?  Maybe you’ll fall in love with it like I did.  If you’re ever around the Fort Wayne area, hit up one of his shows.  I plan on doing it when I’m able to.  He’s a really cool dude, and he writes some of the most honest music I’ve listened to.  And trust me, those ten minutes that you put into listening to this EP will be worth it.

Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Grey-Gordon/242769375742192

Listen to his first demo and “First World Blues” at http://www.greygordon.bandcamp.com

You can also look at his Facebook page for show dates

Overall album rating: 5/5

Choice cuts: All four songs, pretty much.

Degaussed - "165" Album Review

Degaussed is a four-piece Post-Rock outfit based out of Wyandotte, Michigan.  Made up of vocalist Matt LaFramboise, guitarist Luke Salbert, bassist Chris Beaubian, and drummer Jake Tyrna, these guys’ mix of traditional post-rock, experimental instrumentals, and almost philosophical lyrics make for an interesting combination, and their dedicated local following shows it.  They have, impressingly, played with bands that have played with established acts, such as the band Robbers who went on tour with Brand New.  Degaussed’s debut EP, released at the tail end of summer 2009, called “165”, shows the qualities I mentioned before perfectly.  I won’t really be doing a track-by-track review like my previous review of Dead & Gone’s EP “Catharsis”, but more or less a quick overview.

Starting with the track “Entropy”, you can get a glimpse of their style of playing and usually the first track on here is what will determine if you’re going to be a fan or not.  The cryptic lyrics, combined with multilayered and complicated instrumentals and rhythms, show that this is a band that know how to combine all of their individual talents together into something quite extraordinary.   From the slow paced numbers like “Hiding in a Bay Window” to the spoken word interlude in “Guarding Your Mistakes With Prayer”, the risks this band is willing to take makes them a force to be reckoned with.

The only gripe that I really have with this EP is the production on a few tracks.  There are points where the guitars can almost drown out the drums, and points where there’s some audible popping and clipping in the tracks themselves.  It’s not enough to really affect someone’s listening experience though, as the music is still immensely enjoyable, and it’s definitely hard, if not impossible, to find anything close to them in this scene.

Degaussed is currently recording their first full-length album to be released in the fall of 2011, with a tour possibly following soon after. They are currently signed to Biddle Records, which operates out of Nevada.  This is definitely a band that shouldn’t be missed.

Official website: http://www.degaussed.net/index.html

Overall rating: 4 out of 5

Choice Cuts: “Entropy” “Guarding Your Mistakes with Prayer”

Dead & Gone - "Catharsis" Album Review

In the world of local music, especially in southeastern Michigan, you get a lot of bands that quite frankly all sound the same.  It seems as if the most popular genres of music for bands around here to play are Deathcore and Metalcore.  It’s hard to find bands that can break out of that mould.  Fortunately, here to save all of us from the same generic, run-of-the-mill music that so unfortunately plagues our local scene is none other than Dead & Gone.  With drummer Jade Dunn, bassist Brad Wolf, guitarist Aaron Salo, and vocalist Steve Mason, these guys bring you blistering hardcore with a twist.  The powerfully emotional lyrics, written by Mason, make this band reminiscent of various legendary hardcore bands, such as Have Heart, among others.  Therefore, for my first review I decided to analyze an EP that they have just recently released, the fittingly titled “Catharsis”, which means (as the definition on the album artwork states): “The process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from strong or repressed emotions.”  And they definitely pull it off on this record.

By the sound of the first track, titled “Mixtapes”, you can tell that Mason has a lot to get off of his chest.  Lyrics about broken promises, loaded guns, and Joy Division propel the listener to really only think one word:  “Damn”.  The music played by Salo, Wolf, and Dunn fit the lyrics and Mason’s somewhat desperate sounding vocals perfectly.  His vocals put a sort of intensity into the song where you’re afraid to listen more, yet at the same time you have an overwhelming urge to hear what else lies in store on this EP.

The second track, “Divorce”, is obviously one of the more personal tracks on the record.  From lyrics such as “a torn photograph/of our broken family/lies forgotten like a leaf/beneath the evergreen” to Mason’s voice giving a heartbreaking crack the third time he sings “All I really lost was my voice”, it’s hard not to be affected in some way by this song.  On the music aspect of this song, yet again I must commend this band for being able to set the mood perfectly by finding the perfect balance between music and lyrics/vocals.  My first listen through, I was constantly surprised by the direction the band would take, but let’s save that for the general overview at the end.

Track number three is titled “Traitor”, and is obviously a hate-filled anthem, perhaps directed at an old friend that has fallen out or an ex-girlfriend.  Mason, backed by the band, is screaming his throat raw in this song, with lyrics such as “my real friends are all I need/not a dumb fuck like you”, and you can feel his anger throughout the song.  I also must commend the drumming done by Jade Dunn on this track, as it makes the atmosphere that much more intense by switching between kind of a hard, fast beat and a slow beat.

“Beach Walks and Pillow Talk”, the fourth track, brings us past the halfway point, and it’s another song about heartbreak, with such lyrics as “If you tell me you love me/I’m gonna take it that way”, and excellent gang vocals on “Cross my heart and hope to die/Fill my head with your fucking lies.”  A great cut from the album.

Track number five is called “From Afar”, and it’s subject matter pertains to the singer/narrator singing about what it would be like to witness your own funeral from afar.  Lyrics like “What kind of music would they play?” and “You are not alone/I’ve been there before”, show that Mason and the rest of the band spill their hearts into the music.  All of this is sung over a menacing-sounding groove, and is for sure one of the most personal tracks on the record.

The last song is titled “Through the Glass”, and unlike the other songs about heartbreak on the record, this is definitely Mason at his lowest and most upset.  You can tell that he’s upset throughout this song, and you feel remorse and sadness for him.  The last lines really drive the song home: “memories of the times we shared/keep me above water/keep me from drowning/in my tears/this is my last goodbye”, with the word goodbye repeated over and over again, playing over a bass line that may be one of the most haunting pieces of music on the record.  Great, great song.

This band is definitely not for everyone.  The screamed singing, emotional lyrics, and lo-fi production on this EP may turn some people off to it.  But I can attest that if you’re a fan of hardcore, that this is a great album to pick up.  Among a sea of repetitiveness and music that seems to bleed together into one continuous shriek, this band has been able to break out of the pack and deliver what many people have been waiting for and wanting in this scene:  Pure, honest, in your face hardcore.

Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/tyranitarhc
Mediafire link (the album is free!): http://www.mediafire.com/?6rics53eabrlegz
You can also find tour dates on their Facebook page.
Overall album rating: 4 out of 5
Choice cuts:  “Divorce” “Through the Glass” “Traitor”