The Mountain Goats – ‘The Sunset Tree’ (4AD) Released 02/05/05

If you have not previously encountered The Mountain Goats, it’s time to make acquaintance for this – their third album for 4AD - is a very beautiful, very clever and very special collection of songs.

It takes as it’s subject the childhood of John Darnielle, the leader, and songwriter, of The Goats, and the domestic abuse he encountered and witnessed by his recently deceased stepfather as its theme. Despite this, never does any song on the album lose itself in melancholy, instead always sounding unashamedly hopeful and uplifting.  This fittingly mirroring the album sleeve’s message: “You are going to make it out of there alive.  You will live to tell your story.  Never lose hope”.  And so that sentiment becomes omnipresent in every joyous key change, every sweet melody and every floating refrain.  He peppers dark scenes with gleeful details of being “happy from gallons of ice cream in the freezer” and then, “locking eyes, holding hands” with teenage girlfriend, Cathy. (The couple being “Twin high maintenance machines”, he deadpans)

Across the plinky plonky piano of ‘Dance Music’ and the stunning cello arrangement of ‘Dilaudid’ Darnielle’s vocals vividly curl, short and sharp in rhythm.  Then when the songs get to their most startlingly personal, and the illustration most knowingly detailed, the words release in persistent bursts as the memory becomes too much to hold in.  Such qualities and such helpless sincerity in deliverance make Darnielle’s songs so captivating to behold. The piano, the guitar and the cello that parade beside him incessantly echo with understanding upon his every word.

Listen quietly and you’ll understand too.