• Artist: The Mountain Goats
• Album: Get Lonely
• Label: 4AD
• Release: 2006
• Links: Official Site

Get Lonely is the 10th full length effort from John Darnielle’s Mountain Goats. Darnielle’s last effort, 2005’s The Sunset Tree, was the kind of album that defines a career. It was that good. The Sunset Tree was an uproarious affair. Get Lonely is its solemn relative. Some have written it off for being too subtle, and I can completely see why someone would think this…if they’d only listened to the record once or twice. A handful of listens distinguish Get Lonely as a tender, worthy follow-up to The Sunset Tree.

There is a reason why John Vanderslice, who co-produced The Sunset Tree and Get Lonely (with Scott Solter), sought out Darnielle to help edit and expand the lyrics to his masterful 2005 release, Pixel Revolt. Darnielle is often namechecked as one of the best lyricists of this generation, and while the arrangements on Get Lonely are more somber than its predecessor, the lyrics are as strong as ever. One listen to the tense “In The Hidden Places” disproves any claim that this is a hollow record.

“Woke Up New,” the first single from the album, is another favorite. I was surprised that Darnielle didn’t play it when I saw him a few weeks ago. I think that more people would warm up to Get Lonely if they saw the songs performed live. Get Lonely has all the trademarks of a great Mountain Goats record. The delivery of the album might throw off old fans, but it isn’t a bad introduction for new listeners. Signing to 4AD was the best thing that ever happened to Darnielle’s music. He has emerged as one of the most reliable songwriters active today and Get Lonely supplies twelve reasons why.

(10/14/06)

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