The Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride

The first of The Mountain Goats’ albums, ‘Tallahassee’, was a song-cycle about an entirely fictional relationship, whereas subsequent records saw John Darnielle slowly but surely introducing autobiographical elements into his songs. 2005’s ‘The Sunset Tree’ and 2006’s ‘Get Lonely’ were both - in their different ways - naked personal. But long-time fans may well welcome the news that, for his new album, ‘Heretic Pride’, Darnielle has once more retreated into his imagination to conjure a suite of songs about mythical creatures, imaginary cults, slasher films and pulp fiction novelists. He’s also come up with some of the most anthemic, impassioned and downright catchy songs of his career: ‘Sax Rohmer’, ‘Autoclave’ and ‘Lovecraft In Brooklyn’ join a long line of glorious Mountain Goats shouters (‘Going To Georgia’, ‘Cubs In Five’, ‘The Best Ever Death Metal Band In Denton’, ‘No Children’, ‘This Year’); they'll doubtless have audiences raising the roof at venues around the world in the coming months.
‘Heretic Pride’ was produced by Scott Solter and John Vanderslice, and they also contributed some additional percussion (Solter) and some synth (Vanderslice). The album was recorded by Solter along with Aaron Prellwitz at Prairie Sun and was also mixed by Solter.
Musicians include old associates like Peter Hughes (bass) and Franklin Bruno (piano); Jon Wurster (Superchunk) provides drums, and the incredible Erik Friedlander plays cello. Annie Clark (of St Vincent) contributes some guitar and backing vocals, and, in a development which will amaze the faithful, Rachel Ware Zooi and Sarah Arslanian - aka The Bright Mountain Choir - add vocal harmonies to a Mountain Goats album for the first time since 1996.

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