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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
And it sounds kinda like this..., August 22, 2006
Tallahassee. We Shall All Be Healed. The Sunset Tree. Fresh off his "proper" trilogy with producer John Vanderslice, Darnielle decides to "Get Lonely" (Costello. "Get Happy!!!", Anyone? Anyone?). So, what does it sound like? Well...it plays in the same vein of "Sunset Tree". If you were hoping for a return to form, best to look elsewhere--but that may be a half-truth. While the album certainly is polished and layed, it' quiet and intimate too. In that sense, it is much more like Darnielle's earlier work, rather than his studio stuff. It's been a while since we've just had John and his guitar strumming along. But it happens more often than not on this outing. The lyrics are just as sharp as ever, but there's nothing really on here that will hold a candle up to Darnielle's best work--but come on, who am I kidding? It's the MOUNTAIN GOATS, it's ALL good. There is no possible way to hate this album, it's smart, sad, and catchy. What else could you possibly want to mope to? Standouts, there are: "Half Dead," "Get Lonely," and (The Not Really New) "Woke Up New". If you're new to THE MOUNTAIN GOATS, it's best to start with Tallahassee--and then maybe cheack out some of Darnielle's earlier work and work your way here. But if you're a seasoned fan...Why are you even reading this, just buy the damned thing and be done with it, you fool!
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Save it for Spring, November 6, 2006
Certainly everyone should buy this CD now -- I mean, keep the cash flow flowing -- but if you actally have had a bad breakup or, God forbid, have just lost someone you love, do not listen to it now. If you do, you will sob and sob and sob. Then "Get Lonely" itself will come on and you will sob some more. Then you will try to listen to this two years from now and you won't be able to, which will be a shame because it is really good.
And if you have seasonal depression (which is no damn joke, haters) save this one for April. I gave this the prerequisite MG "three or four times through to get the gist" and then set it aside. Oy vey already with the soft tendrils of sorrow enfolding and entwining...
The point being that I don't know how John Darnielle gets into the corner of the collective unconscious where words waiting to be written are stored, but he does. And then he seems to throw them down like pick-up sticks, each line finding its own perfect shape and place. And then you're pulled over on the side of the road hitting "repeat" again and again because that song is *your* theme song, *your* heartbreak, *your* family, *your* drunken mistake. And if having a heartbreak song like the ones on Get Lonely might *lead* to a drunken mistake... well. That's all I'm saying.
I also found myself thinking a lot about melody listening to this CD. As a reasonable singer and really terrible guitarist, I frequently regale myself with the MG songbook acapella and sometimes find myself thinking "Huh. That song actually has only four notes." Separating tunes (mainly earlier ones) from their yummy arrangements leaves them a bit nekkid. Listening back over these later CDs, and Get Lonely especially, the melodies do not depend so much on just that one arrangement, but stand by themselves and invite other interpretations. (And hast thou been to a vocal coach, John? Upper register sounding really nice!)
OK, there you go: good CD, mellow and sad, do not listen if you actually are lonely. I give this CD only four stars because you gotta have somewhere to go when the Canadians take the ice.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Don't give up too soon, October 25, 2006
I'd have to agree with many of the reviewers here, in that this is connoisseur material- I don't think this is the most accessible album for those who've only really become familiar with the Mountain Goats through the radio hits- there really isn't a 'This Year' on this album. This was strange for me too, since it's nice to have an anchor to explore an album from, but do not give up on this album too soon. After about the third listen, just when the idea of giving up has started to creep up on you, it'll all make sense. Darnielle's lyricism is stronger than ever on this challenging, difficult album, and it's to his credit that he's pushed the stylistic and thematic envelope so strongly, and with such maturity. Definitely a grower, a lot thinner on the teenage angst so probably not for the kids who fell in love with 'this year', but incredibly rewarding for those prepared to work with it.
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