Context – Keeping my nose to the grinder

I love The Mountain Goats, but there was a time when I was obsessed with The Mountain Goats.  Their albums are like doors to the most inviting hang out session you’ve ever been to.  You may not know how you got there.  You may not know what’s going on.  But you keep coming back to that same hangout because it just feels good to be a part of something.

That feeling is still very much intact in Goths, which is exciting. Or maybe it just does a real good job of reminding me about what it felt like during the two years or so I hung out with the goth kids.  Finding them was a lot like finding The Mountain Goats, in its way. They were a good group of kids.

The thing goths keep telling people is that there’s often very little sad about being a goth.  There sure was a lot of laughing, a lot of synthesizers, and a lot of glitter.  A lot of people get distracted by the black clothes, but it just makes for such a good base for glitter.

Goths seems to capture this spirit.  I believe the thing is that there are no guitars on this album.  Or if there are John isn’t playing them.  It just kind of feels like every song is “Dance Music” but without the story of abuse and depression.

Which isn’t to say that there’s no abuse or depression on this album.  I can’t say, I’m bad at lyrics and this was a background listen.  I will say I’m excited about this.  I feel pretty similarly about Goths and Beat the Champ, so if you liked that then you’re sure to like this.  Unless you were only into Beat the Champ for the wrestling.

I don’t remember how goths felt about wrestling.  I’m sure at least two of them did.  I think wrestling transcends the tribes and unites anyone willing to suspend their disbelief long enough to think that the People needed an Elbow (although it is hard to argue with the results, I fucking love The Rock).

I will say this isn’t goth like that rad fucking rave that became a meme.  It’s more like someone who listened to a lot Joy Division and the Cure and then wrote a Mountain Goats album.  Which, as it turns out, is a great way to make an album.

Hail Satan!