Your Super-Awesome Sunday Vegetarian Post of Awesomeness is John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats

I am terribly ashamed that I have not yet chosen John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats as our Super Awesome Sunday Vegetarian Post of Awesomeness yet, and am now doing what I can to make amends.   So let me be perfectly clear: if there is just one post of mine you ever read in its entirety, or listen to all the music, please make it this one.   Because the Mountain Goats (really just Darnielle for the most part) deserve your attention.   I'm actually having trouble figuring out where to begin, my adulation for this band is so intense.

Let's start with this quote from The New Yorker: John Darnielle is "America's best non-hip-hop lyricist."  Let's test that hypothesis:

Yup.   And that one's autobiographical.   In fact, his lyrics are, much of the time, more important than the music he places under them. Darnielle started his career playing into a tape recorder, the epitome of lo-fi.   But the lyrics, sung with more passion and lack of inhibition than most people could dream of, made the Mountain Goats a small sensation.   The stories Darnielle tells are those of of struggling people, and are gorgeous and often times heartbreaking.

After signing to a "major" label and incorporating a band into his music, Darnielle wrote an entire album about a couple that moved to Florida to drink themselves to death.   It's called Tallahassee, and it might make you cry.   Here's a track off that record, called "No Children."  Absolutely chilling lyrics, but look at the joy Darnielle has in singing it.   That's his hallmark - delivering the worst lyrics with such happiness.

Deciding that wasn't depressing enough, Darnielle than turned inward and wrote an album about his abusive stepfather, calling that one The Sunset Tree.   The first video I posted comes from that record.   And then, and then, Darnielle wrote an album about being left, and being alone.   Here's a track from that record (which is called Get Lonely), "Woke Up New."

So, oddly enough, Darnielle actually always seems really happy.   Live, he talks easily with the crowd, always smiling while playing.   Also, true story, he really like death metal music.

Anyhow, please please please go check out the Mountain Goats.   A tour starts in October, and here are the dates.   And, as always, takepart and get your free vegetarian starter kit.