The Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride

I've been listening to the Mountain Goats' new record, Heretic Pride, all night now. There have been background listens, there have been critical listens, active listens, and there have been relistens. I've listened to the record a few times over, and still want to hear it again. This one is something else. I've listened while watching the Patriots run the table, while reading about a way to determine points per possession from basketball box scores, and while doing nothing at all besides listening.

I don't feel like I can write a review of Heretic Pride at this point. It would be lots of comments like, "This is so damn cool!" And it is. But that isn't terribly insightful. So now for the attempt at insight. These were the things that I was curious about before hearing the album, and what caught my ear while listening.

1. The production and arrangement - It seems like ever since John Darnielle first went into the studio and released Tallahassee, the production has gotten increasingly interesting and natural sounding. Heretic Pride definitely sounds more like a full band is in the studio than any Mountain Goats album to come before it. Piano and organ work are featured more prominently on songs here than anything since "No Children." Scott Solter and John Vanderslice really got the sound right on these songs. The string parts are great, and "San Bernardino" features some stringed instrument ostinato from the start that intrigues me greatly. Arrangements are inventive and strong throughout.

2. Bright Mountain Choir - I've always enjoyed the parts of the Mountain Goats' back catalog that featured Darnielle's voice paired with a female singer. Be it Rachel Ware, the BMC, or Kimya Dawson. The parts where female vocals show up are treats.

3. Jon Wurster - I used to think "This Year" was the Mountain Goats' rocker. Not any more. Wurster elevates a number of these tracks to great heights. I hope to see JW on drums along with Peter Hughes and John Darnielle the next time a tour comes through the area.

4. Monsters - Some research would probably reveal more ties, but the monster theme that had been previously suspected is somewhat present. Heretic Pride is not an album about monsters, but perhaps an album about how it feels to be a monster, or be perceived as one. I like that better. Perhaps there will be a video for one of these songs, and monsters will be involved. I'd like that too.

5. Michael Myers Resplendent - One year ago this week, Darnielle posted a demo of this track. It was good. When HP's tracklist was announced, some fans were surprised that MMR was closing things out. Or curious might be the better term. I was very curious as to the changes, if any, Michael Myers Resplendent had undergone from the "Grendel's Mother" esque demo. Well, MMR went in a totally different direction than I had expected. It's big, and it deserves to have the final say on Heretic Pride.

Really, there is only one song on HP that I'm not already sold on, and that is only because it is a little too reggae for my tastes. Lyrically, it is solid. Now I will just wait in anticipation for the liner notes when the record is released on February 19. This record should be one of the best for next year, it would have been for 2007. I just hope that when the end of 2008 rolls around, people won't have forgotten how outstanding Heretic Pride is like they did with The Reminder.