The Mountain Goats, Matthew E. White

[INSPIRATIONAL NASAL VIBRATO] I would never suggest John Darnielle had lost his swagger before his Mountain Goats dropped this October’s Transcendental Youth. To question Darnielle’s wisdom is, after all, music-critic heresy. Moreover, there were fine hooks and great lyrics sprinkled liberally over both the apocalyptic The Life of the World to Come and last year’s fine, if largely restrained, outing, All Eternals Deck. No, what Darnielle recaptured with his latest album is fire. That pissed-off, over-caffeinated and twitchy teenage all-caps FIRE that Darnielle is such a master at crystalizing in a cutting turn of phrase. That restless spirit seeps through victorious opener “Amy” and the skittering, dark “Night Light.” But Portland’s new favorite Mountain Goats song didn’t make the final record. “Steal Smoked Fish” opens with the promising line, “Across the Burnside Bridge/ Before anyone shot their movies there,” then goes on to detail the subtleties of stealing from Plaid Pantry and offers a sentimental tribute to those folks in sleeping bags we walk over on our way to the show.  

Where: Aladdin Theater
Phone: 234-9694
Address: 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave.
Website: www.aladdin-theater.com