The 14th installment in the Mountain Goats’ intimidating discography, Transcendental Youth is another exercise in poignant storytelling that should fit well among the band’s best.
Instead of an overarching narrative, Youth presents a collection of first-person tales from characters in similarly austere walks of life.
Frontman John Darnielle’s cast — heart-broken, drug addicted and schizophrenic, in turn — is as gritty and downtrodden as ever.
But these people are looking up while bottomed out. And while the album is grounded in dark scenery, it has its fair share of anthemic cuts, including the excellent “Amy aka Spent Gladiator 1.”
“I hide down in my corner because I like my corner,” he sings. “I am happy where the vermin play.”
Darnielle manages to pull some form of tempered optimism from each story.
Musically, the addition of a horn section (led by Matthew E. White of Fight the Big Bull) gives new emotional range to the trio’s time-tested guitars and vocals, sounding exuberant on “Cry for Judas” and embracing on “White Cedar.”
Piano melodies and bass grooves build and break wrenchingly on “Lakeside View Apartments Suite,” while strumming acoustic guitars and a driving drum kit propel upbeat songs like “Harlem Roulette.”
Though 14 albums deep, the Mountain Goats sound arresting as always — and they’ve got plenty of stories left to tell.
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