Life of the World to Come (Dig)

 (5 customer reviews)

Another year, another Mountain Goats album. The constantly metamorphosing folk project of singer/songwriter John Darnielle, The Life of the World to Come is their 17th album in 18 years, an impressive number for any band, much less one man. Coming a little over a year and a half after 2008's excellent Heretic Pride, Life features Darnielle turning to that massive old tome which has fascinated and ensnared many a bard before him: the Bible. A concept album of sort, each title in this twelve-song set is named after a particular verse relating, in one way or another, to the intensely personal, highly literate tales that have become the Mountain Goats' hallmark.

But lest you think Darnielle has become Christian rock's newest poet, consider that the Mountain Goats have always worked their best magic under practically hymnal conditions, intertwining Darnielle's heartbreakingly honest, slice-of-life lyrics and colorful metaphors with subtle instrumentation and mellow folk. Taking...Read more

For any and all fans of the Mountain Goats,

After listening to this album all morning, I can honestly say that this has quickly become one of my favorite tMG's albums. I do not think I enjoy is more than "We Shall Be Healed" or "All Hail West Texas", but it has already surpassed "Get Lonely" and "Heretic Pride", both albums that I love. As for its place with "Tallahassee" and "The Sunset Tree", I just think that I cannot decide yet.

The album opens slowly, not quite as understated as "Wild Sage" is for an album opener, but still soft and cool. Then we move quickly into "Psalms" which hits nicely, heavier, and still with the lyrics of John Darnielle which always echo towards a quite desperation, an overall voice of hope in a time of confusion and let-down. The album continues this pattern of softer songs, some solo type works with just John and the piano or guitar, and a few full band rockers, but nothing nearly as hard-hitting as "Lovecraft in Brooklyn" or...Read more

I was almost reluctant to buy this as (except for Lovecraft in Brooklyn) I was not too wild about Heretic Pride. Life of the World to Come took me totally and pleasantly by surprise. No one goes straight to the heart like John Darnielle and I'm not talking in a sentimental or sickly sweet way. The songwriting indicates someone who took his talent and became it's master. The arrangements are perfect and some have a jazzy, Joni Mitchell feel to them that works very well. 1 John 4;16 (?) and Matthew 21;24 (tracks 8 and 9) are some of the most sublimely beautiful songs that Darnielle has ever written. Who else could write such a beautiful song about watching someone you love die as the Matthew 21;24 song proves. Hard to call one MGs album my favorite but this is up there wityh We Shall All Be Healed, The Sunset Tree and All Hail West Texas for me. This may surpass The Aeroplane Over The Sea as my favorite record of all time.