Congratulations to the staying power of this album as it reaches it’s 20th year (Feb 19, 2002). I love the lofi recording quality, John’s refusal to follow predictable rhyme schemes. I love the imagery of tracks like Jenny and Pink and Blue. I love the anger, self loathing, and helplessness in Fault Lines. I love the intra-song references (ie 900 cubic centimeters of raw whining power vs I’ve got a cracked engine block). As a survivor of an abusive relationship, I love the Alpha lore; it helped me understand my own feelings and internalized toxic defense mechanisms. I love that when I saw The Taxpayers perform, I drove them to the venue with this album playing in my car and Rob suggested we skip the show and just drive around listening to music. My life is better with this album in it. I hope for some of you, you enjoy your first listening, and for others, I hope we have a shared bond.
Love me some Mountain Goats, All Hail West Texas is definitely my favourite but I can never decide between Tallahassee and The Sunset Tree for a second place.
i knew someone who really liked the mountain goats who was really cool but then I met an unironic fascist who really loved the mountain goots and it ruined it for me can’t do it anymore
my expensive art school psycho transplant neighbor who played the fucking PAN FLUTE and would have verbal breakdowns where he whispered violent thoughts about his neighbors (us) and housemates loved the mountain goats and would sing it loudly from the front porch. that almost ruined it for me.
