Album Review: The Mountain Goats - Goths

The Mountain Goats dedicating an album to the '80s Goth scene? Without guitars? Has the silly season begun already?

Rain In Soho opens the album as The Sisters Of Mercy might, with pounding snares and Dominion-esque choir wails. But for the most part, Goths has a comfy west coast jazz feel, gentle tones and cosy arrangements. It's less Alien Sex Fiend, more like Fields Of The Nephilim. On that subject, Goths should probably be docked a point for overlooking Carl McCoy's Sergio Leone-obsessed, quasi-mystical horde.

The unexpected upside of their new sound is that Peter Hughes' bass has never sounded so central and authoritative, easily carrying the likes of Andrew Eldritch Is Moving Back To Leeds, which is another fine example of John Darnielle's intricate storytelling. But there's a sickly odour of nostalgia that lingers through Stench Of The Unburied and elsewhere, while Wear Black for all its brilliant observations has a cloying album-orientated rock feel. Goths lacks the blazing intensity of The Mountain Goats' live shows and signposts the way to an increasingly mature, reflective direction. But having tackled semi-pro wrestling and face-painted Sun Dodgers with their last two albums, it'll be interesting to see where they end up next.