The Mountain Goats Receive Divine Intervention
The Life of the World to Come is surprisingly accessible even as it tackles a divisive subject.
The Mountain Goats
Life Of The World To Come
Released on Oct 06, 2009
Unlike various inspirational figures—award-winning sports coaches, former members of Destiny’s Child, and probably Lady GaGa—I don’t read the Bible every day. While I’m sure it could be a fun morning or evening ritual, I’ve never been particularly drawn to the “good book.” However, I am drawn to the kind of people that do subscribe to the word, because I find the realms of religion and belief systems to be fascinating.
Well, it turns out that the lead singer of The Mountain Goats and I have something in common. John Darnielle cracked open the Bible for the band’s 17th release, naming each track after a particular Bible verse. Because really, by the time you’ve released 16 albums, you’re pretty much a music god anyway. Darnielle doesn’t seem to see it that way, though—there’s no pretension on the album, and though the songs have religious connotations to them, this is no contemporary worship album.
Like I’m sure plenty of people will do, I dusted off a Bible from when I took Religion 100 and read all of the verses for each song. While Darnielle has always been lauded for his lyrical prowess, it takes true talent and ingenuity to reinterpret biblical scripture and make it acceptable for the masses. He does so with aplomb, even if the creativity lent to the musical aspect has to be slightly stunted.
On “Genesis 3:23,” Darnielle sings about breaking into a home that he used to live in. The simple harmonies on the chorus “I used to live here” are so matter-of-fact, but they pack a melancholic punch especially when juxtaposed against upbeat keyboards. The Bible verse reads: “therefore the Lord God sent him froth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken.” The way he references this in the song is equally melancholic—he sings that he’ll “break the lock on my own garden gate.”
Interestingly enough, he uses the book of Genesis twice. “Genesis 30:3” is one of the best tracks on the album. Again, it’s almost too elementary in his musicianship, but the piano is beautiful on this song. Also, this is Darnielle at his finest concerning lyrical interpretation. This verse details how a woman named Rachel—who could not have children—offered her maid to her husband Jacob so that they may have children. To this end, Darnielle offers up this lyric: “I will do what you ask me to do because of how I feel about you.” Simple? Yes, but his clear voice manages to sound both defeated and willing on this track. On an already emotionally fraught album, this track stands out for its sentiment.
The tracks on which Darnielle doubts himself are some of the most interesting—the chorus of “Romans 10:9” states: “If you believe in your heart, and confess with your lips, surely you will be saved one day.” There’s a wink at the end of that line though, almost as if Darnielle isn’t quite sure that he believes what he’s singing. That sort of disbelief runs throughout the entire album, believe it or not, which makes the album far more secular than one would think.
Ultimately, this is another classic Mountain Goats album that deals with universal life concepts in a highly literal and enlightened way. And whether you can be found at daily mass or haven’t ever darkened the doorway of a church, you’ll relate to at least one track on this album.
High Point
I didn’t mention it in the review, but “Matthew 25:21.” It’s highly autobiographical (the track details the death of his mother-in-law), yet doesn’t sound one bit exploitative or sappy. The track is stunning, and with lyrics like “I am a witness to your life and it’s worth,” you’ll be glad that he decided to share this personal story.
Low Point
I don’t think varying the instrumentation or increasing it would take away from Darnielle’s amazing lyrics, and I wish the Goats would play just a little bit more with their musical sound.
Posted by Alyssa Vincent on Oct 06, 2009 @ 6:00 am
