The Mountain Goats are out with their new album, Days, following the 2025 release of their concept record Through The Fire Across From Peter Balkan, an album that I absolutely loved from start to finish. I’ve listened to Days three times through now, and got to hear some of it live yesterday at their record release show at Amoeba Music in Hollywood. For Mountain Goats fans who are more into their rambly folk-punk songs, this record is one you will love.
Fans started lining up about an hour and a half in advance of doors, wrapping around Amoeba with wide eyes, discussing their favorite underground Mountain Goats songs. There was a young man from Saudi Arabia in line in front of me who told me one of his favorite tracks was “Andrew Eldritch is Moving Back to Leeds.” Admittedly, I couldn’t recall the song. I wondered if I had ever heard it. They do have a lot of songs. During their (short for them) 45-minute set, The Mountain Goats happened to play that exact 2017 song. He sang along with the biggest smile on his face, not missing a single word.
Watching them perform several new tracks live reinforced something I’ve felt for a long time: John Darnielle is one of the greatest songwriters of our time. His work makes you think, question, and feel every emotion under the sun. The songs were all performed in a stripped-back fashion, reinforcing just how well-written they truly are. They played as a trio, just acoustic guitar (or electric), piano, and a drum machine paired with a shaker (which, at first glance, I genuinely thought was just a random apple they’d brought on stage).
I fell deep into The Mountain Goats when my bass player and friend, Loren, played “This Year” for me at the absolute peak of my struggle with Lyme disease. I was exhausted by the endless IVs and the mountains of medication I had to choke down every day. My quality of life was at an all-time low. But that one line played on repeat in my mind and kept me moving forward: “I’m going to make it through this year if it kills me.” Darnielle didn’t write it about a chronic illness, but it felt like he wrote it directly for me. That’s the magic of his work, it transforms to fit whatever pain or triumph you’re carrying.
Fittingly, the band ended their Amoeba set with “No Children”, which they playfully dubbed the “No No Song” on stage between themselves, followed by “This Year.” Standing in a room full of people screaming every word together was unforgettable.
On stage, Darnielle reflected on the band’s origins, recalling how he started out setting his poetry to music on home-recorded tapes labeled “The Mountain Goats.” Decades later, 25 years after the release of “No Children,” the track went viral on TikTok via dancing teenagers, helping the band earn a certified Gold Record. Something that was never meant to be commercial found its way to the top purely through organic connection. It proves that real, honest music transcends demographics and eras.
Early standout tracks for me on Days include “Shallow Grave,” “Charlie Sheen Reaches Out to the Feds,” “Candlebox,” and “Last Day”, an incredible closer anchored by swirling organs and lush piano riffs. From the first three listens, I absolutely love the record. It transports you to different moments in music culture, spanning back to Woodstock. Yes, there’s a song about Woodstock too.
I’m still trying to figure the reocrd out, so a longer review will probably follow this one. Anyway, you should dive into Days now:
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Written by Ryan Cassata
Image of me getting my record signed, just in case The Mountain Goats happen to see this review – this is me!
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