The project from singer-songwriter John Darnielle is best known for lyrically dense albums and an extremely rabid fan base. The Mountain Goats’ discography can be broken down into two halves; the early lo-fi albums that Darnielle self recorded and the studio recorded output he has released with a full band since 2002. While there are ardent fans of both sides, one album in particular manages to marry both styles: 2002’s All Hail West Texas, a 14-song collection recorded by Darnielle when his trusty Panasonic RX-FT500 suddenly spurred back to life. Here, Darnielle records tunes packed with some of his most detailed songwriting, like fan favorite anthem “The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton” which includes a sing-a-long outro of “Hail Satan!” Elsewhere, the doomed ballad “Fault Lines” and “Mess Inside” provide the detailed character sketches Darnielle would perfect on later concept albums.
The Fat Angel Sings 