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Jun 03, 2021 By Mark Redfern Photography by Jade Wilson

The Mountain Goats are releasing a new album, Dark in Here, on June 25 via Merge. Now they have shared the album’s title track. Listen below, followed by the band’s upcoming tour dates.

According to a press release, frontman John Darnielle told the rest of the band that the direction for the new album would be “wild.” Bassist Peter Hughes explains: “Not wild in the sense of abandon—these aren’t those kind of songs. But wild in the sense of something undomesticated, untamable… You can fight the calamity all you want, but either way, it’s going to demand your surrender.”

Previously The Mountain Goats shared a lyric video for the album’s first single, “Mobile.” Then they shared the album’s second single, “The Slow Parts on Death Metal Albums.” It featured backing vocals from Susan Marshall and Reba Russell (Rev. Al Green, Lynyrd Skynyrd, U2) and was one of our Songs of the Week.

Dark in Here is the band’s third album in just over a year, following April 2020’s Songs for Pierre Chuvin (which was recorded on a boombox and featured only Darnielle) and October 2020’s Getting Into Knives. Dark in Here was recorded in the week in between recording Songs for Pierre Chuvin and Getting Into Knives, at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. It’s a studio that Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Gregg Allman, Bobby “Blue” Bland, and other legends have recorded at. “Mobile” features some Muscle Shoals legends as well, with Spooner Oldham (Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Linda Ronstadt) on electric piano and Will McFarlane (Bonnie Raitt, Tammy Wynette) on lead guitar.

Getting Into Knives followed 2019’s In League With Dragons, 2017’s Goths, and 2015’s wrestling-themed Beat the Champ. The band features frontman John Darnielle, drummer Jon Wurster, bassist Peter Hughes, and multi-instrumentalist Matt Douglas.

Read our interview with John Darnielle on Getting Into Knives.

The Mountain Goats Tour Dates:

Aug 06 Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel [SOLD OUT]
Aug 07 Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse [SOLD OUT]
Aug 08 Birmingham, AL – Saturn
Aug 10 Austin, TX – Mohawk [SOLD OUT]
Aug 11 Austin, TX – Mohawk
Aug 12 Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
Aug 13 San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger
Aug 15 Santa Fe, NM – Meow Wolf [SOLD OUT]
Aug 16 Santa Fe, NM – Meow Wolf [SOLD OUT]
Aug 19 Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre
Aug 21 Fort Collins, CO – Washington’s
Aug 23 Milwaukee, WI – The Pabst Theater
Aug 24 Evanston, IL – SPACE [SOLD OUT]
Aug 25 Evanston, IL – SPACE [SOLD OUT]
Aug 26 Detroit, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
Sep 16 Dallas, TX – Kessler Theater* [SOLD OUT]
Sep 17 Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theatre*
Sep 24 Holyoke, MA – Gateway City Arts Center* [SOLD OUT]
Sep 25 Woodstock, NY – Levon Helm Studios* [SOLD OUT]
Sep 26 Bethlehem, PA – Musikfest Cafe at the ArtsQuest* [SOLD OUT]

*John Darnielle solo

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