The Mountain Goats share surprise EP, Hex of Infinite Binding: Stream

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The Mountain Goats are nothing if not prolific. John Darnielle’s long-running folk-rock project put out an LP, Goths, last year, and followed it up with the Marsh Witch Visions and covers of Bon Iver’s “Blood Bank”, Godspell’s “Save the People”, and Robin Trower’s “Bridge of Sighs”. Now, the Mountain Goats have returned with yet another EP, Hex of Infinite Binding. Stream it via Spotify or Bandcamp below.

(Read: John Darnielle, Stranger Things, and The New Nostalgia)

“Only one of these songs is directly about death but the person or persons in all these songs will someday die,” Darnielle said in a very Darnielle statement about the four-song release, which was recorded in studios in Chicago and Chapel Hill, NC, as well as his own home. It’s a tender batch of songs, driven by Darnielle’s guitar and, on several of the songs, restrained, yet robust, woodwind arrangements. The final song, “Tucson Fog”, should satisfy those who miss the Goats’ stripped-down recordings of yore.

Read Darnielle’s full statement below:

WELCOME WAYWARD TRAVELER TO THE HEX VORTEX. I used to release a whole bunch of EPs. I miss the general spiritual realm of the EP and am hereby centering an intention to spend more time thereat. These songs represent, in part, the first salvo of my resolve. “Almost Every Door” and “Song for Ted Sallis” were written at home in North Carolina sometime during the summer and recorded by Brandon Eggleston at Electrical Audio in Chicago during our three-night stand at Old Town School of Folk Music. “Tucson Fog” is a home recording from last December, things can get a little dark in December. “Hospital Reaction Shot” was produced & engineered by Chris Stamey at Modern Recording, Chapel Hill, NC; Chris also wrote the string arrangements and played bass and electric guitar. Percussion on “Almost Every Door” and “Song for Ted Sallis” by Matt Espy from Dead Rider, maximum respect. Only one of these songs is directly about death but the person or persons in all these songs will someday die. The death one, “Hospital Reaction Shot,” is drawn from a picture of Mickey Deans holding a press conference to inform the world of the death of Judy Garland, to whom he had been married for three months. Yet the press conference is a sham, because Judy Garland lives, as Ted Sallis lives, as do many others thought missing. They can often be found in the vortex shortly before sundown, plotting their return. We live in hope!

The Mountain Goats are currently on tour and will play a slot at ACL this weekend. They’ll also play a pair of shows in Darnielle’s home state of North Carolina later this fall. Check out the dates below.

The Mountain Goats 2018 Tour Dates:
09/07 – San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger
09/08 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
09/10 – Tuscon, AZ @ 191 Toole
09/11 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom
09/12 – Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf
09/13 – Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theater
09/14 – Fort Collins, CO @ Washington’s
11/30 – Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom
12/01 – Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom

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