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The Mountain Goats

Tallahasse

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by HomicidalCarrot on 02/17/2008

The Mountain Goats' concept album about a troubled drunken couple who drive down to Tallahassee, FL is always clever, haunting and witty, even though it is occasionally musically flat. The album starts with the spare, fragile title track which bemoans "what did I come down here for ?" The next few tracks are all good, especially First Few Desperate Hours and Game Shows Touch Our Lives. However, some songs, like "Idylls of The King", while well written, are too slow and quiet, and singer John Darnielle's less than perfect voice makes it hard for the slow numbers to be beautiful and easy on the ears. Still, the back to back thrill of the funny as hell "No Children", with the great line "I hope I lie and say you were a good wife... and I hope you die, I hope we both die" and the charging, bass heavy "See America Right" makes for a great listening experience. The pleasant "Peacocks", the pretty good "Have to Explode" the great "International Small Arms Traffic Blues" and the even better "Old College Try", with an organ sound straight out of Music From Big Pink continue the great, if slightly uneven, flow of the album. The brilliant, haunting rocker "Oceanographer's Choice" is one of the Mountain Goats' best, and while "Alpha Rat's Nest" is far from the best song on the album, it's an appropriate closer. For those who can tolerate lead singer John Darnielle's nasally, off key voice and the far from slick production, Tallahassee is a ruthlessly original and rewarding listen.

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Tracklist

1	Tallahasse
2	First Few Desperate Hours
3	Southwood Plantation
4	Game Shows Touch Our Lives
5	The House that Dripped Blood
6	Idylls of the Kings
7	No Children
8	See American Right
9	Peacocks
10	International Small Arms Traffic Blues
11	Have to Explode
12	Old College Try
13	Oceanographers Choice
14	Alpha Rats Nest