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The Mountain Goats are known for stripped-down arrangements and lyrics of twisted poetry, so the presence of strings, organs, bass and drums on 'Heretic Pride' will appal certain sections of their fanbase as much as if Xenomania were claiming production credits. 'Heretic Pride' is made up of a series of elaborately characterised vignettes swerving from religious cults to motel romances via mythological Chinese lake monsters. Opener 'Sax Rohmer #1' (namechecking the spy novelist and creator of Fu Manchu) lopes along on a skittish beat, while singer and mainman John Darnielle belts out "With my own blood in my mouth / I am coming home to you / if it's the last thing that I do" with an almost disconcerting intensity.
On Autoclave, Darnielle's lyrical dexterity really shows itself, veering from "I dreamed I was perched atop a throne of human skulls" to the Cheers referencing of "Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name" within a brief verse. This is followed by the reggae stylings of New Zion, one of several moments where producer John Vanderslice's production could alienate fans of previous more low-fi Mountain Goats albums, with Wurlitzer and guitars foregrounding over the most laid-back vocal performance of the record.
But this serves only to increase the impact of 'So Desperate', the most stripped-back track on the album with only the thinnest layer of guitar and pizzicato strings supporting Darnielle's plaintive vocal. 'Lovecraft In Brooklyn' is an undoubted highlight, Darnielle's reedy voice spitting out "I woke up afraid of my own shadow, like genuinely afraid / on my way to the pawn shop to buy myself a switchblade".
'Heretic Pride' lacks the immediacy of the Mountain Goats' previous work, perhaps as the punch-to-the-guts impact Darnielle can deliver in a couplet is blunted by being buried under more instruments than fans will be used to. But this is an album that really stands up to repeated listens: subtle variations in Darnielle's delivery suddenly illuminating a new meaning to the song; percussive flourishes making themselves known. 'Heretic Pride 'reinforces the Mountain Goats' way with a memorable tune and a powerfully evocative lyric. It won't resonate with everyone, but those who do 'get it' will likely listen to nothing else for months.
