On Oct. 27, The Mountain Goats released their newest album, “Jenny From Thebes.” The album is a sequel to their 2002 album, “All Hail West Texas,” which was just as narratively complex. The character of “Jenny” first appears in “All Hail West Texas,” along with songs such as “Night Light,” “Straight Six” and “Source Decay. As a character, she is the embodiment of the desire to get on the road and leave everything behind. Now, she is back.
Frontman John Darnielle creates characters in every album he writes. “Jenny From Thebes” shows how much of a master storyteller he is. When Jenny first appears in the album “All Hail West Texas,” she is taking the narrator of the song “Jenny” away on her motorcycle. She continues to appear in The Mountain Goats Discography. In “Night Light” and “Straight Six,” she can be found talking to the narrator on the phone. And in “Source Decay,” she is sending him postcards. The listener never gets to know her in these songs; she is simply an instrument for the narrator.
The storytelling is what makes “Jenny From Thebes” such a wonderful feat. The Mountain Goats have lore spanning decades, and the beauty of the group is that exact lore that they have managed to build up over the years. Throughout their discography, The Mountain Goats have introduced Jenny, her motorcycle, a fictional death metal band and a divorcing couple, among a larger cast of characters since their founding in the ’90s. Listening to any album by the band feels akin to reading an epic poem or some mythology-filled Greek tragedy.
The album, at its core, is a folk-rock opera, though leaning a little away from The Mountain Goats’ classic folk sound and into the theatrical with piano, horns and even backup vocals by The Go-Go’s bassist, Kathy Valentine.
There’s a pop and show tune influence that somewhat brings the heartfeltness of the album down. Not that pop music can’t have soul and depth, but its use in “Jenny From Thebes” has a harsh contrast to the amazing grit that Darnielle has in his past work. Darnielle’s vocals often sound like a mix of Lou Reed and Bruce Springsteen and suit a much more acoustic sound.
The album opens with the song “Clean Slate,” a stand-out track of the album. It sets the scene for the musical journey ahead with its vivid lyrics. It depicts the struggle of leaving home with the lyrics, “Leave home feeling empty, change planes in Taipei / Stay awake the whole timе, end up several worlds away / Thе house was almost full that day, they made a space for you / This world is sad and broken, gotta fix a crack or two.” Each track on the album feels deeply personal and deeply introspective.
Narratively the album is impeccable, simply from the magic of Darnielle’s storytelling capabilities. The songs themselves pull the listener into the moment through their detailed lyrics and cinematic instrumentals. Another notable track off the app is “Cleaning Crew.” The song opens with, “You were passed out on the sofa / Cigarette burns and coffee stains / Loose change in your pocket / Naltrexone in your veins.” Darnielle’s writing, especially with the second person point of view he uses in many of the songs, puts the listener right there in the scene he is crafting. From cigarette burns to the Naltrexone, a drug used in the treatment of substance abuse, a full picture is painted.
“Jenny” has existed in prior albums by The Mountain Goats as an instrument for Darnielle’s other characters. But now, we get a clear image of who she is. In “Jenny III,” Darnielle sings, “Jenny was a warrior / Jenny was a thief / Jenny hit the corner clinic / Begging for relief / Never thought we’d see the day / When she wiggled free / But she did / Long before we did.” Jenny is her own person now, and that is a perfect descriptor for this album. “Jenny From Thebes” is about leaving home, about finding yourself; it’s about overcoming hardship. Darnielle and his band have created a meditation on leaving home, longing for a home and finding a home. And they have done some impeccable work.
“Jenny From Thebes” has a fully fleshed-out narrative, something akin to Homer-level epic poetry mixed with indie-folk songwriting. While at times its pop-esque instrumental falls flat, the lyricism prevails. The Mountain Goats have created a work of art worthy of recognition.
