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I Only Listen to the Mountain Goats

Night Vale Presents

Welcome to Night Vale creator Joseph Fink and the Mountain Goats singer/songwriter John Darnielle discuss what it means to be an artist, a fan, and, as many people are, both at once. Season Two explores the process of writing, recording, and releasing the Mountain Goats’ latest album, In League With Dragons, giving you an unprecedented look at the creative process as it is happening.

© 2017 Night Vale Presents

Welcome to Night Vale creator Joseph Fink and the Mountain Goats singer/songwriter John Darnielle discuss what it means to be an artist, a fan, and, as many people are, both at once. Season Two explores the process of writing, recording, and releasing the Mountain Goats’ latest album, In League With Dragons, giving you an unprecedented look at the creative process as it is happening.

© 2017 Night Vale Presents
27hr 59min
Thumbnail for "Season 1 Trailer".
A collaboration between Night Vale Presents, the Mountain Goats, and Merge Records, I Only Listen to the Mountain Goats is a podcast about what it means to be an artist, what it means to be a fan, and what it means to be, as many people are, both at...
September 5, 20173min 31sec8.74 MB
Thumbnail for "101: The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton".
John Darnielle and Joseph Fink discuss the role in their lives of art, faith, and satan with John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars and the upcoming Turtles All The Way Down. And we learn why making the job of creating art more difficult can...
September 28, 201735min 28sec34.33 MB
Thumbnail for "102: Fall of the Star High School Running Back".
Subjects covered: Choosing what music to put in your body, mandatory minimum sentences, and what the desert does to artists. Plus Kym Register of Loamlands joins to talk about the local Durham scene and how to tell diverse stories. Premiering a new...
October 12, 201739min37.81 MB
Thumbnail for "103: Color in Your Cheeks".
“Color in Your Cheeks” is a song about immigration, refugees, and welcoming—the simple act of saying “You are not from here, but we’re glad you’re here now.” It seemed like a good year to talk about that. Featuring guests Eno Williams...
October 26, 201744min 21sec42.96 MB
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Erin McKeown, incredible songwriter and former tourmate to both John and Joseph, joins to talk technique, showtunes, and how songwriting is like baseball. Buy Erin McKeown’s cover of “Jenny” on iTunes, Bandcamp, or wherever you buy digital...
November 9, 201737min 22sec36.22 MB
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Craig Finn, lead singer of The Hold Steady and solo artist, joins to talk Catholicism, music stands, and KISS. Buy Craig Finn’s cover of “Fault Lines” on iTunes, Bandcamp, or wherever you buy digital music. It supports both the artist and the...
November 30, 201736min 6sec34.98 MB
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John and Joseph discuss artistic restraints, Silver Age Latin, and why theaters should stop producing Shakespeare. Dessa joins to talk about and premiere her cover of “Balance.” Buy Dessa’s cover of “Balance” on iTunes, Bandcamp, or...
December 14, 201740min 46sec39.48 MB
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This week, John and Joseph look up some stuff on the Mountain Goats wiki and then ease into a discussion of “Pink and Blue.” Kristine Leschper from Mothers joins to talk about their approach to covering the song. Buy Mothers’ cover of “Pink...
December 28, 201741min 21sec40.02 MB
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John and Joseph are back at basement mattress headquarters to talk about their artistic influences and the meaning of home. Eliza Rickman and Jherek Bischoff join to talk about their cover of “Riches and Wonders.” Buy Eliza Rickman and Jherek...
January 11, 201849min 17sec47.7 MB
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John and Joseph discuss why simple songs have to be perfect and how our experience of a place will always be subjective.
January 26, 201851min 2sec49.31 MB
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"Jeff Davis County Blues" is a song with a particular meaning to Joseph's life. Julian Koster of The Music Tapes and The Orbiting Human Circus (of the Air) joins to share his dream-inspired cover.
February 8, 201850min 36sec48.97 MB
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John and Joseph discuss radio signals in Texas, Chaucer, and the origin of the phrase “I only listen to the Mountain Goats.” Andrew Bird joins to discuss what drew him to “Distant Stations.”
February 22, 201844min 15sec42.87 MB
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This week: Bible translations, conspiracy theories, and the power of silence. Robbie and Matte from Nana Grizol join to talk about their cover of “Blues in Dallas” and karaoke.
March 8, 201846min 13sec44.73 MB
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John and Joseph are back in the basement to talk about treasuring the unknown. Emil Amos (Holy Sons) joins to discuss the heyday of indie rock and his cover of "Source Decay."
March 22, 201842min 34sec41.09 MB
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John and Joseph talk about the final song on All Hail West Texas, endings, and what happens after the ending has ended. Carrie Elkin joins to discuss bringing kids on tour and her cover of “Absolute Lithops Effect.”
April 5, 201852min 53sec51.15 MB
Thumbnail for "115: Listener Questions and Kate Leth".
In this post-season bonus episode, John and Joseph answer some of your questions, chat with artist Kate Leth, and talk about what the next season of I Only Listen to the Mountain Goats will look like.
April 19, 20181hr 8min65.25 MB
Thumbnail for "116: Steal Smoked Fish (Live)".
Our next season won’t be out until sometime next spring, so to hold you over, here’s a recording of our first ever live show at Thalia Hall in Chicago, featuring special guest Danny Schmidt covering “Steal Smoked Fish.”
October 8, 20181hr 7min64.38 MB
Thumbnail for "Season 2 Trailer".
Season Two explores the process of writing, recording, and releasing the Mountain Goats’ latest album, In League With Dragons, giving you an unprecedented look at the creative process as it is happening.
March 28, 20192min 4sec2.27 MB
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Season Two of the podcast explores the process of writing, recording, and releasing the Mountain Goats’ latest album, In League With Dragons, out April 26 on Merge Records.
April 4, 201910min 52sec10.72 MB
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For the first time ever, a single is being released simultaneously with an hour-long discussion of the making of the song. 
April 11, 201952min 41sec51.22 MB
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CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains mentions of addiction and self-harm. On today’s episode, Joseph Fink and John Darnielle talk leaving, learning how to live, and Done Bleeding, from the Mountain Goats’ upcoming album, In League With Dragons.
April 18, 201950min 4sec48.68 MB
Thumbnail for "204: Going Invisible 2".
John Darnielle and Joseph Fink discuss growth through destruction, the value of creative constraints, and Going Invisible 2 from the Mountain Goats’ upcoming album, In League With Dragons.
April 25, 201949min 39sec48.36 MB
Thumbnail for "205: Cadaver Sniffing Dog".
This week, John Darnielle and Joseph Fink talk tea shops, guitar solos, expanding your musical vocabulary, and Cadaver Sniffing Dog from the Mountain Goats’ new album, In League With Dragons. With an exclusive demo of the song.
May 9, 201954min 57sec53.36 MB
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On today’s episode, PJ Vogt of Reply All stops by the studio to talk with Joseph and John about story building and sword buying.
May 23, 201947min 56sec46.69 MB
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This week, John and Joseph talk about their relationships to work, art, and family, our attraction to dark imagery, and what “An Antidote for Strychnine” is really about.
June 6, 201956min 12sec54.5 MB
Thumbnail for "208: Younger".
In this episode, John and Joseph — aided by a guitar, engineer Vincent Cacchione, and some prune hamentashen — walk through the evolution and production of Younger, from The Mountain Goats’ new album, In League With Dragons.
June 20, 201953min 37sec51.99 MB
Thumbnail for "209: Anja Keister and Iris Explosion".
Anja Keister and Iris Explosion, creators of burlesque shows based on both the Mountain Goats and Welcome to Night Vale, talk burlesque, art, and fandom. Come to I Only Strip to the Mountain Goats 2 — a drag, music, go-go, and burlesque show featuring Anja Keister — this Saturday, July 6, 2019 (7pm, Parkside Lounge, Manhattan).
July 4, 201951min 40sec50.23 MB
Thumbnail for "210: Divided Sky Lane".
Today Joseph and John talk time signatures, why great songs don’t always make it onto great albums, and Divided Sky Lane, a song that didn’t end up on In League With Dragons.
July 18, 201937min 51sec37.04 MB
Thumbnail for "211: Possum by Night".
This week, John and Joseph discuss an important point of real artistic disagreement between the two of them, cute animals, and Possum by Night from the Mountain Goats’ new album, In League With Dragons. Featuring an exclusive demo of the song.
August 1, 201944min 9sec42.89 MB
Thumbnail for "212: Waylon Jennings Live!".
John and Joseph are back in Brooklyn to discuss outlaw country, public figures in decline, and Waylon Jennings Live! from the Mountain Goats’ new album, In League With Dragons.
August 15, 201948min 55sec47.65 MB
Thumbnail for "213: Clemency for the Wizard King".
Joseph and John talk writing, musicals, mythology, and Clemency for the Wizard King from the Mountain Goats’ latest album, In League With Dragons.
August 29, 201949min 15sec47.86 MB
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Mal Blum joins John and Joseph to talk about making a living as an artist and their relationship with fans.
September 12, 201959min 4sec57.33 MB
Thumbnail for "215: Passaic 1975".
This week, Mal Blum sticks around to talk Black Sabbath, touring, live albums, and Passaic 1975 from the Mountain Goats’ latest album, In League With Dragons.
September 26, 201955min 15sec53.59 MB
Thumbnail for "216: Doc Gooden".
On today’s episode, John and Joseph talk baseball, tragedy, and rhythm — and Doc Gooden from the Mountain Goats’ latest album, In League With Dragons.
October 10, 20191hr58.32 MB
Thumbnail for "217: Maureen Johnson".
Writer Maureen Johnson gets loopy with a very tired Joseph and John on today’s episode.
October 24, 201948min 15sec46.9 MB
Thumbnail for "218: In League with Dragons".
John and Joseph talk touring, books, and the title track from the Mountain Goats’ In League with Dragons. Featuring an exclusive demo of the song.
November 7, 201956min 28sec54.89 MB
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We’ve reached the end of the season, and we saved the first song written for this album for last.
November 21, 201940min 58sec39.97 MB

113: Source Decay

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March 22, 201842min 34sec

John and Joseph are back in the basement to talk about treasuring the unknown. Emil Amos (Holy Sons) joins to discuss the heyday of indie rock and his cover of “Source Decay.”

Buy Holy Sons’ cover of “Source Decay” on iTunes, Bandcamp, or wherever you buy digital music. It supports both the artist and the show!

Buy the full cover album digitally or on vinyl today.

We’re doing our first live show in Chicago on May 30th! See John, Joseph, and a special guest live at Thalia Hall. Tickets available now.

I Only Listen to the Mountain Goats t-shirts and tote bags now available.

Learn more about John Darnielle’s two novels here.
Listen to more music by the Mountain Goats, including their latest album Goths, here.

Check out Joseph Fink’s other shows, Welcome to Night Vale and Alice Isn’t Dead. His second novel with Jeffrey Cranor, It Devours!, is out now.

Credits: Joseph Fink (host), John Darnielle (host), Christy Gressman (producer), Grant Stewart (editor), Vincent Cacchione (mixer), Rob Wilson (logo). Produced by Night Vale Presents in collaboration with Merge Records and the Mountain Goats.

http://ionlylistentothemountaingoats.comhttp://www.nightvalepresents.com

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113: Source Decay
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