Trying to fess up on the latest John Darnielle offering is not unlike a mower, once started, trying to make small talk with overgrown weeds. "The Sunset Tree" is remarkable from the outset in its lack of liner notes, mini essays, latin quotations and general hysterical add-ons from Mountain Goat stalwart Darnielle.

After over two handfuls of releases, he has finally managed to let the music do the talking on its own. Recorded almost entirely in situ whilst touring Europe, it recalls the glories of past Mountain Goat albums recorded on a battered old $50 boombox. Just an acoustic guitar, a whiny voice, and a bunch of talent straining into a tiny square mic hole.
"The Sunset Tree" features more than that primitive set up but given the lushness of the two previous 4AD offerings, not much more. It concentrates on the horrors of everyday life, not non-fictional tragedies (it may well be Darnielle’s first collection of personal songs, after over a decade in the business of songwriting). And as such, it’s harder to wanna share with others, see. A secret worth keeping to yourself, if there ever were such a thing.
A man, a guitar, a few close friends, and the literary eye of a Ramond Carver.
How could you possibly lose?