[06.02] I was "dating" this boy. Cute as hell, but dumb as shit. On our first date, we went to see the Mountain Goats and he said something like "Yeah, I can do that."

Perhaps it was doomed from the beginning.

John Darnielle knows about four chords and he plays the same riff several times on All Hail West Texas. The song structure is rudimentary at best. BUT he can write lyrics and because of his minimal guitar playing skills, they are the heart of his songs. This album is like the book, Jesus' Son, which is a novel in short stories. Each song builds on the other to create a dramatic tension at the peak and slowly winds down to an unsettling, but ultimately, satisfying conclusion. (That was a bunch of shit. I'm sorry, it was my English degree pushing through.)

OK, so John Darnielle knows how to write a good story. He knows what captures your attention. The arc consists of a gradual build-up, the climax, and resolution. He finds meaning in the most banal setting. His voice takes some getting used to. I've heard it described as a nasal bleat or in the Bob Dylan school of singing. Perhaps. But the key to his appeal is his earnestness. In this time of ill defined irony, it's nice to hear someone taking what he does seriously. He is all about music, be it metal or strummy singer/songwriter stuff. He also comes up with the best song titles: "Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton," "Fall of the Star High School Running Back." —Mei