The Mountain Goats Announce New Album 'Jenny From Thebes'
The new album is due October 27th via Merge Records.
By: Michael Major Jul. 19, 2023
The Mountain Goats announce their new album Jenny from Thebes, a sequel to their beloved 2002 album All Hail West Texas, with the release of its lead single “Clean Slate.”
The album, due October 27th via Merge Records, is a lush collection of showtunes, pushing John Darnielle as a vocalist and the Mountain Goats as a band, broadening their sonic palette once again by leaning into influences like Godspell, Jim Steinman, and The Cars. Jenny from Thebes is a widescreen musical in scope, a melodrama of richly detailed characters and sweeping emotions.
Of the track, John Darnielle says, “We're proud to reveal ‘Clean Slate,’ the first song from our new album, Jenny from Thebes. People like to hedge bets by using terms like ‘concept album’ but let's be clear, this is a rock opera about a woman named Jenny, who buys a Kawasaki to ride as far away as she can from a town she's been carrying on her shoulders too long.
‘Clean Slate’ sets the scene: this is the house Jenny rents; these are the people who crash there when they need a place to stay; this is where she's at in the process of becoming someone other than the keyholder she's been. Produced by Trina Shoemaker! Played by the Mountain Goats at the Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma! Respect to the real pirates of west Texas, still out there on the roads: may you remain one step ahead forever!”
Jenny from Thebes was produced by Grammy-winning producer/engineer Trina Shoemaker and features guitar by Alicia Bognanno (Bully), horn and string arrangements by Matt Douglas, and backing vocals from Kathy Valentine of The Go-Go’s and Matt Nathanson.
The Mountain Goats will be on tour this summer and fall in support of Jenny from Thebes. All dates can be found below.
TOUR DATES:
8/4 - New York, NY @ The Rooftop at Pier 17
8/5 - Boston, MA @ Citizens House of Blues
8/8 - Seattle, WA @ Woodland Park Zoo - SOLD OUT
8/9 - Portland, OR - Pioneer Courthouse Square
10/2 - Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern
10/3 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco
10/5 - San Francisco, CA @ August Hall
10/6 - San Francisco, CA @ August Hall - SOLD OUT
10/7 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
10/9 - Spokane, WA @ Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox
10/10 - Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
10/11 - Bozeman, MT @ The ELM
10/13 - Boulder, CO @ Fox Theatre
10/14 - Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre
10/27 - Lubbock, TX @ Cactus Theater
10/28 - Dallas, TX @ Longhorn Ballroom
10/29 - Houston, TX @ Heights Theater
Photo Credit: Jackie Lee Young
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