Transcendental Youth

The Mountain Goats - Transcendental Youth
Critic Score
Based on 25 reviews
2012 Ratings: #128 / 1118
User Score
Based on 122 ratings
2012 Rank: #139
Liked by 15 people
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CRITIC REVIEWS

83
A.V. Club

It’s another perfectly observed collection of songs made real by Darnielle’s deceptively plainspoken poetry.

80
Drowned in Sound

If Transcendental Youth is the best thing Darnielle’s ever done, it’s only because it’s about five per cent tighter and better-played.

80
The 405

As an introduction to the perhaps intimidating world of the Mountain Goats, Transcendental Youth is as good a place to start as any; many of Darnielle's favourite subjects are covered, and in poetic verse, with capable musical backing.

80
Consequence of Sound

It’s perennially refreshing to hear the work of someone who so obviously does not care what critics think of him; Darnielle’s music reliably gives you the world from his eyes. 

80
PopMatters

It is an unlikely collection of absolute pop anthems, more so than most Mountain Goats albums.

78
Pitchfork

Song for song, Transcendental Youth doesn't have the consistency of the Mountain Goats' strongest records, and it lacks both variation and character motivation around the middle. 

77
Beats Per Minute

With Transcendental Youth, the Mountain Goats have proven that they’re more than capable of engaging us with even without the unimpeachable witticisms of their frontman.

72
Paste

The album doesn’t match the group’s best output, but it’s a strong and occasionally stunning entry.

70
NME

Slightly predictable, but the work of master craftsmen.

AGoodLook
84

One of the most exciting and well-arranged Mountain Goats albums, this is made all the more emotionally resonant by how raw and fragile that excitement is. Matthew White’s trumpets crow loudly and hollowly, the drums rushing on like wind and time, the piano dancing along with a desperate enthusiasm that can’t quite mask its own sadness. Darnielle sings like someone forcing a smile through tears, wearing a bravado that peels away in layers like plaster in a rain-soaked, derelict ... read more

Waner
86

The first song reminds me of big thief, which is pretty cool, and this whole album is really cool too. John Darnielle puts a very good balance between the instrumentally colorful tracks along with the quieter mellow cuts, nothing much is lost here of what you can expect from another album from the mountain goats, just more piano and horns than usual. You get yourself a solid album here. By the goats

jimmydaexploder
84

Hi biggest Mountain Goats fan ever here
Basically this album is pretty cool. The only sin of this album, which really holds it down, is how most songs just seem to run their course. Which is sad, because a lot of these songs are so so good, with good arrangements, awesome production, awesome song ideas, heartfelt, stinging lyrics, and catchy, earwormy hooks. But once they get a musical idea, they tend to just stick to that idea, with no change in dynamics or anything. It's sad, but still a ... read more

Spamman
85

There is so much confidence and personality in this album. The opening song sees John Darnielle breaking all of the usual rules of lyric writing with ease, rhymes words with themselves and repeating himself and messing around with the meter, and it all works perfectly.

jimmydaexploder
84

Hi biggest Mountain Goats fan ever here
Basically this album is pretty cool. The only sin of this album, which really holds it down, is how most songs just seem to run their course. Which is sad, because a lot of these songs are so so good, with good arrangements, awesome production, awesome song ideas, heartfelt, stinging lyrics, and catchy, earwormy hooks. But once they get a musical idea, they tend to just stick to that idea, with no change in dynamics or anything. It's sad, but still a ... read more

Waner
86

The first song reminds me of big thief, which is pretty cool, and this whole album is really cool too. John Darnielle puts a very good balance between the instrumentally colorful tracks along with the quieter mellow cuts, nothing much is lost here of what you can expect from another album from the mountain goats, just more piano and horns than usual. You get yourself a solid album here. By the goats

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Added on: July 9, 2012