The Mountain Goats’ seminal 2002 album Tallahassee turns 20 immediately. John Darnielle posted a heartfelt and humorous be aware reflecting on the milestone to Instagram: “It wasn’t met with great acclaim,” he recollects within the caption. “The sticker on the promo compared us to Cake (presumably because of the speak-singing on the lead single), and the leading indie rock website of the time dutifully made that exact comparison in its review.”
Here’s Darnielle’s full be aware:
Our album ‘Tallahassee’ got here out 20 years in the past immediately.
There’s a lot of tales to inform about how this album got here to be, however the interval I need to concentrate on is recording-to-release. Peter had named the producer. I just about solely listened to metallic at the moment, with a few alternative punk & indie exceptions, so I requested him if he knew any names, and he named Tony Doogan. I’d heard B&S and their sound was fairly particular even when I typically most well-liked my fare just a little tougher so I stated, positive, sounds good, and our new label, @4ad, set it up.
I had by no means spent a full week in studio earlier than. I’m positive I used to be unbearable the complete time. I used to be afraid of failure. I do know I had a brutal headache the complete time and couldn’t sleep, in any respect, within the on-premises lodging. I felt fairly sure that the individuals who appreciated what I did could be mad on the studio sheen, and that no one who wished higher manufacturing could be gained over by sanding down the abrasive sound of the boombox.
But we made it via monitoring & combine, after which we have been advised that the calendar didn’t look good for a fall launch, and after a sure date in November they didn’t wanna launch something within the UK that must compete with the massive fall releases…so the album stayed within the cans for a yr. A yr ready. Wondering. Worrying. We recorded that album in October of 2001. It got here out in November of 2002. It wasn’t met with nice acclaim. The sticker on the promo in contrast us to Cake (presumably due to the speak-singing on the lead single), and the main indie rock web site of the time dutifully made that actual comparability in its assessment.
But we toured till our toes bled, as a result of we thought these have been good songs, and, as we performed them, they discovered the individuals who wished or wanted them. When you make music that’s by no means going to enchantment to most people, you play the lengthy recreation. We are immensely grateful to all of you who play the lengthy recreation with us. Happy birthday to an album that discovered its folks, over time.