Skip to main content

IN REVIEW: The Mountain Goats - "Beat the Champ"



As far as album concepts go, there have been some far fetched ones that resulted in great records. Take Mastodon's Leviathan, a prog-metal powerhouse loosely based on Moby Dick, for instance; it shouldn't have been fantastic, but it is. Like Leviathan, affinity for the subject matter isn't essential for enjoyment, but having a working knowledge of pro wrestling (especially of the vintage southwest U.S. variety) certainly helps when listening to Beat the Champ. Especially gripping is The Legend of Chavo Guerrero ("the middleweight champ of all Mexico"), an autobiographical account of Guerrero's in-ring exploits as they related to a young John Darnielle watching on the edge of his seat from home. It's genuine, affectionate and inspired. There are several songs seen from the wrestlers' point of view; Foreign Object is particularly amusing, as the song's protagonist plans out his dastardly deeds with glee. Choked Out is swift and fiery, boasting some perfectly boastful lyrics (example: "Everybody's got their limits / Nobody's found mine"). There is intensity (Werewolf Gimmick), heartbreak (Stabbed to Death Outside San Juan, referencing the true tragic story of Bruiser Brody), and despair (Unmasked!) throughout, the sad and lonesome echoes of former heroes. A late album highlight is The Ballad of Bull Ramos, in which the titular character looks back on his life in the ring as an old man.

Musically, Beat the Champ spends the bulk of its time in murky, mid-tempo folk rock; instrumentation remains tasteful and often understated except where a well-timed boost of energy is called for. As the Mountain Goats' fifteenth(!) official album, Beat the Champ sees Darnielle and his bandmates well in control of how they want the songs to sound, and they seldom make the wrong sonic decision. Overall, while it isn't likely to soundtrack any WWE pay per views anytime soon, Beat the Champ excels in its nostalgia of a time when the ring offered a purer form of escape for fans and combatants alike.

April 7, 2015 • Merge
Highlights The Legend of Chavo Guerrero • Foreign Object • The Ballad of Bull Ramos

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Year in Rock 2025

  Alright, I've got some explaining to do.   By now anyone who's visited this blog is well aware of how infrequently I've used this space in recent years; aside from the occasional fertile year of content, I really haven't posted all that often over the last five years or so. There are many reasons for this, which have already been outlined in previous apology posts; but, essentially, it boils down to my own laziness and the cold reality that blogs are, like Refused (again), fucking dead. So, I wouldn't hold my breath for a triumphant return to reviews, or even semi-regular posts, but:   a) I feel like Year in Rock posts have always belonged here and, even though I've experimented with different methods of presentation recently and been satisfied, the "blink and you missed it" unveiling via Facebook stories this year was perhaps ultimately a disservice to the records I lauded. After all, cramming the list into short videos isn't too far off from ju...
Post a Comment
Read more

Year in Rock 2014: And the Winners Are...

It's been a long year, and another great one for rock n' roll. While the pop charts were overrun with barely legals obsessed with their asses, rock soldiered on undeterred even as pundits (hell, in some cases even rockers themselves) mourned the genre. Sure, rock didn't dominate the money game in 2014, but that shouldn't evoke sad nostalgia and eulogies. Even for as little perceived impact rock music made, a hell of a lot happened if people had only paid attention. From grizzled vets adding jewels to their crown (Springsteen, Petty) to new beginnings (Against Me!, Antemasque) to happy returns (Faith No More, The Tea Party) and all points in between, rock continued to thrive, evolve and thrill in 2014. Enough talk. It's winning time. Your Year in Rock winners for 2014 are...
Post a Comment
Read more

Hear Me Out: Why Do A Greatest Hits Album?

So, Silversun Pickups announced a "singles collection" today. Now, I'm no expert on "singles" or "hits" compilations; even so, I've got to say this announcement threw me for a loop for a couple of reasons. For starters, isn't it a bit early for a band like Silversun Pickups to be given the "greatest hits" treatment? I know, I know, it's a "singles collection". But, come on; it looks like a greatest hits album, it smells like a greatest hits album, so on so forth. More importantly, though, are these really necessary entities in 2014? I mean, who is this album for? Casual fans who've already downloaded the singles they like or established fans who are expected to shill out $15 for one new song?
1 comment
Read more