Remarkably prolific (this is their ninth album in as many years), The Mountain Goats are essentially John Darnielle. A musician who has recorded over 400 songs, Darnielle has rarely written material which has drawn from his own experiences. That changed with last year's wonderful We Shall All Be Healed documenting his past life in poverty and seedy apartments. The Sunset Tree continues the exploration with wonderful results. Songs like ‘This Year’ and ‘Dance Music’ are filled with richly evocative lyrics depicting life in a troublesome home. Musically it’s stripped back and Darnielle’s voice is always at its vulnerable best. A wonderful record.