Songs You May Have Missed: The Mountain Goats – “This Year”
Oh, goodness. Another mid-week holiday that confused my internal clock and has me bloated–this time from sharing a bottle of Patrón with one of my most favorite people in the world–has passed and it’s an awkward Friday that feels far too much like a Monday, but with jeans instead of business casual wear. I had picked this song out before my New Year’s plans were cemented, but it makes it even more special because my drinking buddy is the one who introduced me to The Mountain Goats.
It’s no secret that my 2008 sucked. Without this song, there is a good chance I would have driven my car into the Susquehanna River. Granted, my life didn’t really mirror the story in the song, but the chorus is something I’ve had to tell myself for the past couple of years, “I’m going to make it through this year if it kills me.”
John Darnielle has been compared to artists like Bob Dylan and Tom Waits because of his literary lyrics. This song is an example of just how powerful music can be. I mean, it got me through this year, didn’t it? There’s not a lot I can say about it; you definitely will have to listen to it to determine if it could be your anthem (Similar to Modest Mouse, I sometimes get in a mood where his vocals are not thrilling). If you’re starting off the year kind of “meh,” though, it might help you out.
For more on The Mountain Goats and John Darnielle, check out this interview with InDigest.