Jenny from Thebes

Jenny from Thebes
Studio album by
the Mountain Goats
ReleasedOctober 27, 2023 (2023-10-27)
RecordedJanuary 16–22, 2023[1]
StudioThe Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
GenreAlternative rock[1]
Length39:43
LabelMerge
ProducerTrina Shoemaker
The Mountain Goats chronology
Bleed Out
(2022) 		Jenny from Thebes
(2023)
Singles from Jenny from Thebes
  1. "Clean Slate"
    Released: July 19, 2023
  2. "Fresh Tattoo"
    Released: August 23, 2023
  3. "Murder at the 18th St. Garage"
    Released: September 26, 2023

Jenny from Thebes is the 22nd studio album by indie folk band the Mountain Goats, released on October 27, 2023, through Merge Records. The album serves as a sequel to the band's 2002 release All Hail West Texas,[2] and is structured as a rock opera[1] which tells the story of the character "Jenny" (from the band's previous albums, including All Hail West Texas, along with 2001's Jam Eater Blues and 2012's Transcendental Youth). Lyricist John Darnielle describes the album as being about "the individual and society", and about Jenny's "southwestern ranch style house, the people for whom that house is a place of safety, and the west Texas town that is uncomfortable with its existence."[3]

The album was recorded between January 16–22, 2023 at The Church Studio in Tulsa, Oklahoma and features performances by Darnielle, Alicia Bognanno, Matt Douglas, Peter Hughes, Jon Wurster, Matt Nathanson, and Kathy Valentine. The album was preceded by the lead single "Clean Slate", followed by the singles "Fresh Tattoo" and "Murder at the 18th Street Garage".[1][4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic80/100[5]
Review scores
SourceRating
Exclaim!8/10[6]
Paste9.3/10[7]
Uncut8/10[8]

Jenny from Thebes received a score of 80 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on seven critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[5] Uncut stated that "familiarity with the back-story is not necessary to enjoy this potted indie-rock opera: as always with Darnielle's work, an appreciation of droll storytelling and deadpan melodies will do".[8] Reviewing the album for Exclaim!, Eric Hill felt that it "manages to truly distill the manic energy of the Mountain Goats' formative phase into a maturing yet vital shape, giving it a place in the upper reaches of their pantheon".[6] Paste named it album of the week, with the reviewer Laura Dzubay writing that "while Jenny from Thebes feels big compared to the Mountain Goats' stripped-down albums, there's restraint on these songs, and the rock-opera approach never feels garish", calling it "a fitting new record" from the band.[7] John Amen of No Depression wrote, "Jenny From Thebes spotlights The Mountain Goats as they explore various sonic balances, Darnielle exercising his narrative and impressionistic bents." He concluded by describing the album as "a largely engaging, if occasionally 'lite,' set."[9]

Track listing

Jenny from Thebes track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Clean Slate"3:48
2."Ground Level"2:22
3."Only One Way"4:01
4."Fresh Tattoo"4:42
5."Cleaning Crew"3:36
6."Murder at the 18th St. Garage"2:52
7."From the Nebraska Plant"3:33
8."Same as Cash"3:44
9."Water Tower"2:27
10."Jenny III"2:26
11."Going to Dallas"2:02
12."Great Pirates"4:10
Total length:39:43

Personnel

The Mountain Goats

Additional contributors

  • Trina Shoemaker – production, mixing, recording
  • Brent Lambert – mastering
  • Isaiah Page – engineering assistance
  • Cade Roberts – engineering assistance
  • Matt Nathanson – additional instrumentation
  • Kathy Valentine – additional instrumentation
  • Karen Galvin – strings
  • Evan Ringel – trombone
  • Daniel Murphy – design
  • Jenny – narration on "Cleaning Crew"

Charts

Chart performance for Jenny from Thebes
Chart (2023) Peak
position
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[10] 29
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[11] 48

References

  1. ^ a b c d "The Mountain Goats Announce New LP 'Jenny From Thebes,' Sequel to 2002's 'All Hail West Texas'". Jambands.com. July 19, 2023. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  2. ^ Bloom, Madison; Corcoran, Nina (July 19, 2023). "The Mountain Goats Announce New Album Jenny From Thebes, Share New Song". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  3. ^ "Jenny from Thebes, by the Mountain Goats". Bandcamp. July 19, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  4. ^ "The Mountain Goats Share 'All Hail West Texas' Sequel Album 'Jenny From Thebes', Share New Song "Clean Slate": Listen". Stereogum. July 19, 2023. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Jenny from Thebes by The Mountain Goats Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Hill, Eric (October 25, 2023). "The Mountain Goats Keep Their Mythology Alive with Jenny from Thebes". Exclaim!. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Dzubay, Laura (October 25, 2023). "Album of the Week | The Mountain Goats: Jenny from Thebes". Paste. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "The Mountain Goats – Jenny from Thebes". Uncut. December 2023. p. 34.
  9. ^ "ALBUM REVIEW: The Mountain Goats Navigate New Sonic Balances on 'Jenny From Thebes'". No Depression. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  10. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  11. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 4, 2023.


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