The Mountain Goats’ In League with Dragons surges with wild tales of revenge and redemption, heroes at a crossroads, and great figures in decline. The Mountain Goats present twelve new songs penned by John Darnielle that luxuriate in a wide swath of sounds, from shades of the ’80s Athens scene to swaths of outlaw country and a few motorik meditations. 

Later today, Darnielle will unveil more about the album via a Facebook Live from Wizards of the Coast (makers of D&D and Magic: The Gathering) at 4pm ET/1pm PT.

Listen to “Younger” now:

Says John Darnielle:

This album began life as a rock opera about a besieged seaside community called Riversend ruled by a benevolent wizard, for which some five to seven songs were written. When I’m focusing on a project, I always distract myself from the through-line with multiple byways, which are kind of like mini-games within the broader architecture of a long video game. As I worked on the Riversend stuff, weird noir visions started creeping in, probably under the influence of Leonardo Sciascia (a Sicilian author, he wrote mysteries) and Ross MacDonald’s The Zebra-Striped Hearse, which a friend from Port Washington gave me while I was in the thick of the writing. I thought these moods helped complicate the wizards and dragons a little, and, as I thought about my wizard, his health failing, the invasion by sea almost certain to wipe out half his people, I thought about what such a person might look like in the real world: watching a country show at a midwestern casino, or tryout pitching for an American League team years after having lit up the marquees. Finally, I wrote the title track, which felt like a drawing-together of the themes in play: rebellion against irresistible tides, the lush vistas of decay, necessary alliances. I am earnestly hoping that a new genre called “dragon noir” will spring from the forehead of nearly two years’ work on these songs, but, if not, I am content for this to be the sole example of the style.

In League with Dragons was engineered by Matt Ross-Spang (Margo Price, Jason Isbell, John Prine) and recorded by the Mountain Goats—songwriter and guitarist Darnielle, drummer Jon Wurster, bassist Peter Hughes, and multi-instrumentalist Matt Douglas—at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, TN. Robert Bailey contributed additional vocal arrangements and strings were performed by the Macedonian Radio Symphonic Orchestra.

The Mountain Goats recently announced a nearly 40-date tour that launches on album release day, April 26, at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC, and extends into September, playing some of their biggest venues to date and multiple nights in select cities.

This incredible amount of activity for the year ahead follows a very busy 2018. The Mountain Goats toured extensively, co-produced several episodes (and a live event) of the acclaimed podcast I Only Listen to the Mountain Goats and surprise-released the Hex of Infinite Binding EP. 2017’s Goths LP was met with universal acclaim. John Darnielle has written more than 600 songs, and his novel Wolf in White Van spent several weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list.

Pre-order In League with Dragons in the Merge store on CD or one of three half-speed mastered, double-LP editions: standard black, green Peak Vinyl with a 7-inch including two non-album tracks, and limited-edition yellow and green marbled Hardcore Vinyl which includes not only the 7-inch but also a slipcase and collectible Dragon League membership card. Be sure to check out our exclusive, specially priced CD/Hardcore Vinyl/enamel bundle!

All pre-orders in the Merge store come with a free 3” sew-on embroidered patch while supplies last.

In League with Dragons can also be pre-ordered digitally or from participating independent record stores.

The Mountain Goats on tour:
Apr 26 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club (SOLD OUT)
Apr 27 Rehoboth Beach, DE – Dogfish Head Brewery (SOLD OUT)
Apr 28 Boston, MA – The Wilbur (SOLD OUT)
Apr 30 Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel
May 01 Jersey City, NJ – White Eagle Hall
May 03 Montreal, QC – L’Astral
May 04 Ottawa, ON – Bronson Centre
May 05 Toronto, ON – Phoenix
May 07 Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Smalls Theatre
May 08 Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Smalls Theatre
May 09 Cincinnati, OH – Woodward Theater
May 10 Nashville, TN – Cannery Ballroom
May 11 Memphis, TN – Minglewood Hall
May 13 Bloomington, IN – Buskirk-Chumley Theater
May 14 Madison, WI – Majestic Theatre
May 15 Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
May 16 Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
May 17 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
Aug 28 Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall
Aug 29 Jackson, WY – Pink Garter Theatre
Aug 30 Billings, MT – The Pub Station
Aug 31 Missoula, MT – Top Hat Lounge
Sep 01 Spokane, WA – Bing Crosby Theater
Sep 04 Seattle, WA – The Showbox
Sep 05 Seattle, WA – Neumos
Sep 06 Vancouver, BC – Imperial Vancouver
Sep 07 Eugene, OR – McDonald Theatre
Sep 09 Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
Sep 10 Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater
Sep 12 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
Sep 13 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
Sep 14 Los Angeles, CA – Belasco Theater
Sep 16 Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
Sep 17 San Diego, CA – House of Blues
Sep 18 Las Vegas, NV – Brooklyn Bowl