Getting Into Knives highlight “Get Famous” compresses the Mountain Goats’ fervor into a backhanded benediction, a three-minute pop entreaty to reach for the stars. But frontman John Darnielle isn’t the type to wish fame on anyone. Instead, he sings the song’s title as if it were a curse.

“Get Famous” arrives today on all digital platforms. Listen today.

From John Darnielle: “If I told you all how much fun we had making this one you wouldn’t even believe me, but we hope it comes through.”

The Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle, Matt Douglas, Peter Hughes, and Jon Wurster recorded Getting Into Knives in a single week with local players at the legendary Sam Phillips Recording in Memphis, Tennessee. Cohabitation radiates throughout Getting Into Knives, with many tracks featuring seven or more musicians playing at once. Following April’s Songs for Pierre Chuvin and 2019’s In League with Dragons, Getting Into Knives is a document of a band at the top of its game.

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Getting Into Knives arrives October 23. Pre-order on cassette, CD, and 2-LP wherever records are sold, as well as salmon-colored deluxe vinyl in the Mountain Goats store. In addition, the Merge store carries limited-edition metallic gold Peak Vinyl and a new enamel pin, both available à la carte or as part of a superbundle that comes with a free embroidered patch while supplies last.