We’ve reached the end of the season, and we saved the first song written for this album for last. Today, John and Joseph have one more conversation about what it means to be a fan, an artist, and both at once — and talk about “Hand of Death,” w

In League with Dragons

Nov 7th, 2019 56m 28s

John and Joseph talk touring, books, and the title track from the Mountain Goats’ In League with Dragons. Featuring an exclusive demo of the song. The Mountain Goats’ In League With Dragons is out now on Merge Records. Get it at mergerecords.

Maureen Johnson

Oct 24th, 2019 48m 15s

Writer Maureen Johnson gets loopy with a very tired Joseph and John on today’s episode.The Mountain Goats’* In League With Dragons* is out now on Merge Records. Get it at mergerecords.com/in-league-with-dragons. For more information, go to io

Doc Gooden

Oct 10th, 2019 1h

On today’s episode, John and Joseph talk baseball, tragedy, and rhythm — and Doc Gooden from the Mountain Goats’ latest album, In League With Dragons. Featuring an exclusive demo of the song.In League With Dragons is out now on Merge Records.

Passaic 1975

Sep 26th, 2019 55m 15s

This week, Mal Blum sticks around to talk Black Sabbath, touring, live albums, and Passaic 1975 from the Mountain Goats’ latest album, In League With Dragons. Featuring an exclusive demo of the song.In League With Dragons is out now on Merge

Mal Blum

Sep 12th, 2019 59m 4s

Mal Blum joins John and Joseph to talk about making a living as an artist and their relationship with fans.Check out Mal Blum’s latest album, Pity Boy, here: https://lnk.to/Pityboy. And for more Mal, go to malblum.com.The Mountain Goats’ In

Clemency for the Wizard King

Aug 29th, 2019 49m 15s

Joseph and John talk writing, musicals, mythology, and Clemency for the Wizard King from the Mountain Goats’ latest album, In League With Dragons. Featuring an exclusive demo of the song.In League With Dragons is out now on Merge Records. Get

Waylon Jennings Live!

Aug 15th, 2019 48m 55s

John and Joseph are back in Brooklyn to discuss outlaw country, public figures in decline, and Waylon Jennings Live! from the Mountain Goats’ new album, In League With Dragons. Featuring an exclusive demo of the song.In League With Dragons is

Possum by Night

Aug 1st, 2019 44m 9s

This week, John and Joseph discuss an important point of real artistic disagreement between the two of them, cute animals, and Possum by Night from the Mountain Goats’ new album, In League With Dragons. Featuring an exclusive demo of the song.

Divided Sky Lane

Jul 18th, 2019 37m 51s

Today Joseph and John talk time signatures, why great songs don’t always make it onto great albums, and Divided Sky Lane, a song that didn’t end up on In League With Dragons. Featuring two versions of the song: the guitar version that was rele

Anja Keister and Iris Explosion

Jul 4th, 2019 51m 40s

Anja Keister and Iris Explosion, creators of burlesque shows based on both the Mountain Goats and Welcome to Night Vale, talk with Joseph and John about burlesque, art, and fandom.I Only Strip to the Mountain Goats 2 — a drag, music, go-go, a

Younger

Jun 20th, 2019 53m 37s

In this episode, John and Joseph — with the help of a guitar, engineer Vincent Cacchione, and some prune hamentashen — walk through the evolution and production of Younger, from The Mountain Goats’ new album, In League With Dragons. Featuring a

An Antidote for Strychnine

Jun 6th, 2019 56m 12s

This week, John and Joseph talk about their relationships to work, art, and family, our attraction to dark imagery, and what An Antidote for Strychnine is really about. Featuring an exclusive demo of the song. The Mountain Goats’ new album, I

PJ Vogt

May 23rd, 2019 47m 56s

On today’s episode, PJ Vogt of Reply All stops by the studio to talk with Joseph and John about story building and sword buying.We’ll be back with more song discussion and exclusive demos on our next episode. In the meantime, get the Mountain

Cadaver Sniffing Dog

May 9th, 2019 54m 57s

This week, John Darnielle and Joseph Fink talk tea shops, guitar solos, expanding your musical vocabulary, and Cadaver Sniffing Dog from the Mountain Goats’ new album, In League With Dragons, out now on Merge Records. Featuring an exclusive dem

Going Invisible 2

Apr 25th, 2019 49m 39s

John Darnielle and Joseph Fink discuss growth through destruction, the value of creative constraints, and Going Invisible 2 from the Mountain Goats’ upcoming album, In League With Dragons, out April 26 on Merge Records. Featuring an exclusive d

Done Bleeding

Apr 18th, 2019 50m 4s

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains mentions of addiction and self-harm.On today’s episode, Joseph Fink and John Darnielle talk leaving, learning how to live, and Done Bleeding, from the Mountain Goats’ upcoming album, In League With Drago

Sicilian Crest

Apr 11th, 2019 52m 41s

For the first time ever, a single is being released simultaneously with an hour-long discussion of the making of the song. In our first full episode of the season, John and Joseph discuss Sicilian Crest, the last song on the Mountain Goats’ upc

Introduction

Apr 4th, 2019 10m 52s

A collaboration between Night Vale Presents, the Mountain Goats, and Merge Records, I Only Listen to the Mountain Goats is a podcast about what it means to be an artist, what it means to be a fan, and what it means to be, as many people are, bo

Trailer

Season 2 Trailer

Mar 28th, 2019 2m 4s

Steal Smoked Fish (Live)

Oct 8th, 2018 1h 6m

Our next season won’t be out until sometime next spring, so to hold you over, here’s a recording of our first ever live show at Thalia Hall in Chicago, featuring special guest Danny Schmidt covering “Steal Smoked Fish.” Special thanks to The On

Listener Questions and Kate Leth

Apr 19th, 2018 1h 7m

In this post-season bonus episode, John and Joseph answer some of your questions, chat with artist Kate Leth, and talk about what the next season of I Only Listen to the Mountain Goats will look like.Buy the full cover album digitally or on v

Absolute Lithops Effect

Apr 5th, 2018 52m 53s

John and Joseph talk about the final song on All Hail West Texas, endings, and what happens after the ending has ended. Carrie Elkin joins to discuss bringing kids on tour and her cover of “Absolute Lithops Effect.”Buy Carrie Elkin’s cover of

Source Decay

Mar 22nd, 2018 42m 34s

John and Joseph are back in the basement to talk about treasuring the unknown. Emil Amos (Holy Sons) joins to discuss the heyday of indie rock and his cover of “Source Decay.”Buy Holy Sons’ cover of “Source Decay” on iTunes, Bandcamp, or wher

Blues in Dallas

Mar 8th, 2018 46m 13s

This week: Bible translations, conspiracy theories, and the power of silence. Robbie and Matte from Nana Grizol join to talk about their cover of “Blues in Dallas” and karaoke.Buy Nana Grizol’s cover of “Blues in Dallas” on iTunes, Bandcamp,