The Mountain Goats release a video for “Murder at the 18th St. Garage,” the driving new single from their upcoming album, Jenny from Thebes. The album, which has been named one of the most anticipated releases of the fall is due October 27th on Merge Records.

Of the song, John Darnielle says, “Rather than being coy about it let me tell you that somebody gets killed in this song, which is, at best, a short-term solution to Jenny’s problems, not that I’m saying she herself did anything. It’s her word against his now and he can’t talk any more and she’s long gone by the time the EMTs get to 18th street. Under oath I will testify that she was with me, because I am with her. I knew when I wrote this tune that Wurster-Hughes Inc. would eat it up like a big tasty snack, and guess what, they did. Lace up your dancing workboots but wear some inserts because this one’s a sprint.”

A sequel to their beloved 2002 album All Hail West Texas, Jenny from Thebes is a lush collection of showtunes, pushing John Darnielle as a vocalist and the Mountain Goats as a band, broadening their sonic palette once again by leaning into influences like Godspell, Jim Steinman, and The Cars. Jenny from Thebes is a widescreen musical in scope, a melodrama of richly detailed characters and sweeping emotions.

Hot on the heels of a US tour that included the band’s biggest sold-out shows to date, the Mountain Goats are hitting the road again this fall in support of Jenny from Thebes. The tour kicks off in Solana Beach, CA, on October 2nd. All dates below.

10/2 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern

10/3 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco

10/5 – San Francisco, CA @ August Hall

10/6 – San Francisco, CA @ August Hall – SOLD OUT

10/7 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades

10/9 – Spokane, WA @ Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox

10/10 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory

10/11 – Bozeman, MT @ The ELM

10/13 – Boulder, CO @ Fox Theatre

10/14 – Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre

10/27 – Lubbock, TX @ Cactus Theater 

10/28 – Dallas, TX @ Longhorn Ballroom 

10/29 – Houston, TX @ Heights Theater

12/1 – Greensboro, NC @ Hangar 1819

12/2 – Wilmington, DE @ The Queen

12/3 – Portland, ME @ Aura

12/5 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground

12/6 – Hartford, CT @ Infinity Hall

12/7 – Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom

12/8 – Homer, NY @ Center for the Arts of Homer

12/10 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Thunderbird Music Hall

12/12 – Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre

12/13 – Pensacola, FL @ Vinyl Music Hall

12/14 – St. Petersburg, FL @ The Floridian

12/15 – Jacksonville, FL @ Intuition Ale Works

Photo Courtesy: Jackie Lee Young