The 4th Annual Chicago VeganMania Celebrates with the Vegan Black Metal Chef, Artisan Vegan Cheese and More #food

ChiIL Mama/ ChiIL Live Shows are huge fans of Chicago VeganMania and we've been there to cover every year from the start.   The free, all ages fest is a celebration of all things vegan, including a great food court, booths, entertainment and a kids' area.   Vegetarians, Vegan curious, and even carnivores are welcome.   The fest is run by our old friends we've known nearly 2 decades--Chi-town's own uber talented husband/wife duo of Beske and Rose--artist and author activists and parents to vegan boy wonder, Justice.   

Marla-The Vegan Cupcake Fairy

Marla is the author of The Adventures of Vivian Sharpe, Vegan Superhero.   We just gave away a copy of her novel to one of our lucky readers earlier this month and we've been listing all her area readings/book signings.

We've been reading the book as a family before bed time and will have our own full book review feature coming soon.

After three amazingly successful years, Chicago VeganMania returns as a free, day-long celebration of vegan culture, commerce, community, cuisine and couture. The event takes place Saturday, September 29, between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at a new, bigger location – the Broadway Armory, 5917 N. Broadway in Chicago. The previous three events have drawn thousands of attendees.

Nationally known presenters will be featured at Chicago VeganMania again this year, including YouTube sensation, the Vegan Black Metal Chef, whose hilarious and appropriately disorienting videos have gone viral. In addition to the VBMC, we will be welcoming best-selling author Victoria Moran, who wrote the recent book Main Street Vegan, and Miyoko Schinner, author of the new cookbook, Artisan Vegan Cheese, whose innovative and wholesome recipes are currently featured in VegNews Magazine. In addition, Chicago VeganMania is bringing respected dietician Ginny Kisch Messina and Ellen Jaffe Jones, author of Eat Vegan on $4 a Day.

Cooking demos are back again this year, and Chicago VeganMania is very excited to announce that we will be featuring people who are creating some of Chicago’s most innovative purely plant-based cuisine, featuring chef Kendall Huff of the popular Native Foods, Kat Barry of Kat’s Hot Cakes, Chicago Vegan Foods and others. Everything demonstrated and sampled will be free of animal ingredients. [VBMC and Miyoko are giving chef demos]

“We are thrilled to be putting together another event,” says Marla Rose, Chicago VeganMania co-founder. “It is a really positive and fun celebration of vegan culture and community but it’s also very appealing to those who are just curious about the vegan lifestyle. Anyone who enjoys a free, lively festival with diverse vendors, great speakers and entertainment as well as, of course, delicious, healthy food will enjoy Chicago VeganMania.”

What outfit do you have planned for VeganMania 2012?!   You are what you eat.   We shot this green girl at VeganMania 2010.   Lettuce entertain you indeed.

Included in the day’s festivities will be our popular Culture Café with coffee and an alternative milk bar and live music, a full day of Q&A panels addressing everything from vegan health and wellness to using one’s creative talents for animal advocacy, a “Vegan Rock Star” photo booth and cruelty-free swag bags for the first one hundred people through the door.

In addition to all this, there will be a huge food court featuring delicious options from a dozen of Chicago's best vegan restaurants, caterers and food companies, as well as an exhibit hall packed dozens of diverse vendors, featuring everything from jewelry to body care products, candles to high fashion. All vegan, of course!

Check out their main site for all the details

TONIGHT Final Show--Bat Honey-Ironwill Tate Adult Puppet Show #photos

We thoroughly enjoyed checking out the adult puppet show, Ironwill Tate, on Sunday night.  Bat Honey is from Missoula, Montana and they're just swingin' through Chi-town for 3 shows only, on their cross country tour.  Come on out and see 'em tonight.   We'll have HD show clips coming soon.

“Ironwill Tate” is a fantasy-filled puppet extravaganza for adults. The show features over 40 handmade puppets utilizing ancient and modern puppetry styles. In “Ironwill Tate” we follow a family on the last leg of their cross-country road-trip. At the wheel is Tate, the father and fanatical schedule keeper who decides what they will and will not stop for. Drunken zoo animals, dying wizards, and giant robots vie for the family’s attention, but Tate will stop at nothing to keep that pedal down. This main narrative is the springboard for a series of vignettes woven throughout. It gets strange, folks.

Bat Honey is comprised of Britt Juchem and Ariel Gregory. Britt and Ariel began their career as stop motion animators. Veteran Los Angeles model makers for film and television, they have been collaborating for over ten years.

*Show contains language and adult intellectual themes and content


Catch their final Chi-Town show TONIGHT on the north side at Portage ARTspace!

Event:

Ironwill Tate Plays Portage ARTspace

Start:

Sept 25, 2012 7:00 pm

End:

Sept 25, 2012 8:00 pm

Updated:

Sept 17, 2012

Venue:

portage ARTspace

Address:

4837 W. Berenice Ave. ,Chicago, IL,60641 ,United States

Please come to portage ARTspace to see our road-trip odyssey Ironwill Tate.  The show starts at 7pm at portage ARTspace, 4837 W. Berenice Ave.  Chicago, IL 60641

This past weekend, Bat Honey performed at Southside Hub of Production, a cool, Hyde Park art gallery Saturday and Sunday night, where an eclectic audience brought pot luck food and wine to share.  Their 1910 space is full of gorgeous wood work and wabi sabi, salvaged furniture.  Check out their upcoming events here.  They're planning openings and events for artists' month in October, so check out their main site and calendar of events.


Check out our past Ironwill Tate coverage here.

CHI, IL LIVE SHOWS ON OUR RADAR: The Intelligence at Empty Bottle 10/10

The Intelligence Announce Fall Tour With King Tuff + Solo Dates Everybody’s Got It Easy But Me Out Now on In The Red Records Everybody’s Got It Easy But Me Tracklisting I Like LA Hippy Provider Evil Is Easy Techno Tuesday The Entertainer Reading And Writing About Partying Dim Limelights (They Found Me In The Back Of) The Galaxy I’m Closed Little Town Flirt Return To Foam Sunny Backyard Fidelity  Press Quotes “You always wonder, listening to deliberately lo-fi albums, whether the fuzz is there to cover up weaknesses, and what these songs would sound like if you could actually hear them. In The Intelligence’s case, they sound pretty damned good. I’m just not sure that would hold true for everyone.” - Dusted "Everybody's Got It Easy But Me is at once the Intelligence's most lyrically direct and musically exploratory album to date, introducing pastoral psychodelia, space-age bachelor-pad vibes, and at least one proper ballad to the mix." - Pitchfork "Although Everybody’s Got It Easy But Me is notably less frenzied and raw than the band’s past decade of output, The Intelligence has not lost their edge, despite some of the slower, acoustic-based numbers. Rather, they’ve created an often thrilling voyage that defies repetition and predictability." - Cosequence of Sound "Everybody’s Got It Easy But Me is a punk rock record that sporadically soothes your spirit, gets you pogo-ing, and almost always will make you dance. The Intelligence (and lest we forget Shannon Shaw) have made a rock record that anyone could ask for, and that everyone should remember." - Heave Media Tour Dates 10/04 - The Satellite - Los Angeles, CA 10/06 - Hi-Dive - Denver, CO 10/08 - Triple Rock Social Club - Minneapolis, MN 10/09 - Cactus Club - Milwaukee, WI~ 10/10 - Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL 10/11 - The Lager House - Detroit, MI* 10/12 - The Garrison - Toronto, ON* 10/13 - ll Montore - Montreal, QC* 10/14 - Le Cercle - Quebec City, QC* 10/15 - Signal Kitchen - Burlington, VT 10/18 - CMJ - New York, NY 10/19 - CMJ - New York, NY 10/20 - AS220 - Providence, RI* 10/21 - Whitson's - Purchase, NY* 10/22 - Johnny Brenda's - Philadelphia, PA*% 10/23 - Black Cat (backstage) - Washington, DC*% 10/24 - Duke Coffeehouse - Durham, NC* 10/25 - Earl - Atlanta, GA*# 10/26 - Nobby's - St. Augustine, FL* 10/28 - Will's Pub - Orlando, FL* 10/30 - Retrofit Records - Tallahassee, FL* 10/31 - Bottle Tree - Birmingham, AL*^ 11/01 - One Eyed Jacks - New Orleans, LA* 11/02 - Victoria House - Beaumont, TX* 11/05 - Low Spirits - Albuquerque, NM 11/06 - Topaz Tundra - Tucson, AZ 11/07 - Yucca Tap Room - Phoenix, AZ 11/08 - The Griffin - Sand Diego, CA * w/ King Tuff %w/ Poor Moon # w/ Mike Watt ^ w/ Man or Astroman? ~ w/ footballs   The Intelligence have been a band / musical project since 1999. To date The Intelligence have released seven singles, five split singles, two EPs, seven albums and have made eight compilation appearances. I’ve probably even missed a couple. They join the ranks of artists like Thee Oh Sees and Ty Segall in the department of those whose output could be considered hyper-prolific or impossible to keep up with. That said, like the afore mentioned artists, with each release The Intelligence continue to evolve, grow artistically and top themselves. And, YES, you do need to keep up with all the releases. On “Everybody’s Got It Easy But Me' The Intelligence do indeed top themselves. Like their last album, “Males” from 2010, they have returned to The Hangar with Chris Woodhouse to record. As with “Males” they seem to continue to jettison their previous deliberate blown-out, lo-fi recording approach for a much clearer sound. Not that there’s any give-up in intensity. The band’s scrambling post-punk guitars, its straight-up, dry-as-a-bone drums, its laconically abstract verses are all here, just viewed through an unusually clear lens. If you didn’t have the songs or the chops this sort of thing could reveal some weaknesses but, in this instance, it showcases Lars Finberg’s knack for writing catchy songs, which incorporate pop hooks, metronomically repetitive guitar riffs and new wavey synth moves. For those who haven’t been paying attention, "The Intelligence" are the brainchild of Lars Finberg (former of the A-Frames, currently of Thee Oh Sees and Wounded Lion). The Intelligence began as a studio project in which Finberg played all instruments on his home recordings. As the band began to play live and tour the releases have volleyed between full band recordings and Lars layering all tracks himself. On “Everybody’s Got It Easy But Me” Finberg has gone for a mixed approach. Having recently relocated to Los Angeles, Lars assembled an LA line up of the band. Still spending much time at the band’s original home base of Seattle, he has retained a separate line up in that city as well. For this new album he has used them both….as well as doing some songs all by himself. He also invited a number of guests to come in and add to it. The result is the most varied yet cohesive Intelligence album to date. Links: Band Website Band Facebook

CHI, IL LIVE SHOWS ON OUR RADAR: Brick + Mortar at Beat Kitchen

"These guys will hit you like a delightful ton of bricks" - NYLON Magazine "Exuberant... diligently rowdy" -Earmilk "Their live show is an interactive frenzy and it seems like the buzz on this band is so strong that in my weathered opinion, a monster deal with a major label seems to be right around the corner." -The Aquarian BRICK + MORTAR Announce Fall US Tour  With Austin's Quiet Company

BRICK + MORTAR Photo credit: Dan Feeny Click for higher res "We are not for the faint of heart. I call us an experience 'cause that's what a BRICK + MORTAR show is." Clearly Brick + Mortar's Brandon Asraf (bass guitar, vocals) is not one to shy away from making a statement. But this should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the unconventional Asbury Park, NJ-based indie rock duo whose brash, gritty, whip-smart sound foregoes guitar in favor of bass, drums, and electronic samples and a live show that's been described as an "interactive frenzy". Now the band is preparing to take their experience on the road as they embark on a fall US tour with Austin's Quiet Company (tour dates below). "Shows played and inspiration gained are the best part of touring," muses Asraf. He continues, "At Brick + Mortar shows the audience is part of the band. That's what makes playing each show uniquely exciting and inspiring. Brick + Mortar shows are a party. We will give you 100% every time because we truly love what we do. Hopefully you give us 100% back. " The tour sees the band heading West and then returning to traverse the Northeast from mid-October to early November. Video: Brick + Mortar Fall Tour 2012 w/ Quiet Company Click to Watch and Embed: http://tinyurl.com/9pdavxd Asraf and bandmate John Tacon(drums, electronic samples, vocals) formed Brick + Mortar in 2010 to immediate critical buzz that's now rapidly approaching fever pitch, no doubt buoyed along by the excellent video for their song "Bangs" which premiered on Noisey.com this summer. The song's bass hits like a massive punch to the face and the narrative of the ultra-violent accompanying video, inspired by the life of Asraf's father, is likely one of the more brutal stories you've ever bore witness to. "This video opened the door for us to be more than a band. People seem to wait for that song to sing their hearts out at shows," explains Asraf of the impact the single has had on the band. "Bangs" was released on Mad Dragon Records as part of Motion City Soundtrack's Making Moves series, where the band featured their personal favorite rising artists in special 7" releases. Aside from touring Brick + Mortar will also be busy with several other projects this fall, including putting out a fully animated music video created by artist Richie Brown and focusing on writing for their debut full length. "The goal is to make our album an audio/visual experience. I feel like the songs I am working with are my best yet. We are ready to make a full-length record," says Asraf, obviously energized about future possibilities. And well he should be, for a band that has generated this much attention without even releasing a full length, this tour is the perfect opportunity to get the intense, captivating Brick + Mortar experience yourself. BRICK + MORTAR ON TOUR 10/21 - Rochester, NY @ Dubland Underground 10/23 - Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe 10/24 - Akron, OH @ Musica  10/25 - Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection 10/26 - Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen 10/28 - St. Louis, MO @ Ciceros 10/30 - Pontiac, MI @ Pike Room 10/31 - Pittsburgh, PA @ The Smiling Moose (Upstairs) 11/01 - Washington, DC @ Backstage @ Black Cat 11/02 - Philadelphia, PA @ Milkboy 11/03 - Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell's 11/04 - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East brmr.net facebook.com/BrickAndMortarOfficial twitter.com/brickandmortar/ watchbangs.com

FINAL TOUR OF SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA CONFIRMED--United Center 2/20/13

Watch Official Video for “Don’t You Worry Child” here

SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA

ONE LAST TOUR

http://www.onelasttour.com 

“Don’t You Worry Child” OUT NOW

Over 6 million views on YouTube 

SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA are proud to announce the final leg of their world tour.  After a week of dots appearing around the Globe, over 20,000 sightings from planes to projections, fans joining in across the world and trending globally twice on Twitter, the dates have finally been revealed. Spanning the globe, One Last Tour, will be their most extensive and extravagant shows to date starting in Dubai on 16^th November and will see the band travelling across continents, visiting India, Russia and South Africa for the first time.

The tour will then hit North America from February 2013 where the Swedes will once again play New York’s legendry Madison Square Garden as well as a night at the Barclay Center.

All Tickets will go on sale on Friday 28^th September from MIDDAY local time, except for South Africa & India where tickets will go on sale from 8^th October.

Tickets for United Center, Chicago will go on sale Friday, September 28 at NOON at livenation.com and the United Center box office.

One Last Tour will be highly emotional as the band bid a farewell to their fans across the world and promises to create unrivalled memories for fans and band alike.  A special and spectacular finish for those who Came, Raved and Loved!  

Dates:

16^th November – World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE

17^th November – Sun Arena Polo Ground, Mumbai, India **On Sale 8 Oct.

18^th November – Unitech Golf Course, Delhi, India

22^nd November – Friends Arena, Stockholm, Sweden

23^rd November – Friends Arena, Stockholm, Sweden

24^th November – Friends Arena, Stockholm, Sweden

26^th November – Forum, Copenhagen, Denmark

29^th November – O2 Arena, Prague, Czech Republic

30^th November - WM Park Planai, Schladming, Austria

1^st December – Sportpaleis, Antwerp, Belgium

6^th December – Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany

7^th December – Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, Netherlands

8^th December – Bercy, Paris, France

15^th December – Stadium Live, Moscow, Russia

18^th December - Pavilhão Atlântico, Lisbon, Portugal

22^nd December – Telenor Arena, Oslo, Norway **Ticket presale starts Tues 25 Sept 10:00

25^th January – Wild Waters, Johannesburg, South Africa **On Sale 8 Oct.

26^th January – Wild Waters, Johannesburg, South Africa  **On Sale 8 Oct.

27^th January – Lourensford Wine Estate, Cape Town, South Africa  **On Sale 8 Oct.

16^th February – Bill Graham Civic, San Francisco, USA

20^th February – United Center, Chicago, USA

23^rd February – Rogers Centre, Toronto, Canada

27^th February – Bell Centre, Montreal, Canada            

1^st March – Madison Square Garden, New York, USA

2^nd March – Barclay Center, New York, USA

9^th March – Masquerade Motel @ Historic Park, LA, USA 

SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA will release their second compilation album entitled ‘UNTIL NOW’ from  October 19^th (preorder from September 25^th).  The album will form the official soundtrack to One Last Tour (go to http://www.onelasttour.com for more information).  The follow up to their double gold-selling mix album ‘Until One’, the album will feature a unique collection of Swedes’ original tracks, remixes, exclusive collaborations, club favourites and solo productions.

‘UNTIL NOW’ highlights include the latest SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA single ‘DON’T YOU WORRY CHILD’ (feat John Martin) – which was debuted to 65,000 people at the band’s recent UK farewell Milton Keynes Bowl show, the previously unreleased Coldplay Vs Swedish House Mafia ‘Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall’, global club anthems ‘Calling’ and ‘In My Mind’, Steve Angello and Third Party’s ‘Lights’, the Swedes remix of their production for Usher ‘Euphoria’ plus more previously unreleased tracks.

After exploding on to the scene in 2010, the Swedes followed up their huge genre-defining club track ‘One’ with the Worldwide platinum-selling single ‘Miami 2 Ibiza’ featuring Tinie Tempah. Both tracks appeared on their double gold-selling compilation album ‘Until One’, which is still in the top 50 chart nearly two years after its release. The boys followed this with top 10 UK single ‘Save The World’ last Summer, also a huge hit around the globe. They ended 2011 playing to 20,000 people at New York’s Madison Square Garden which sold out in a staggering 10 minutes. 2012 so far has seen the release of their highest charting single to date – ‘Antidote’ - a collaboration with Pendulum’s Knife Party, a second bigger and better Masquerade Motel in Miami and the release of the incendiary ‘Greyhound’ (an all-Swedish collaboration with Absolut Vodka). This Summer SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA bid a glorious farewell to the UK in spectacular fashion with their biggest headline show to date at Milton Keynes Bowl against a show-stopping backdrop of lasers, fireworks and flames.

http://www.swedishhousemafia.com

http://www.facebook.com/swedishhousemafia

http://twitter.com/swedishousemfia 

Safe To Say Streams New Song, Launches Preorders for Split with Seawa

The Seaway / Safe To Say split can now be preordered in various packages on 7" vinyl. Safe To Say's brand of melodic punk rock shines through in "Dead Birds," and contrasts the raw pop-punk stylings of Seaway marvelously on the split, due out October 23 via Mutant League Records. Safe To Say is recommended for fans of Balance and Composure, Citizen and Title Fight. Seaway also debuted a song recently on AbsolutePunk.net, which is now available on YouTube for streaming and embedding as well. Email Thomas Nassiff at exit384media@gmail.com to set up any interviews or other coverage or to request a review copy. Seaway / Safe To Say - Split Mutant League Records October 23, 2012 Side A: Seaway 1. Homewrecker 2. Middle Finger (STREAM) 3. Lifted Side B: Safe To Say 4. Wished You the Worst 5. Entirely 6. Dead Birds (STREAM)   More about Seaway: Seaway is a pop-punk group from Oakville, Ontario who recently signed with Mutant League Records.  The band offers memorable hooks and honest lyrics, coated with a thick exterior of angst as represented in their fan favorite "Sabrina The Teenage Bitch".  Seaway looks to stretch their music across North America with a full-length album in the works for 2013.  RIYL: The Wonder Years, New Found Glory, The Story So Far www.facebook.com/seawayoakville www.twitter.com/seawayband   More about Safe To Say: Safe to Say is a five piece melodic punk band hailing from Markham, Ontario.  The band admits that what sets them apart from most other pop-punk bands is that they all write songs about having fun with their friends.  "Too bad we don't have any friends," comments bassist Josh Hicke.  RIYL: Balance and Composure, Title Fight, Citizen   www.facebook.com/safetosayband www.safetosayband.bandcamp.com

The Mountain Goats FREE Streaming Transcendental Youth--Vic Theatre 10/27

THE MOUNTAIN GOATS

Stream Transcendental Youth Now Via

Rolling Stone Out October 2^nd On Merge Records

Watch John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats perform on Pitchfork.tv and WNYC's Soundcheck

Announce 2^nd Leg of U.S. Tour

Photo credit: D.L. Anderson

The Mountain Goats are set to release their new album Transcendental Youth on October 2nd via Merge Records. The album can be streamed now exclusively via Rolling Stone. John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats recently filmed performances of "Harlem Roulette"off Transcendental Youth along the New York City waterfront for Pitchfork.tv and WNYC's Souncheck where he performed: "In Memory of Satan", "White Cedar", "Counterfeit Florida Plates" off the new album, along with "Thank You Mario, But Our Princess Is In Another Castle".

In addition, the Mountain Goats announce the second leg of their U.S. tour that takes the band across the southern U.S. and along the west coast. Matthew E. White, who wrote the horn arrangements for the band’s forthcoming release, Transcendental Youth will continue on as the opener for this 2^nd leg of dates. Matthew E. White, described by Stereogum as "bring[ing] together the warm, haunted tones of Leonard Cohen, Terry Riley, and Dr. John," will be performing his debut album Big Inner with a 9-piece band; his horn section, in this special tour engagement, will join in the Mountain Goats’ set. John Darnielle writes of the collaboration: "One of my fondest memories of the Transcendental Youth recording sessions is listening in the control room as Matthew and his players brought his horn arrangements to life on the other side of the glass. Me and Peter and Jon just sat there with our jaws on the floor. We can't wait to hear it come together live."

Before the tour kicks off, the Mountain Goats will perform the program Transcendental Youth with the world-renowned vocal quartet,Anonymous 4, on October 6^th in Durham, NC. Five songs from Transcendental Youth, in special vocal arrangements by Owen Pallett,  serve as the hub of the program, which also spans the catalog of both the Mountain Goats and Anonymous 4. The program was performed earlier this year at the Ecstatic Music Festival in New York City and at The Barbican in London. Tour dates are as follows:

10/6 Durham, NC @ Reynolds Industries Theatre w/ Anonymous 4

10/9 Richmond, VA @ The National*

10/10 Baltimore, MD @ The Ottobar*

10/11 Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts*

10/13 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg*

10/14 Brooklyn @ Music Hall of Williamsburg*

10/15 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom*

10/16 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom*

10/18 Boston @ House of Blues*

10/19 Ithaca, NY @ The Haunt*

10/20 Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre*

10/22 Grand Rapids, MI @ The Ladies Literary Club*

10/23 Milwaukee, WI @ Pabst Theatre*

10/24 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theatre*

10/26 Iowa City, IA @ The Blue Moose TapHouse*

10/27 Chicago, IL @ Vic Theater*

11/4   Huntington, WV @ Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center (Mountain Stage)

11/29 Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West*

12/1   Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge*

12/3   Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom*

12/4   Dallas, TX @ Granada Theatre*

12/5   Austin, TX @ Emo’s East*

12/7   Sante Fe, NM @ Santa Fe Brewing Co.*

12/8   Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom*

12/9   Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress*

12/10 San Diego, CA @ Irenic*

12/13 Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour*

12/14 San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore*

12/16 Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theatre*

12/17 Seattle, WA @ The Showbox*

*w/ Matthew E. White 

***

As John Hodgman writes in the bio for the new record: "John Darnielle has written almost 600 songs now, and some of them are very sad, dealing with hard drugs and tragic ends, hurting yourself and others, sicknesses of both body and brain, off-brand alcohols. They are told in beautiful, unnerving, specific detail because he is a very good writer, and also some of them are just true stories about his own life. These are the consolations; and if some of his songs suggest that there are real hells on earth, other songs remind that the heavens are equally close at hand. (Sometimes they are even the same songs.) It is my impression that this is the ecstasy John Darnielle is feeling: that thrill of having survived, escaped for even a second to enjoy those small transcendent delights, and to sing of them.  Transcendental Youth is full of songs about people who madly, stupidly, blessedly won’t stop surviving, no matter who gives up on them." John Darnielle has been called "America's best non-hip-hop lyricist” by the New Yorker and last year was tagged on the cover as SPIN Magazine as, "Indie Rock's Greatest Lyricist". 

the Mountain Goats:
John Darnielle- singer/songwriter
Peter Hughes- bass
Jon Wurster- drums

Transcendental Youth Tracklist:
1. Amy aka Spent Gladiator 1
2. Lakeside View Apartments Suite
3. Cry for Judas
4. Harlem Roulette
5. White Cedar
6. Until I Am Whole
7. Night Light
8. The Diaz Brothers
9. Counterfeit Florida Plates
10. In Memory of Satan
11. Spent Gladiator 2
12. Transcendental Youth

the Mountain Goats links: 
Official Website
Twitter
Facebook 
Label