Beat the Champ

by The Mountain Goats

Beat the Champ cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 7 April 2015
  • Label: Merge
  • Country: United States
  • Length: 45:57
  • Community rating: 3.71/5 from 6 ratings

Artists on this release: Austin Nevins, Brandon Eggleston, Phil Cook, Nathan Golub, John Darnielle, Jon Wurster, Brad Cook, Peter Hughes, Scott Solter

Album Notes & Community Reviews

John Darnielle crafts a highly specific concept album revolving entirely around the regional professional wrestling territories of his youth. Through detailed character studies of aging brawlers and masked villains, the songs tackle universal themes of mortality, theatricality, and physical pain. The arrangements are surprisingly robust, employing lush strings and prominent piano melodies over the foundational acoustic guitars.

Genres

Descriptors: conceptual, sports, melodic, violence, rain, storytelling, male-vocals, lo-fi, acoustic, confessional

Tracklist

  1. Southwestern Territory (4:14)
  2. The Legend of Chavo Guerrero (3:00)
  3. Foreign Object (2:51)
  4. Animal Mask (2:54)
  5. Choked Out (1:42)
  6. Heel Turn 2 (5:58)
  7. Fire Editorial (3:22)
  8. Stabbed to Death Outside San Juan (3:48)
  9. Werewolf Gimmick (2:34)
  10. Luna (3:27)
  11. Unmasked! (3:28)
  12. The Ballad of Bull Ramos (2:53)
  13. Hair Match (5:40)

Credits

  • The Mountain Goats - primary artist
  • Matt Douglas - arranged by [woodwinds], woodwind
  • Peter Hughes - bass, guitar [additional guitar]
  • Leela Corman - cover [front cover], illustration [all illustrations]
  • Jon Wurster - drums, percussion
  • Andy VanDette - lacquer cut by
  • Austin Nevins - guitar, guitar [additional guitar]
  • Nathan Golub - steel guitar

More from The Mountain Goats: full discography