Undercard

iTunes Review

A collaboration between the Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle and Franklin Bruno that first recorded as the Extra Glenns, the Extra Lens bring about Undercard as their long-awaited second album. Darnielle handles the lead vocals and most of the songwriting with Bruno handling the arrangements and writing a few songs himself. As always, Darnielle focuses on details and intense emotional points. The straightforward cover of Randy Newman’s “In Germany Before the War” makes for a completely logical choice among the emphatic declaration of “Adultery” and the anti-suicide message tune “Some Other Way.” Bruno’s “How I Left the Ministry” adds a battle-march cadence with plenty of stray instruments acting as bullets. “Rockin’ Rockin’ Twilight of the Gods” sounds like old-school Darnielle, along the times of The Coroner’s Gambit. “Dogs of Clinic 17” adds some nice strong guitar work. “Cruiserweights” sounds like it’s escaping the cocktail lounge of a black-and- white movie. Darnielle is one of the most prolific and stunningly good songwriters in modern times and Bruno makes a fine accompanist.