The Mountain Goats have announced a new album titled Jenny from Thebes, a sequel to their 2002 LP All Hail West Texas. It’s out October 27 via Merge Records. Today’s announcement comes with the release of the lead single ‘Clean Slate’. Check it out and find the album cover and tracklist below.
“We’re proud to reveal ‘Clean Slate,’ the first song from our new album, Jenny from Thebes,” John Darnielle said in a press statement. “People like to hedge bets by using terms like ‘concept album’ but let’s be clear, this is a rock opera about a woman named Jenny, who buys a Kawasaki to ride as far away as she can from a town she’s been carrying on her shoulders too long. ‘Clean Slate’ sets the scene: this is the house Jenny rents; these are the people who crash there when they need a place to stay; this is where she’s at in the process of becoming someone other than the keyholder she’s been. Produced by Trina Shoemaker! Played by the Mountain Goats at the Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma! Respect to the real pirates of west Texas, still out there on the roads: may you remain one step ahead forever!”
Produced by Trina Shoemaker, Jenny from Thebes features guitar by Bully’s Alicia Bognanno (who produced 2021’s Bleed Out), horn and string arrangements by Matt Douglas, and backing vocals from Kathy Valentine of The Go-Go’s and Matt Nathanson. “If we’re going to do a sequel to a record that was recorded almost entirely on a boombox,” Darnielle commented, “why not do the opposite and make it as big as possible?”
Jenny from Thebes Cover Artwork:
Jenny from Thebes Tracklist:
1. Clean Slate
2. Ground Level
3. Only One Way
4. Fresh Tattoo
5. Cleaning Crew
6. Murder at the 18th St. Garage
7. From the Nebraska Plant
8. Same as Cash
9. Water Tower
10. Jenny III
11. Going to Dallas
12. Great Pirates
