The Mountain Goats don’t go all in on a 1990s grunge-inspired record, but instead look back on that period with a fresh perspective

Days isn’t a collection of personal traumas but of memories held at a distance, and such material should be treated with the light touch John Darnielle applies here

John Darnielle and co. revisit the 1990s, Layne Staley, and Charlie Sheen on a collection of songs that explore the rigid nature of time and our power to reframe the past

It’s very much a Mountain Goats album. Is it their best? Probably not, but it has a lot of their best qualities and some really great songs that fans will love

The record saves its real argument for last. The title track and “Last Day” aren’t a one-two punch so much as a single thought split in half — one side aching, one side almost at peace — and together they make the case for the whole album: that dwelling on an ending doesn’t have to mean dreading it

Marvellous. Print edition only

Exploring a motley array of grunge-era characters, the latest Mountain Goats album is very polished and very funny, as the band’s performances convey the same nuance and range as John Darnielle’s writing.