Formed in 1991 by John Darnielle, The Mountain Goats are a highly prolific band, producing over their career a multitude of songs. Their output has slowed in recent years, recording this album in the autumn of 2007, eighteen months after previous release Get Lonely. It is a collection of modern folk songs, moving away from the lo-fi experiments of the bands youth into something smoother and more accomplished.The trouble I have with this album is that whilst it is pleasant enough, and at times reasonably engaging, it lacks that spark to set it apart from its contemporaries. It helps an agreeable hour go by but there is nothing here to stick in my mind, nothing indispensable. I feel no great desire to go back and replay any of the songs, no burning desire to revisit the slopes where the goats play. So whilst it is a perfectly well made album, it seems to lack that certain something.Opening track 'Sax Rohmer #1' is a good example, a song that strums along with considerable intensity but despite the rise of the chorus falls short, sounding rather thin and spartan where it should be flexing its muscles. This rather slender sound continues into 'San Bernandino', with title track 'Heretic Pride' the first occasion where this album begins to shine, a simple piano refrain accompanying the guitars. 'Autoclave' is full of jerky picked strings, and has a quirky charm, but 'New Zion' sounds dated and rather hollow.For me, they reach their finest moment on 'Craters of the Moon', a thumping, rattling beast of a tune underlaid with an emotive cello and frantic acoustic guitar. It's the highlight of the release and makes its fellow songs look very small. Also good is 'Tianchi Lake', subtle and pastoral, the vocal the main focus.Its hard to find fault with this album lyrically ”“ John Darnielle has a good ear for a story and a talent for delivering simple but effective words. I just felt that The Heretic Pride lacked that certain rush of emotion and passion to make it exceptional. Instead, it leaves the record feeling overly slender, and the listener undernourished. 60%mp3:> The Mountain Goats: 'Sax Rohmer #1' Links The Mountain Goats [official site] [myspace]