The Mountain Goats Release Musical Album Featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda

The Mountain Goats have announced their 23rd album, Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan, set for release on November 7 via their own Cadmean Dawn Records. Described as a "full-on musical," the album tells the story of a small fishing crew shipwrecked on a desert island, focusing on three survivors dealing with dwindling resources and apocalyptic visions. The record features notable collaborators including Lin-Manuel Miranda, who provides harmonies on the single "Armies of the Lord," as well as Tommy Stinson and harpist Mikaela Davis. The album is produced by band member Matt Douglas and marks the debut of new bassist Cameron Ralston, following the departure of longtime bassist Peter Hughes, to whom the album is dedicated. The Mountain Goats will support the release with a fall tour starting September 17 in Atlanta, with stops in major cities including Chicago, Jersey City, Seattle, and Los Angeles. This project is regarded as their most conceptually detailed and musically elaborate work to date, blending novelistic storytelling with musical theatre elements.