Fun folk-rock about professional wrestling

A concept album entirely about professional wrestling may seem silly at first glance. And it is silly, but in the best way possible. The Mountain Goats manage to pack a wide array of musical styles and lyrical themes while maintaining the common thread throughout the album. The album includes soft piano ballads, loud garage punk, and folk punk – a veritable musical rollercoaster. And the lyrical themes are even more turbulent – I never thought I‰’d have an emotional reaction to a song about a professional wrestler throwing away his pride to survive a cage match (but in fairness maybe I just haven‰’t been watching enough wrestling). The album is incredibly fun and lighthearted, but has some surprisingly emotional moments that will make you look at both the musical genre and the sport in a way you never thought possible.

RIYL: Sufjan Stevens, Andrew Bird, Bright Eyes

Recommended: 1, 3, 5, 6