The title of “Get Lonely,” the latest release from The Mountain Goats — aka singer-songwriter John Darnielle — gives a wonderful description how to listen to it.

It is definitely not a happy, uplifting release by any means. There are little glimpses of hope throughout, but overall it sticks true to its melancholy form.

Darnielle’s previous album, 2005’s “The Sunset Tree”, was dedicated to his abusive, alcoholic, late stepfather and this picks up where that left off.

The lucid chorus from the first single “Woke Up New” asks, “What do I do without you?” The simplicity of the chorus and guitar parts immediately draw attention to the wonderful lyrics found in the verses. The haunting title track features a beautiful cello part matching sparse guitars. The song describes someone walking throughout a crowd and finding comfort in blending in.

The opening track, “Wild Sage,” is one of the weakest points on the record.

This song lacks the sense of urgency many of the others embody. It feels as if it was written at a different period and included as filler, like it somehow ended up and the top of the track list. This song, along with a few others, falls into a trap of being nothing more than decent background music.

The album rides a very fine line between becoming one somebody can put on and forget about or an album that draws a person into the music. The simple melodies and light instrumentation allow this to be the case. On first listen, this release may not immediately grab your attention, but given a second or third listen one picks up on some of the subtle nuances of the songs.

“Get Lonely” does not do anything terribly different from previous Mountain Goats releases.

Darnielle has found the niche that he works most comfortably in and does not seem to be leaving it anytime soon.

Chris Schimmel is an entertainment reporter for the Northern Star.