Which indie rock band's 2005 album 'The Sunset Tree' was written about the singer's abusive stepfather?

The indie band whose 2005 album “The Sunset Tree” was written about the singer’s abusive stepfather is the Mountain Goats.

“The Sunset Tree” is the Mountain Goats’ ninth studio album, released on April 26, 2005, by 4AD. It centers on songwriter and singer John Darnielle’s childhood and high-school years, with domestic violence and the difficult household where he grew up serving as recurring themes.

Several songs directly revisit that abuse, including “Dance Music,” “Hast Thou Considered the Tetrapod,” and “This Year.” Darnielle began writing the material in early 2004, a few months after the death of his stepfather, Mike Noonan. The album’s liner notes dedicate it to Noonan while also addressing young people living with abuse.

The title comes from a scene in Samuel Butler’s novel “The Way of All Flesh,” involving a hymn and violence toward a child. That literary reference can make the album sound fictionalized, but its emotional core draws heavily from Darnielle’s own memories. Despite the heavy subject matter, many songs use energetic tempos and bright arrangements, creating a striking contrast.