The first five years of the Mountain Goats' career saw a prolific output of songs on cassette, vinyl and CD. These releases spanned multiple labels and countries of origin, often released in limited numbers. The focus of the Mountain Goats project was the urgency of writing. Songs not recorded adequately to tape within days of being written were often forgotten. Cassette releases during this time include "The Hound Chronicles", "Transmissions to Horace", "Hot Garden Stomp", "Taking the Dative", and "Yam, the King of Crops".