Darnielle is best known for his role in the band the Mountain Goats. Since starting the band in 1991, he has gained a cult following. Despite being dubbed a low fidelity artist, Darnielle has always dubbed his work "bi-fi", pointing out that recordings such as his couldn't be made without modern technology. He is known for his prolific output and literary lyrics. Sasha Frere-Jones, writing in "The New Yorker", referred to him as "America’s best non-hip-hop lyricist". In its June 2006 issue, "Paste" magazine named Darnielle one of the "100 Best Living Songwriters".