Is John Darnielle the horror/meta fiction novelist the same John Darnielle who’s the founder and Chief Muse of indie rock heroes the Mountain Goats?

Why, yes, and we’re not happy about it at all.

No one should be that cool.

But Darnielle IS. At least in certain circles.

The secret of hopscotching from dark fiction to dark indie rock songs probably has to do with Darnielle’s singular views of storytelling. Musically, there’s a childlike quality to his eerie songs that clearly has great appeal.

Me? I have no idea what he’s doing, either musically or literarily.

Over time, and particularly on the last three MG records — they’ve released 60 or so, it being indie rock and Darnielle not being known for writer’s block — the band has a more polished sound. Like, the albums sound finished, or at least that they have a larger budget and a producer.

See the Mountain Goats Wednesday at the United Theatre on their “Rule of Three” tour. And if you talk to John, ask him what the hell happened at the end of his book “Devil House.” Or, for that matter, what happened in any part of it.

The Mountain Goats, 8 p.m. Wednesday, United Theatre, 5 Canal St., Westerly; $46; unitedtheatre.org.