Bright Flight

First rate literate folk rock in the style of Pavement without being Pavement. There are elements of the Hoboken sound present throughout with parts sounding like Richard Barone, The Feelies and the Bongos. Tennessee is by far the most memorable and catchiest track but the whole record is actually a joy to listen to. David Berman’s vocals come through the lo-fi as conversational and spouse Cassie’s vocal sprinkles are highlights to these songs appearing on the aforementioned Tennessee, Slow Education and Let’s Not And Say We Did. Rare is the album where the lyrics are both thoughtful and ripe for a sing-a-long. I can see why this record shows up from time to time as a great album from the turn of the century. It carries over that 90’s slacker vibe perfectly. This was music designed for venues where people know the members of the band and call out for songs in the breaks. First rate if this is your thing. 4/5

started nice but pretty much repetitive and boring LP after all

Just a chill, subtle, a bit sad, minimalist indie contribution for the early aughts.

There are albums that, after listening to them, you simply don't know how to rate, because the only way to describe them is with the phrase "sometimes thick, sometimes thin." For example, here's an album by Silver Jews, a band I'd never heard of before. Half the album is boring, semi-acoustic indie rock, like Wilco, the other half is pleasant, sensual music, like The National. The lyrics are sometimes good, Dylan-level, and sometimes, on the contrary, a bit hackneyed. The vocalist sometimes sings well, but sometimes it feels like he's incapable of it. What's definitely undeniable about this album is its superb mixing. It's a unique case: sometimes the technical part is more enjoyable to listen to than the musical one. At the same time, it's been on the list of "1001 Albums" since the very beginning, and it seems it's here to stay. Should I give it two stars? Well, it's not that bad. Three stars? That's a bit much... Maybe just a light one.

The main vocalist is incredibily grating. Incredibily poor opening song. After 3 songs you've basically heard the whole album Instrumentation is decent, so bonus point for that. 2.0/5.0

Disliked it the more I listened, which is never a good sign

Nearly brilliant but doesn't quite get there. Not one I'll return to a lot but I'm glad I experienced it

Ehhh, found it more enjoyable on the 2nd listen. Lyrics were out there which I liked, the vocals.. grew on me.. but I still dont know if I like it or not.. I dont think I do?

favs: transylvania blues rating 0.5/5

It was okay! Didn't set my world on fire, but 3 feels stingy. Didn't outstay its welcome and was pleasant enough.

I went in expecting great things, and was pretty disappointed. The electric guitar sounds very pleasant, and is definitely the highlight of this album. I'm not the biggest fan of Stephen's vocals, and his poetry is pretty mediocre for folk music. Tennessee might have some of the worst lyrics I've heard in my entire life I genuinely can't believe this is a real song. Transylvania Blues is a great jam however, perfectly blanketed in the middle of the album when I was losing momentum, and it wasn't just because there were no vocals on it. There's definitely substance here but it's just kinda boring.

Starts like it's already over it, a drawn-out drone that's more grating than engaging. Decided they were too cool for school, and spent an album proving it. Couldn't save itself from its own monotony. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Tennessee - Friday Night Fever

Челік шось хрипить під акустику 35 хвилин. Тіпа кантрі

Lo-fi trash. Not my thing. 1.5/5

Not a fan of the voice, it’s a choice to sing in this rather dull/bored tone, but not one I enjoy. Songs overall are fine, pleasant, but it does get boring after a while.

Just a lifeless album.

I wanted to like it much more than I did.

Boring americana. Not objectionable, just too dull to tolerate the entire album

35/100

These Jews are so fucking boring

Dave Berman is a poet. The fact that he sets his poetry to music doesn’t really matter. Well, it does because essentially, that’s what he’s doing. And I’m not a fan of it at all. This is the kind of record that critics love and value for the "art" of it all. The last couple-three songs are the only ones I liked at all and quite frankly, I don't care if I ever hear it again.

Standouts Transylvania Blues

I had a pretty harsh review of this album up, then read how its main vocalist and writer died, so let’s just say I found it mediocre.

A bit of a weird album. I didn’t hate it but it was pretty forgettable.

Sounds like a dying cow

never particularly cared for silver jews despite them being very much something i should like, but i was pleasantly surprised by this album, as it's definitely my favorite that i've heard of theirs, despite their two right before this typically being considered better. also no country tag on this is a little crazy, this is definitely a country album. high 4/5, though not sure if it deserves to be here over some other better and stylistically similar bands from this time period (built to spill, songs: ohia, uncle tupelo)

Enjoyment: 4/10 Replayability: 4/10 Cohesion: 5/10 Flow/Pacing: 3/10 Artistic Merit: 4/10 Weighted Average: 4.05/10 Review: Slow, melancholy, and mostly monotone. Another album for sad boy hours but certainly not as good as Beck's from yesterday, especially since all the songs sounded the same. Liked Song(s): Transylvania Blues, Tennessee, Death of an Heir of Sorrows Disliked Song(s): Time Will Break The World, Horseleg Swastikas Recommend? No Heard Before? No

Boring

alsof iemand probeert het gat te vullen tussen Jandek en Johnny Dowd... en echt heel hard de bal misslaat

이거는 약간… 머라해야합니까 보컬이 레전드 쳐지는데 이게 약간 라헤같이 느낌이 와야되는데 느낌이 안와버림… 얼터 사운드랑 보컬이랑 따로놉니다

voix boring, lyrics pas mauvais quoique, musique sympa 2.5/5

#432/1001. A recipe to get to this list in this case: - sing with a voice that sounds that you are bored as fuck - strum basic chords on top of that - have some slide guitar for that country feeling no indie band dares to touch (at least you think) - have some mostly boring lyrics to tell your stuff What the fuck is wrong with the people who choose these albums here? And am I the only one who thinks the instrumental is the best song here?

Got to track 3 and began to wonder why I was wasting my time on a band who I had never heard of and music which offered nothing inspirational. I’m all for learning and widening my musical knowledge but this offered nothing new trudging down the well worn path of emptiness. 1/5 5/8/26

Their name makes me a little uncomfortable

Ca va mais il m a pas marqué quoi

It's fine, easy to listen to.

Never heard of this before, and judging by the listen count neither has anyone else. Doesn't seem to have the ego/exceptionalism of a lot of American folk music, which is an automatic plus. Actually enjoying Room Games and Diamond Rain. That said j don't think there's anything groundbreaking here.

**A sad dreary album

Lo fi / alt country, slightly melancholic, some good lyrics. Loved Tennessee. What is not to like. 4

I was intrigued as I've heard these guys mentioned but never listened. Initially i thought this sounded like bad National or Pavement. It grew on me for sure after song 3. Didn't know actually some members of Pavement were involved. Will listen to more. 7

Didn't quite grab me as much as some of the other 00s alt-country stuff..

A very nice discovery for me! A paired back sound, lyrically enchanting and one I will revisit (my musical IOU list gets longer and longer due to this project!) I know certain albums get profiled to match news stories (usually deaths or occasionally seasonal themes), so I couldn’t help wondering whether “let’s not and say we did” was perfectly timed with the Jason Ardey story? 😎

Another album that I wonder what impact it was perceived to have had to make it on this list. It was...OK. Not particularly energetic or inspiring; not unpleasant to listen to. And at least it was short. Would I listen to it again without complaint? Yes. Will I ever deliberately come back to it? Not a chance.

I was not surprised to read that the lead singer had died of suicide. He sounds depressed AF on this album. His vocals lack any sort of energy, the music is pretty bleak. I could probably relisten to a few of these songs, but even at 35ish minutes it was a bit of a drag.

Drawing inspirations from Leonard Cohen mixed with some modernization. It’s okay

Meh

David Berman forever.

RATING: 8/10 HIGHLIGHT: Tennessee LOWLIGHT: Let’s Not and Say We Did

Only a few country bands ever bought a Velvet Underground record, but each one that did started a band. Fortunately this was one of the few that did.

Add Silver Jews (or at least this album of theirs) to the list of non country artists that write country music that is better than 99% of what comes out of Nashville. It was immediately apparent that Silver Jews understood the genre and could wield the emotional weight of it as well as anyone. What a pleasant surprise!

Suprisingly good album. I really enjoyed listening to this and will definetily check out more of the band's work. Especially the early years, because Stephen Malkmus was part of it.

Hmm the OG indie alt country movement starter? I didn't know about the Pavement connection as well. Bill Callahan also must have been friends with this guy just based on their sounds.

Mais que quelqu’un les arrête (les hommes avec un surplus de confiance en eux) !

reminded of johhny cash a little bit, I like the plain lyrics, in your face and raw I like it and the complimentary vocalists are quite nice to hear, not the greatest voices but it works

Good then bad? Incredible cooking music at the beginning

He sounds drunk.

Not a fan.

slow and soulfull rock with a lot of great guitar playing. In some songs the singing got a bit to whiney to me but as a totally new band for me I definitely added some songs to playlists to see how I feel after the songs come up a few more times.

I had never heard of this artist or album before and was excited to try something different compared to what the 1001 Album Generator had given me previously. What a massive disappointment. The songs are boring, there is nothing there to capture your attention and hold you to the music. The quality of the recording is fine but oh my goodness is the actual content a snore-fest. The tracks are substance-less. The lyrics feel like they're being read out by a primary school student with an unseen script in front of them. Other people praise the lyrical content and the style, but it just does not work for me. Some of the instrumental work is ok, but it is repetitive and lacks imagination. It is a shame that I couldn't even finish the album, but there are other things which are more musically involved, vocally engaging and ultimately enjoyable that makes me think that wasting time here is pointless.

This was ok. Not my favorite. I like the idea of it more than the actual music. This came out in 2001 but I never could have placed that it doesn't sound at all like 2001 to me lol

starts off very acoustic and folky, good lyrics and he's not trying too hard when singing, letting words to the work, but then it picks up towards end of album, some rock and stuff, pretty nice

If this guy was playing a dive bar, I would have walked out. His singing voice is just really poor.

The desperate surreal country sad songs on this one can be great, or not so great, but Berman has a vision, and its hungover, seedy, smart, aching, bitter, exhausted, and brilliant.

Exceedingly minor, sometimes winning, alt country folk rock. I don’t have the faintest idea what it’s doing on this list.

Han sjunger falskt? Inte bra

Room Games and Diamond Rain had some very enjoyable keyboard diddies. The vocalist kind of reminds me of an indie folk version of the Front Bottoms, which I'm not sure I like, but I'm not sure I dislike. Hated Tennessee, unfortunately. Brought the rating down. 5/10

This took a while to grow on me, but grow it did. Standouts for me are the electric piano on Room Games, the guitar on Time Will Change the World, the story of I Remember Me, the groovy instrumental Transylvania Blues (which comes at just the right moment to give us a break from Berman's vocals, which I like but can get a little tiring) and the really excellent Tennessee.

I tried, I gave chances. But if the song is called Horseleg Swastikas, how can I be good judge? Maybe Transylvania Blues was worth my time and that's it.

662/1001 2026.07.21 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑

Well, I suppose it's alt-country or countrycore or IndieWest or something. But, I'd just call it dull and whiney. Won't be going on my relisten list.

this is not indie rock, this is low iq redneck country trash

Meh. Boring and I don’t like the singer’s voice.

The only good part about this album is that I listened to it with one Ms. Julia Ward. We agree that the instrumentation was average and the singing was poor. Also, Emily, Julia would like you to know that “you're the only ten I see.”

Never heard of them but enjoyed them enough to listen to a couple other albums by them. Fun lyrics, nice horn section. Bluesy alternative rock in the same vein as Wilco.

Musically solid, but the singer can’t sing and the lyrics are pretty bad. I guess I needed to hear this to wonder how it got made…

Es una especie de folk rock de la era de los 2000s Tienen momentos de bastante fuerza, otros donde están más calmados, ambos tienen buenos ritmos dentro del álbum Pienso que su vocalista tenía una voz bastante particular, me da incluso algo de vibras a Black Country, New Road lo cual es curioso, tal vez no se van tanto a lo experimental pero es interesante encontrar posibles influencias El álbum es reescuchable, no me parece malo, no me parece increíble, pero si una producción muy sólida, solamente no es de lo que más me ha marcado, pero si recomiendo escucharlo

What a melancholic masterpiece, really touched my heart. This album reflects how much the singer had been going through. RIP Dave Berman

always when i'm about to stop that messy school boy record there's a spark of beauty when instrumentalisation and that oftentimes horrible voice come together. then it's over and i try not to be annoyed.

Bruce Springsteen without the Voice.

Nothing special

I was going to review this by saying it's like a worse version of Pavement, checked the band description, and found out that Stephen Malkmus is actually in it. Now I feel a bit bad for Berman, who started this project before Pavement was ever a thing. Sorry, mate. Nevertheless, don't see myself listening to this a whole lot.

What a choice for the band name! I realized that I tried to listed to this album once before, but his voice is just so monotone, especially in the first part of the album. I just felt so tired after spending a half hour on this.

Sounds like a dude whos tired or anoyed of having to sing.

Ññ

Drowzy, folky ramblings

absolute trash, the singer is just mumbling, lyrics trash, all the songs sound the same to me. Jews, absolutre trash ass music

The singing is not very good but in this context, it works. There's not a whole lot of variation in vibe but that works too. I enjoyed it.

Great lyrics, prefer purple mountains

Didn't expect much, but what a lovely, tender album. Pushed all the right buttons (apart from "you're the only ten-I-see; yikes)

Although the lead singer has an extremely monotone voice, this isn't too bad. Some decent indie/country tracks. 2.5/5.

Was that song 30 minutes long? Was it one song?

It's aight. Whole time listening I was like "eh kinda feels like a worse version of Pavement" not knowing silver jews has two members of Pavement

Way too slow-paced for me

This was pretty hit and miss. Some good writing but sometimes it felt like they were trying too hard to be ironic/alt

They always have such original turns of phrase, great to see this here

Meh. Definition of noughties lo-fi indie-Americana. Did what I was expecting without being terrible or especially memorable.

i didn’t have very strong feelings about it one way or another… all the songs sort of sounded the same to meㅠㅠ

There's some of the gravel here that I love about Tom Waits, but it's more like a little bumpy road compared to a wild, chaotic path into the rocky hinterlands. So ehh.

Some albums you just have to be in the right mood for. This album filled with jangly sad boy songs came at a moment I could use them and the score reflects that. The vocals are a broken mess, something that in other cases would annoy me but now underscores the defeat and sadness in the music.

It's a mellow folk / indie rock album. Good coffee shop / background music, and it's growing on me. Kind of a high 3 / low 4 but I'll bump it up.

There was some clever and interesting songwriting, but that amd some decent instrumentation at times didn't do much to help this stay in my mind beyond listening to it.

Had that Beck crossed with Pavement feel, where the lyrics could be utterly nonsensical or surprisingly deep - all sung by what sounds like the same dude from Magnetic Fields. Those are all things I like, but would say the vocals at times skew a little too dissonnant to 100% love.

I have the exact same problem with this type of music as I do with mumblecore cinema, in that a lot of it is depressing for the sheer sake of it without saying much of anything particularly substantial. Dull sadboi stuff

This was not interesting. The singing was not good.

Yet more bland boring indie rock with the most monotone vocal delivery.

Never heard of this band or this guy. A little like Todd Snider, folksy/indie singer songrwriter talker poet type, with a melancholy vibe.

Sounds like Lou Reed. Okay songs - would rate as 2.5 if I could. Not sure if I would listen again.

This was certainly something, even the instrumental couldn't save it. Really, it sounded like the guy didn't particularly want to sing on it either

Hat was, Tendenz zu 4

What if we sucked all the juice and musical talent out of "Ants from Up There" and just left an atmospheric sad boy guitar album? Listen to Black Country, New Road if you want this but good.

Disappointing, eh

langweilig

This singer’s voice is absolutely putrid. If I had a critic working underneath me and they told me this was an album I must hear before I die, I would have fired them 30 seconds into the first song.

Listened with my brother and at some point it just became sad background music with a few pretty decent exceptions.

I did not expect a band called "The Silver Jews" to have a sound like this. I feel like they should be a punk band, not a lo-fi Tom Waits does country alt-rock band. A pretty good album, though I do not think I will begin listening to all of the Silver Jews albums now. My favorite songs: Slow Education Time Will Break the World I Remember You Let's Not and Say We Did Tennessee

The vocals sounded so bored???

Just kinda run of the mill indie stuff. Idk if it really deserved it's place on this list

lyrics

This probably gets bearded men in plaid shirts very excited. However, it didn’t really grab my attention.

There are some silver Jews songs that I enjoy but none of them are on this album. I was listening out for something witty or acerbic in the lyrics but to be honest I struggled to make out a lot of it both due to the delivery style (I get it, it’s a feature, not necessarily a flaw) and how low the vocals were in the mix at times. As a result it was mostly listening to some pleasant, albeit not groundbreaking, alternative indie rock.

- This is not a 5-star album (there is nothing here inherently revolutionary or ground-breaking), but it may be in my heart. - Berman's lyrics pierce straight through your heart, especially in "I Remember You" (beautiful). Incredibly emotionally affecting. - As a romantic dude who suffers from bouts of melancholy and found himself stuck on the periphery of the South despite constantly feeling like he should be somewhere else, I feel very seen.

I have heard this album before, but never really paid much attention to it. Honestly, I really liked it. Something I’d listen to again for sure. 7/15/26

another first. not so so bad but honestly not memorable. i totally zoned out a few times. feels repetitive.

Started off awful but kinda grew on me a bit as it went on

Aight

Bland country-indie-pop. Sounds like mid-to-late 90's Grandaddy with a smattering of U2 guitar part way through. Another barrel of 'Meh'. What specifically made this a "must listen" album? I can guarantee that I won't remember any of it by this afternoon...

This is awful. I guess you have to sprinkle in a few of these dreadful albums to make the good ones shine. The songwriting is bad. The singing is bad. The recording is so bad that it makes the singer sound like he has a lisp that I don't believe he has. His vocals are all a little flat and while I think that's intentional, I really wish that it wasn't.

I was going to be nice and give this a 2 until "you're the only ten I see."

Someone is going to try to sell this as the second coming of Bob Dylan or Tom Waits but they would be wrong. His voice misses the point of those two, struggling to maintain any semblance of pitch and instead pumping out these grating, awful vocal performances that I'm sure they sell as on purpose but that doesn't make it good. The only thing he has going for him is he has a couple bars on this thing, otherwise garbage.

# Silver Jews' *Bright Flight* – A Detailed Retrospective --- ## Overview Released in 2001, *Bright Flight* is the fourth studio album by David Berman's Silver Jews. Recorded in Nashville and produced by Mark Nevers, it arrived as a deliberate response to the shadow of its predecessor, the critically acclaimed *American Water* (1998). The album marks a significant stylistic pivot, where Berman moves away from the looser, Pavement-adjacent indie rock towards a more grounded, alt-country sound deeply colored by his new surroundings. It is a record of stark contrasts—weaving apocalyptic imagery with tender love songs, and profound melancholy with sharp, sardonic wit. --- ## Lyrical Themes David Berman's songwriting is the beating heart of *Bright Flight*, showcasing his reputation as a poet who happens to make music. The lyrics are dense with vivid imagery and a unique blend of the personal and the surreal. **Romance and Partnership** Central to the album is Berman's relationship with his future wife, Cassie Berman, who provides backing vocals. Their duet on "Tennessee" is a sweet, "punk-rock Gram and Emmylou" moment, with Berman pledging, "We're gonna live in Nashville and I'll make a career / Out of writing sad songs and getting paid by the tear". "Room Games and Diamond Rain" offers a similarly sincere vow, where Berman sings of a love that will last "a hundred years," a line that somehow rings truer for being delivered with a sardonic edge. **Melancholy, Mortality, and Apocalypse** The album frequently delves into darker territory. "I Remember Me" presents a tragic-comic story of a marriage proposal interrupted by a runaway truck—a narrative that ranks among Berman's most powerful portrayals of love and loss. "Horseleg Swastikas" captures the hangover of existence with brutal honesty ("every single thought is like a punch in the face, I'm like a rabbit freezing on a star"). "Time Will Break the World" is laced with apocalyptic visions, including the surreal image of "tanning beds explode with rich women inside". The album closes with the sparse, heartbreaking "Death of an Heir of Sorrows," a direct tribute to a departed friend that is both intensely personal and universally resonant. --- ## Music and Production ### Musical Style Where *American Water* felt loose and sprawling, *Bright Flight* is tighter and more formally rooted in country tradition. The absence of Stephen Malkmus is notable; his role is filled by guitarist William Tyler and a cast of Nashville-based musicians, including Paul Niehaus on pedal steel. This shift results in a sound that is twangier and more solemn, evoking the influence of classic country songwriting. ### Production Produced by Mark Nevers, the album has a clean, warm, and atmospheric sound that emphasizes intimacy. The arrangements are notably sparse, allowing Berman's voice and lyrics to take precedence. The pedal steel and acoustic guitar are given space to breathe, creating a "living-room" feel that is more polished and refined than the lo-fi sound of earlier records, yet retains a raw emotional core. --- ## Critical Reception and Influence Upon release, *Bright Flight* was met with generally positive reviews, scoring around 80/100 across major outlets. *Pitchfork* awarded it an 8.5, praising Berman's "intelligent backwoods swagger". Critics widely celebrated it as a worthy follow-up to *American Water*, though some noted its "less sonically interesting" nature. While *American Water* remains the fan favorite for many, *Bright Flight* is increasingly seen as a criminally underrated gem, appreciated for its emotional directness and cohesive alt-country sound. The album is considered a crucial stepping stone in the Silver Jews' career, marking Berman's complete emergence from the "Pavement side project" shadow and cementing his status as a singular American songwriter. --- ## Pros and Cons | Pros | Cons | | :--- | :--- | | **Exceptional Lyricism:** Berman's poetic and witty songwriting is at its peak, full of memorable couplets that balance humor and despair. | **Lack of 'American Water' Spark:** The album is more grounded and less sonically adventurous, which some fans find less interesting than its predecessor. | | **Cohesive Atmosphere:** The Nashville production creates a warm, intimate, and deeply immersive listening experience. | **Lower Energy:** The slower, more solemn pacing may feel underwhelming for those expecting the loose energy of earlier indie-rock-oriented albums. | | **Emotional Depth:** The album covers a vast emotional range, from genuine romantic sentiment ("Tennessee") to devastating tragedy ("I Remember Me") and existential angst. | **Instrumental Track:** "Transylvania Blues," while an interesting interlude, may feel like filler in an otherwise lyrically dense set. | | **Strong Songwriting:** The arrangements are tight and serve the songs effectively, highlighting Berman's voice and lyrics. | | --- *Bright Flight* is not just an album; it's a document of an artist navigating the complexities of love, addiction, and mortality. It stands as a testament to David Berman's unique talent, offering a beautiful, tragic, and ultimately rewarding listening experience that continues to resonate with fans and critics alike.

3/5

Didn't care for it.

I will scream it from the mountain top why is this on the list

This sucked. The instrumental track was solid and I like the arrangements but this dude sounded like Leonard Cohen which is not a plus and wrote songs like him too.

A mostly forgettable listen. Except for the vocals-those were rough. Mumbling, pitchy, off key

You're the only ten I see. Jesus make it stop. 2/5.

full of aphoristic lyrics - "the icicles are dripping like the whole house is weeping", sung by a man who has been through a lot of troubles. this is both urgent and scrappy, reminiscent of Neil Young's more tequila-soaked 3am records

Truly one of the worst things I’ve ever been subjected to.

Couldn't really get on board with the singer's voice and the album was pretty dull. However it grew on me as it went on and I didnt hate it. Another odd inclusion in the list

Is it a seminal example of the genre ? No. Is it historically significant? No. Is it a big influence of anyone else of note? No. But is it a great listen on the walk to work? Also no. It’s not awful, but it does feel like stat padding

Sad country soft spoken songs about love and nostalgia and grief. Distinct song : I remember me

More depressing songs by another manic depressive. I think the second listen, in the garden on a hot Sunday morning, mellowed me a little to this. First time around I was bored by the lazy unoriginal Lou Reed-esq vocal delivery. But second time I could buy in to the mellow lazy feel. Ok 3

Alright, but very forgettable. 2.5/5

The opening song had given me high hopes, however, the next slew of songs were some of the worst music I’ve ever heard.

A bit dull

The first track of an album sets the tone for the rest of it. Was not surprised that the rest of the album was indeed shite

another entry into the "how the fuck did this make the 1001 list" list.

Was ok. 2.9

Listens: 2.5 Standout Tracks: Room Games and Diamond Rain, Time Will Break The World Sort of lackluster. Minimalist music, mostly out-of-tune singing. Certainly no polished production value, but also strangely compelling for some reason. It's kind of somber and reminds me a lot of Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, though maybe not as dark. Yea, I'm going with "strangely compelling" for this one. I can't quite put my finger on why yet.

An album that only has closing songs. Sometimes Berman hits for me, sometimes he doesn’t. I came in with the SJs when SM and Nastanovich were featured more prominently, so I still prefer those albums, but Bright Flight is pretty much a masterpiece of Berman’s style.

I appreciate the simplicity of the album. It was a solidly good album.

Not a fan

Not really that great.

510/1089 - Wow he sounds exactly like Steven Wright. This album would probably be a lot better without any music and if he told one liners and the name was changed to "I Still Have a Pony." On a serious note: Transylvania Blues was by far the best one for being an instrumental and a sloppy generic pile of indie at that. Tennessee is probably one of the worst songs I've heard in the generator.

Even being alternative, not my cup of tea.

2 out of 5. Too slow and not much going on here.

It's like funny country-ish Bob Dylan. Some good ones in here but overall not my thing.

01) Slow Education - 6,0 02) Room Games and Diamond Rain - 5,5 03) Time Will Break the World - 5,0 04) I Remember Me - 6,0 05) Horseleg Swastikas - 5,0 06) Transylvania Blues - 6,0 07) Let's Not and Say We Did - 5,0 08) Tennessee - 6,0 09) Friday Night Fever - 5,0 10) Death of an Heir of Sorrows - 5,0 TOTAL: 5,45 (55/100) Current ranking: 820/938 Why? Why on earth is this here?

Have never heard of this one, that's always fun. Well sometimes it's not so fun once you get started. Based solely on the cover, I would expect this to be middle of the road 90s/00s lo fi indie. Yeah I was pretty much right on. Maybe add a little bit of a country vibe to a lot of it. But what's with these kinds of bands from this era and the absolutely shitty vocals? Like I get that it kind of gives a different sort of laid back and melancholy quality to it but god damn. Indie for a reason I guess. I think there are probably some good lyrics in here somewhere if you can stand to listen to them. I don't know, making music like this just seems kind of lazy. There's some good parts here and there but it's missing anything that would make you want to connect with it. Not for me. 2.5/5

It’s been a long time since I’ve listened to Silver Jews and I definitely appreciate it a lot more this time around

Lowkey ik ging misschien nog wel een beetje gunnen, maar dan kwamen ze met de cringeste lyrics ooit in het nummer "Tennessee": 'Come to Tennesse, cause you're the only Ten I see'. Like komaan das echt te redneck voor mij sorry ze

ehh got boring after a while

It’s kinda giving when someone is drunk and they cannot stop yapping, and they are slurring and keeps repeating themselves and saying the most random nonsense but they just won’t stop yapping. The album actually started out pretty strong and I liked how cozy it feels but then his voice and his lyrics really got on my nerves.

The Adele album, and now this one together kind of represent the duality of vocal performance; Adele singing is theatrical and performed a high-level of execution, whereas this band and their singer is very laidback, DIY, Garage band. Neither is my favorite, but I probably prefer this band slightly. The instrumentation and compositions were pretty solid, and I can understand some of the charm of the singer, but I mostly don't buy it all that much. Definitely a stronger 2 than Adele, but I don't think I can quite give this a three

We've already heard quite a few more awful records than this one (which isn't exactly . . . awful), but . . . this sure seems like a very slight and quirky record, which clearly doesn't belong on this list. I guess if you focus on 1001 albums you "need to hear" (as opposed to the 1001 "best" albums), you could try to make a case that this is, what . . . an album for all those people who get together and make music in a basement or a garage, and the lead singer has a lot to say, and wants to sing it in his quirky, slightly annoying voice? This one probably suffers from my tendency not to focus on the lyrics; maybe he's singing some interesting words. This is a higher 2 than Adele, but I think it's still a 2 (though I could try to make a case for 3, I guess). But, nah, sticking with 2. I guess we're far enough into this that we can start to compare a new album (how to rate it) with things we've already rated. 3 would be sort of average; so I think that helps me put this (just a bit) below that.

very low energy for the most part the vocalist is challenging to listen to. I almost had to quit about three songs in. But the lyrics almost make it worthwhile. And the songs get a little more varied in the second half

I obviously don't like Americana and country because I read excellent reviews for this but it does nothing for me.

Love the lofi poetry and mix of sincerity and irony in David Berman’s delivery. There are some brilliant songs here too.

This album is so strange. It’s like a guy that can’t really sing too well just decided to recite his journal entries. There are some songs that felt like they had so much potential but I wanted them to go crazy but the build up never paid off. ‘You’re the only ten I see’ my god. This is not for me.

Indiemuziek met hier en daar een country-smaakje, zoiets. Dezelfde lijzige toon als Bloodhound gang of Tenacious D. Geinig, maar niks waarvan ik opveer. De hoes lijkt gepikt van een kansloze advertentie op Funda (interieur van een vervallen rijtjeshuis in Stadskanaal). Twee keer draaien, doorgaan met de volgende plaat.

We beginnen gelijk met een hal-zingende, half-pratende overslaande stem. Als er niet genoeg van dit soort; laten we hem er maar weer bijhalen; Dylanesque troep voor 1001 bestaat. De eerste keer dit album direct uitgezet. Dit is geen dagstarter. 's middags dit wel uit kunnen zitten. En toegegeven, niet alles valt onder bovenstaande beschrijving. Maar wel veel, en veel, teveel.

Een album uit 2001 en wederom heb ik hier nog nooit van gehoord. Al begrijp ik na de eerste klanken wel waarom. Het is een beetje rafelige indie rock en lo-fi, met een prima gitaartje, maar ook een zanger die de juiste noten niet weet te raken. Het is dus niet echt geschikt voor de radio. De zanger doet me aan een andere zanger denken, maar ik kan er niet op komen wie. Dus daar hebben jullie helaas geen fluit aan. We krijgen wel duidelijk te horen dat de zanger niet helemaal lekker in zijn vel zit. De wiki-pagina is wat dat betreft weer om te smullen. Depressie, drugsproblemen, etc. En daar zat hij dus middenin tijdens dit album. Het rafelige en de imperfectie heeft daarmee toch ook wel weer iets moois, het geeft karakter en emotie aan de muziek. Ik vind dit stiekem best wel leuk. Al weet ik niet of ik het zomaar nog een keer op zal zetten. Een beetje een 3,5 en ik rond het vandaag af naar een 4, maar een andere dag zou het misschien ook een 2 of een 3 kunnen zijn. Je moet ervoor in de stemming zijn vermoed ik.

A cool, velvet underground-inspired album. I love the nonchalance and the playfulness, that’s right up my alley. I’ll be diving deeper into this band.

nice chill lil guy Will I listen to again: 30%

i dont hate it. yet i also dont like it. like everybody knows, i dont vibe with country and thats all. 3/5

This johnny cash wannabe is a real laugh. The moment he starts singing off note ( first line of the albumn btw) the comedy begins. I dont understand why this is in here yet some entire genres of music are criminally under represented. It baffles me.

Sad, slow and folky songs aren't my thing. Silver Jews isn't gonna change that. It's mixed very well and this would be a plus, if this didn't mean you could hear the bad vocals so well. I can say that the vocalist's voice fits the tone in the sense that he sounds pathetic. Atogether, it's just pretty bad. I have heard no songs on this record that could at least partially redeem this record. The one good thing I found in this track is the tennesee joke. It's so hilariously bad that it's kind of charming. But I am obviously grasping for straws. 2/10

This sounds like a 45 year old man whose wife and kids left him because he hasn't been passionate about anything in the last 30 years, and after drinking way too much he decided he had to win his love back. So he went to her with a guitar, and it's a little awkward because she has been remarried for 3 years now with a pretty cool bloke. Now the wife opens up and thinks it's awkward but also a little heartwarming, but then he starts singing... And it is just pathetic, not just bad but pathetic, everything is offkey and offbeat, the lyrics feel like they're written by a 14 year old boy who believes he already knows everything life has to offer. Now the wife is desperately trying to figure out a way to tell him this isn't going to work, but she wants to be supportive of the man, so she looks for something positive to say but there just isn't anything. However true horror strikes her when he, after finishing his song, starts a second song and you realize this is an entire album. It isn't even funny bad, it is just pathetic and you want to put it out of its misery as it would be better for everyone, but you can't.

I’m nominally a Pavement fan, so am aware of this side project as well. DCB was a long-time friend of the Pavement guys and a tortured poet. You can hear both in what is a more depressed and depressing country version of Pavement on this album. Maybe if I was in a funk on a dark cold rainy winter day this would speak to me, but it did not today. 2⭐️

Just verry medium not bad not good just nothing. So 2.5 stars.

I’ve listened to this album a million times already, and will happily (and inevitably) listen to it a million more. Is it Silver Jews best album? Maybe not, but it’s still basically perfect and has arguably their best ever song Tennessee.

Boring Fave track: Tennessee, despite the cringey pick up line

“Tennessee - you’re the only 10 I see” Is an actual lyric on this album. Combined with the stupid ass band name is all I would like to mention about this one. 3/5

Man, what coulda been with this album. The music itself is great indie rock, fantastic arrangements and guitars and I really enjoyed the songs themselves, especially the instrumental 'Transylvania Blues'. What destroyed this album was the talentless lead singer. This guy got a PhD in having a flat, monotone voice from Nick Cave University; he is truly terrible and should be nowhere near a microphone. If this band just had a C+ singer who could put any kind of emotion into their performance, this would have been an easy 4, but as they are saddled with one of the worst singers I've ever heard, the best I can do is a low 3/5. Such a shame.

Laconic and laid back alt country with rustic sounds and sad lovelorn songs. Ambling shambling and gently miserable. Great lapsteel parts.

Hmm.... Not sure on this one. The music is kind of pseudo-country, folkish and the instrumentals are quite okay if not simple. however... The lead singer is ... like some guy doing karaoke who had not really ever been known to sing anything before. The music is half decent, the lyrics are fair to middling, it's just ... Yeah, like I said, the lead singer is quite literally like some random dude just belting out tunes as best as possible. Had they had an audition or something or just chose someone who could actually sing... Yeah, this is just too amateurish to be really ... what maybe it COULD be.

What the fuck is this list even about man? This is horrible Best Song: N/A Rating: 1.5/10 Stars: 1

un álbum raro que no me gustó para nada

David Berman is a hell of a songwriter.

Beefheart’s indie back country cousin.

Can I give less than one star? This sucks so much. He should not be allowed to leave his garage.

Never heard of this album or the band and, based on the slightly winey alt country atmosphere that permeates throughout, I don't; see any urgent need to explore further. Not unpleasant but not remarkable enough to suggest that this is an essential album to listen to. It sounds like music to immerse oneself in dark ideas and doomed relationships.

Great sadcore indie rock. Bit like a sadder, countryfied Pavement.

Let’s Not and Say We Did with this album

I have a lot of respect for this artist. I had the song “sometimes a pony gets depressed” saved on my phone and that song is awesome! They are entirely original and I don’t know of any band that sounds quite like this band. So I have creative respect for them, I even understand why this album made the cut, it’s all about the irreverent/creative lyrics with soft instrumentals. But to me personally this album was little too slow to truly engage me. That being said my favorite songs on the album are “Tennessee” and “Friday night fever”. I’d genuinely be excited to hear another album from them in the future.

Una mierda pinchada en un palo. Que tios mas tristes. Hoy ascendimos,forza depor

Don't see how this is on the list. Just wanted it to end. Last song was ok

Alt rock, lo fi. Very simple, lovely folk songs. Simple vocals.

mid

Really interesting album and a new find

Was this satire? AI? A bet? This sounded like a poor Tom Petty impression, with lyrics written to be as depressed and country as possible, with deep-sounding meaning behind them, but with not actual substance. Musically it wasn't bad, but christ, when he sang and you listened to his lyrics it was draining.

# Album Name: Bright Flight # Artist: Silver Jews # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: Meh forgettable. # Top Tunes: # Would I listen to it again? No

I thought this was pretty pleasant! i did have to get over his indie man voice a little, but that sort of thing is becoming easier as i #age and live in #brooklyn longer. Fav Tracks: Horseleg Swastikas; Let’s Not and Say We Did; Tennessee

20 years ago I had a friend that loved SJ and talked about them all the time. I wish I would have listened intently sooner. I get that this is not for everyone. But I can’t deny the great songwriting. It even name checks my city, Chattanooga? Wow.

Indie music for pretentious people. It’s cool but I accept that it’s music for NPR indie types.

I can't be the only one tortured by all that wrong notes he sings........ can't listen to this fr. This sounds like a vinyl put on wrong speed. If you put it on double speed it could pass as punk at least.

An incredibly unique band that blends country and slow core so deserves its place on the list.

Better than most indie singer-songwriter, heart-on-sleeve stuff. I appreciate the lo-fi country-adjacent sound. If you like it, cool. If you want something sounding like a major-label release with lots of production, this isn't for you.

Like Wesley Willis

For my last album being Paranoid this was absolute shit I need to listen to Christian or Jewish music for no reason

Another album with good instruments but very boring vocals. The guy tried to be like Lou Reed or even Bill Callahan from a previous album on this list but he had the most uninteresting vocals out of all of them.

This might be the second worst thing that happened in 2001…

Hmmmm i initially found this pretty boring just something to get through i’d say there’s a fairly samey section in the middle but it really grew on me. Like a sad, tired Paul Kelly (complimentary).

This warmed up for me, Tennessee was my pick of the bunch, but was too late to get me particularly invested

This album really moved me. I think it’s the sonic melancholy, but I really liked it. I know it was a throwaway line at the very beginning of the album but the idea of God once being young made me weirdly emotional.

It has been discussed before but always interesting seeing an album from within my lifetime from somebody I’ve never heard of (obviously I wasn’t fully across the music scene of 2001 but I have never seen the name Silver Jews before). Wasn’t particularly enjoying or engaged by this but then suddenly quite liked Let’s Not And Say We Did and parts of Tennessee

Be great as a sedative. His voice and most of the song tempos are soporific. Ironically the instrumental Transylvania Blues is the only thing with any real life.

An easy one to review 😀. This was dreadfully boring, simply hated the vocals even though they probably did match the emotional intent.👎🏻

Day854 - he aims to be bob dylan but is more like jean-ralphio saperstein

Not my favourite Silver Jews album, but still a masterpiece of songwriting

nooo

one long run on sentence of an album / 5

2026.05.06

Bright Flight marks a shift toward a more stripped‑down, country‑leaning sound for Silver Jews. The arrangements are sparse, often built around gentle guitars, steady rhythms, and David Berman’s unmistakably plainspoken delivery. The album doesn’t aim for polish; instead, it leans into a kind of lived‑in simplicity that suits Berman’s writing. Lyrically, the record blends melancholy, wry humor, and moments of stark introspection. Berman’s voice — both literal and literary — is the centerpiece. His lines can feel conversational one moment and unexpectedly poetic the next, giving the album a sense of emotional unpredictability. Musically, Bright Flight is one of the band’s most accessible works. The melodies are straightforward, the pacing unhurried, and the production intentionally unfussy. Some listeners may find the minimalism refreshing, while others might miss the more expansive textures of earlier albums like American Water. Either way, the record’s cohesion and clarity make it a distinctive entry in the Silver Jews catalog.

😴

A little odd, but with a good sound. It checks a few boxes, but ultimately falls flat.

Beautiful and soulful while you’re in it, somewhat unremarkable when you’re not. Story telling is becoming a lost art in music, but this album is a collection of folk narratives that draw you in and take you on a journey. But, as your mother says, while the soul is strong, the ear worms are not.

Favorite track(s): Room Games and Diamond Rain, I Remember Me

Um... a guy with no obvious talent or singing voice is trying to sing sad songs. I have absolutely no idea how this ended up on this list.

Wtf are these lyrics? This dude is not good.

If late-stage Johnny Cash and acoustic Tom Petty had a baby, but the baby had suffered from failure to thrive, I imagine this is what it would sound like. I admit, I'm not a country fan, although I love Cash. While the laid back vocals and strumming are fine, I just don't see this as adding anything to whatever genre it belongs to. For an indie performer doing his own thing, I can support it, but this is not 1/1000 for me.

Guess you had to be there, otherwise it’s dreadful.

I fell asleep. This was boring and bland.

Inget som stod ut något nämnvärt

Ibland kändes det som att det var på gång att ha något, men slutade ändå med att jag inte gillade det särskilt mycket.

Lät väl bra men osäker vad som gör att det hamnat på denna lista.

Silver Jews son un grupo bastante desconocido, y longevo: se fundo a finales de los 80 con fundó a finales de los ochenta junto a Stephen Malkmus y Bob Nastanovich (Pavement). 6 discos en casi 30 años, y el final en 2019 con la muerte de su líder (también en otros ilustres ignorados como Purple Mountains). Slow Education es folk destartalado. En cierto modo tiene el encanto de aquellos Moldy peaches que fueron olvidados en un suspiro. Room Games and Diamond Rain, Time will break the world, I remember me... similares Horseleg Swastikas gana mucho en la mitad final. Transylvania blues es un tema de lo mejor del disco, instrumental pero recordando a Friends of Dean Martinez. Let's Not and Say We Did tiene un ambiente sorprendentemente rápido y más comercial. Tennessee pone las cosas en su sitio. Friday Night Fever es country rock con aroma clásico. Death of an Heir of Sorrows es un buen cierre. Yo prefiero a Lambchop, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Bill Calahan, John Grant (o los Czars) pero es un buen disco Will Oldham, Kurt Wagner (Lambchop), Bill Callahan...

meh

Meh

I like a bunch of Silver Jews tunes, and not one of them is on this album.

Interesting choice of career for someone who can't sing, and the songs are incredibly boring. How did this get on the list?

Nice guitar sound (at least through headphones), uninteresting songs.

An okay album.

This album is so fucking gut wrenching. 5/5. RIP DB

this was ok. it was not something i needed to listen to before i die

Ok

Dreadful fluff

This feels like something I should love. Melancholy indie strings warbling. But it's missing something. My heartstrings remained untugged. This style of music should be "so beautiful it physically hurts" rather than "this dude has having a bad day"

Never heard of them before. Pleasantly surprised. Ramshackle americana songs with great lyrics and a sound like it's live in your garage. Probably won't follow them but I enjoyed it

Ahh, I try to like this band, on paper they should be a favourite - indie flavoured downbeat country, prominent pedal steel, links to Pavement and other bands I like - but I find it all a bit bland and repetitive, particularly an albums worth.

OK. Very ok. Just lacking any real spark

This was really clever but I understand why it didn’t appeal to everyone

Listened Before? N This sounds like Tom Waits and Nick Cave got wasted and tried to see who could come up with worse lyrics while listening to old Beck records. The music is fine... super simple... pretty sleepy. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Slow Education

3.25 somehow a more country version of Wilco

I gave their debut a shot cos I was a big Pavement fan, but it didn’t really do it for me and I sold it a number of years later having rarely given it a spin. I wasn’t into his country drawl and that’s pretty hard to get past so I never made it as far as this album (or beyond the debut to tell you the truth). It would have been the lyrics that might’ve hooked me, humorous, and nice way with a turn of phrase, but I wasn’t even drawn to them enough. It’s a friendly enough listen when not being too focused on it, but it’s not something I’m likely to return to.

not the silver jews album i would have picked but david berman's lyrics are hard to beat

I didn't fall for any specific track, but the overall indie rock/alt-country sound is very compelling and comforting to me.

Interesting Americana.

This really summarize my experience with this list... Yesterday I had an iconic 5 star album that is so widely culturally recognizable that most people can mention the band in a random quiz. and the next day a random artist I never heard of making very bland music. He sounds like even he is bored by his own music. If you want to listen to this type of music just listen to Cohen because this just sounds like someone writing a song in that style. A album in the classic "Can't sing but song write" genre The song "Transylvania Blues" stands out and is actually pretty good. Great choice of vocal style on that track.

Great!

Sjöng falskt.

The cover of Friday night fever is hilariously bad

I liked the overall vibe of the album, but most of the songs had at least one lyric so bad it made me cringe.

It was fine but remarkably bland

Beautiful front to back with guitar lines that broke me a few times. Amazing.

I almost fell asleep

nasal mumbling with boring country guitar, yawn

pretty boring and uninspiring. Nothing is special about anything. Feels like no effort or creativity spend at all.

I liked this a lot. Very reminiscent of The National, great sad Dad music.

Solid

This is bad. Really bad. The music is ok, boring and generic, but tolerable to listen to. The vocals however, are absolute crap. I hate this guys voice. He sounds drunk and depressed, and the speak singing annoys me (unless it's Leonard Cohen, who I don't mind for some reason). This sounds like a bad Tom Waits impersonation, and I don't like original Tom Waits. 1.5 I guess because the music is tolerable.

Bland and forgettable

Schöne Country‑Melodien, bitter‑poetische Zeilen, aber auch Momente, in denen die Stimmung etwas zu schwer und zerfasert wirkt. Die Highlights („Tennessee“, „I Remember Me“) glänzen, doch als Ganzes fehlt dem Album für mich der durchgehende Sog. Trotzdem ein ehrliches, eigenwilliges Werk, das seine besten Momente tief ins Gedächtnis schreibt.

One song in I already want to quit. The album cover shows exactly how dull this music has been so far.

As soon as the vocals kicked in this was destined for a 2. The lyrics just made me cringe. Some examples, from just the first couple of tracks: - "And if we're like plug-in reindeer, Whose chords can't stretch far enough to fly" - "A kitten from Great Britain sleeps behind the drapes" The backing is completely uninteresting; simple 4/4 beat, generally not many layers beyond drums/guitar/sometimes piano, and even when there's multiple instruments involved they're all basically playing the same thing. Arguably more country than rock in most of these tracks. Even when we get a female vocalist appearing in "Tennessee", she's dire and out-of-tune. Dull. Plodding. Shit vocals. Nonsense lyrics. Uninspired backing. With 2 notable exceptions: - "Transylvania Blues" - the complete absence of the (awful) vocals was a massive boon to this track. It wasn't hugely interesting, but it was a step above all of the preceding tracks. - "Let's Not and Say We Did" - completely different tone and energy made it stand out, even though the vocals were back, they were slightly different style, and it was genuinely refreshing. Shame it didn't last. Low 2.

Highlights: - Time Will Break The World - Enjoyed the psychadelic guitars in this. - Horseleg Swasticas - something about the writing in this song made me tear up - Transylvania Blues - eeee psych jam I always get slightly excited when I see art rock with a low rating. I think my opinion on his voice is mixed, sometimes it really suits the song, sometimes it's out of place and dull. Maybe that's the point, I ultimately didn't mind it tho, sad boy vocals :3 Some songs are amaaaazing some flew by me without me noticing Apparently I need to listen to their other album "The Natural Bridge" which isn't on the list I think this is a really really low 4 some songs were a miss but I generally enjoyed most of them

It was fine. If I wanted to listen to Sufjan Stevens, I'd just listen to him.

Not a fan at all, the lyrics were so repetitive and meaningless. It’s like they tried to find a president to mention in every song. There was no variation in lyrics nor instrumentals. It was a difficult listen.

This is what I sound like when I’m drunk and trying to sing badly on purpose

Lasted the exact length of my car journey to work which gives it an extra star, finished as I parked. I am a bit of a sucker for the sombre, poetic indie angle - National, Bon Iver etc. so this is up my street. "You're the only Ten I See" in Tennessee is exactly that cheesy poetry that I'd come up with in feeble attempts to write my own poetry whilst at university. Sometimes it hits well here rather than coming off awkward.

nice album. cool band

I'll admit that I only heard one other Silver Jews song over a year and a half ago, being "Random Rules" off of American Water. They were an indie rock band from Hoboken that employed elements of country music in their sound, with frontman and lyricist David Berman as the sole constant member until their breakup. I'm not sure why their fourth album, Bright Flight, was chosen for the books, but after giving it a listen, I feel this was a hauntingly depressing record. Much like Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen before him, David Berman was more of a poet than a singer, drawing upon his dim observations of life with lyrical prose and dry wit over a warm country-rock tone. His musings on themes such as death, claustrophobia, and hesitation were presented with such a longing manner, as if staring out into the horizon with all the years of wisdom weighing upon him, only broken up by the instrumental "Transylvania Blues", the upbeat "Let's Not and Say We Did", and the cover of George Strait's "Friday Night Fever". Granted, I did cringe at some corny dad jokes David threw in here and there, such as the hook on "Tennessee" or the "water doesn't give a damn" line that closed "Horseleg Swatstikas". Also, I did not consider him a gripping singer compared to his contemporary Bill Callahan, or even compared to his then-wife Cassie on a few tracks like "Slow Education" and "Tennessee". Yet, I cannot deny there was something genuinely potent in his restrained delivery, probably most notable in how he described the lead-up to his marriage on "I Remember Me", as well as the ode to a fallen friend on "Death of an Heir of Sorrows". Overall, I consider Bright Flight to be a solid poetic record. Of course, as I mentioned, Silver Jews broke up, and David Berman later hung himself back in 2019. All's to say that it feels like there was more going on under the surface with David, as he must have endured so much pain for his art. Rest in peace.

this was an interesting album. I was a little put off by the first track, but as the album progressed i came to appreciate the quirky lyrics, which were poetic than most popular lyrics, where the rhyme scheme seems more important than the actual message. Good album.

Fallait me le dire que j’allais écouter Toby Keith

Très calme et très sympa, chaque musique était dans son style tout en ayant un fond lié et sans traîner dans la longueur Je ne réecouterai probablement pas étant donné que 'No Other' de Gene Clark va plus loin dans ce style mais j'ai passé un bon moment !

The good thing about a short album is that you can listen too it a few times, unfortunately this is a short album

aburridisimo como la san puta

Not truly my taste

Ok listen.

3/5. Inte hört talas om, men verkar trevligt lo-fi i sin inspelningsstil.

Interesting album- never heard of this group before. Good sound, but the talking-like vocals sounded boring.

Better than I expected it to be for an indie band.

Nah,,, first song turned me off

Interesting, never heard of this band.

This album reminded me of late career Johnny cash, although admittedly without the edge and swagger. Still though I kinda of dug it. Would relisten.

I get why I never heard of them...meh. It just always stayed on the edge of being good and safe but never really pushing it farther. Like its fun to play in our living room together but never really push it beyond that.

This was pretty awful at first and got a little better as it went on. The slow songs where it's just him droning on feel like he just wants to hear himself talk. But Let's Not and Say We Did wasn't bad with the backup vocals, I enjoyed the woman singing in Tennessee, and Friday Night Fever was a fun little bop. The lead singer's overall boringness was the star of the show though, so I can't rate this highly.

Lo-fi indie rock and alt-country built on loose guitars, modest rhythms, and dry, spoken-leaning vocals unfolds with understated, ramshackle charm. Listening feels like reading a worn notebook of sharp observations while a band casually plays in the background. The result might be lyrically rich, but musically it feels subdued and meandering, leaving me with the impulse to just turn it off throughout.

The guy can’t sing, at least not well. It’s too distracting. If the musicians on the record were at the same level as the singer, it would sound like all novice players learning how to play their instruments. Why does the singer get a pass then?

Mom, can we get Wilco? We have Wilco at home. (gets home, puts on Silver Jews album) I like this more than I expected, but I can't see a time where I'd listen to this over anything Jeff Tweedy released.