Reviews (page 4 of 7)
I’m stumped. Every other time I listen to this I think it could be great; every other other time I feel nothing. I think I like it better in the background when I’m not really paying attention.
Not bad
A bit too sad & a bit too country for me on the whole. On the other hand, there’s some good instrumental stuff here & every time the music gets a pulse to it the album gets better. Two songs added to 1001 playlist, one song added to my playlist
i didn't actually *mind* this - i'm a Bright Eyes fan, so this particular kind of tuneless singing isn't an automatic no for me. but i didn't find much about it that warranted inclusion into this list. very sad story about the lead singer though.
It didn't exactly command my full attention but it was decent enough. Some nice lyrics.
Enjoyed this a normal amount as someone who thinks Pavement is generally ok. I do love a "and this is my side project where I make music with my wife" tho
This was the second time I had listened to this album, and I enjoyed it a lot more this time round.
Mostly dull, although there are some nice parts.
I like other Silver Jews albums better
Got some Neil Young and David Byrne vibes from this one. I appreciated the simple imperfection of the whole album.
Hm. Never heard of them, and from the seemingly offensive band name (apparently a problem that David Berman didn't really address until near the band's breakup, and I'm still not sure it's not offensive to many people) I certainly didn't expect a sort of mellow, country/folk infused album that seems to despair of any bright side of life, especially when I learned that Berman teamed up with a couple of Pavement musicians for much of the band's existence. I'm also guessing that the Pavement connection (which seems to be present in so many recent albums in this collection, even down to Blur's change of pace with their eponymous album) is also the main if not only reason this album is in this collection. It seems OK as an album I suppose, but I'm not sure what makes this album worthy of inclusion as opposed to other indie albums from this time period. Some of the more atonal-ish-lyrics tracks--like the interesting yet grating "Time will break the world"--remind me of Daniel Johnston (sadly not in this collection). But there are also hints of Bob Mould, Lucinda Williams, Rodney Crowell (not in this collection either), Todd Snider (another missing artist) and others, all of whom seem more interesting than Berman's voice and lyrics. Most of all, though, I kept thinking of Frank Black as I listened to this album, and wishing that was who I was listening to. (Thankfully, we *do* get an album by him, so I hope my wish isn't disappointing when he comes around.) But maybe my skepticism is all for the good, as it sounds like Berman took a dark delight in being dismissed and ignored?
Enjoyed this but wasn't blown away. Nice tunes, okay vocals, decent lyrics. I wouldn't turn it off it were on but don't think I'll listen again.
lyrics have depth but singer sounds like a stoned Lou Reed
Fine. A couple boring songs.
It has its moments.
Someone else I've never quite gotten around to, although I did listen to his Purple Mountains album.
Bright Flight is the fourth studio album by Silver Jews, originally released in 2001. This album was OK. Some decent indie-slacker-rock. Definitely veers into the alt folk/singer-songwriter vibe throughout. Kinda reminds me of a folky Pavement, only with more dull vocals. Seriously, the lead singer's voice is pretty boring. I guess it fits this style of music. The songwriting is pretty solid. Surreal at times and very sad. Sometimes a bit pretentious, but not overly so.
Silver Jews make lo-fi country rock - unrefined, guitar based songs, defined by David Berman vocals, that is at times sardonic, and at others, approaches spoken word. He tells emotional, often dark stories; this album is telling the story of a man who is up all night, contemplating suicide. The stories in Berman's work are the high point; his songwriting skills make this album worthy of a second listen. The music accompanying is good, and appropriate for the stories throughout, but isn't the part of the work I'll think about most often.
Un peu monocorde mais sympathique néanmoins
I really like a lot of Silver Jews songs but I’ve never listened to a single song on this album. This albums biggest issue is it never gets out of first gear, a thing this group is capable of doing. I really like the song Honk if You’re Lonely, that’s a sad song but it’s fun and catchy. Hell, American Water the album that track is on is both better AND more critically acclaimed…so like, why not that one? I dunno if you listened to this and liked it a little I’d say give them more chances, they might surprise you. Sadly I’m gonna have to give this a 3.
Wish there was more stephen malkmus
not bad, i enjoyed some songs. overall, the sound isnt necessarily for me, but still nice.
"Bright Flight" by Silver Jews offers a unique blend of country and indie rock, showcasing David Berman's clever and often surreal lyrics. While the album features some catchy melodies, it sometimes feels like the music doesn't quite match the brilliance of the lyrics, leaving listeners wanting a bit more in terms of musical variety.
Rating: 7/10 He might be an awful singer, but there is a genuine nature to the music that resonates with me.
This didn't leave that much of an impression on me! Just fine!
Yeah not bad. It's got the guy from Pavement in and I think his distinctive voice carries it a lot, but I can't say I loved the actual music that much. Some good lyrics but nothing amazing.
Liked this quite a bit, like pre-Bon Iver, 3.5 stars
The first song threw me for a loop and I expected to hate the album because the vocals sounded so off. But…I felt the same way about Exile in Guyville, and it’s been one of my top albums for years so I listened to it all, and it definitely gets better. It’s got a little Bob Dylan/Moldy Peaches indie sound that is rather enjoyable if you’re into that kind of thing.
Dinner music
A little twangy for my tastes but I liked the energy, more of a six-I-see
Keskimääräistä kiinnostavampi saundi, mut ei ihan klikannut siinä määrin että neloseen pääsisi. 3/5
Interesting choice. Interesting lyrics. Another tragic story. But another meh.
slow education- 5 room games and diamond rain- 4 time will break the world- 3 i remember me- 4 horseleg swastikas- now thats a name. 4 transylvania blues- 4 lets not and say we did- me listening to this album. 5 tennessee- stop. 3 friday night fever- 4 or 5 death of an heir of sorrows- 3 or 4
I just had Elliot Smith’s Figure 8 five albums ago and Beck’s Sea Change’s yesterday. So much sadness. Bright Flight wasn’t bad overall, but I found it hard tough to get past the vocals. The singer’s semi-monotone delivery seemed to be at the forefront of the songs, rather than seeming to blend with the music. The lyrics, however, were great, and I enjoyed the music as well.
What a strange album. I went in completely blind and was largely underwhelmed. Some really great lyrical and musical moments in this one, but overall nothing I’m going to remember. The singer’s voice reminds me of a couple other deep voice talky kind of guys I’ve had so far, many of whom have reminded me of the lead singer of The Hold Steady (niche reference, perhaps). I dunno what to make of this. It was fine. Three stars, I guess. Standout Tracks: Time Will Break the World, Transylvania Blues, Let’s Not and Say We Did, Friday Night Fever, Death of an Heir of Sorrows
This was pretty decent. It was kinda repetitive at times, I think I would benefit from listening to some of the songs as standalone songs or part of a playlist, as most of the songs on this album are very similar. The front guy kinda can't sing and I can't tell whether he's pulling it off in like a grunge-y way or whether it's not quite at that level... I like the southern influences and the guitar. I have never heard of these guys before listening to this. 3.5
the instrumentation is pretty middle of the road, doesnt do much to hook me or keep me in
p871. 2001. 3 stars. C&W based REM wannabee. Lyrically sharp, but no standout tunes and the vocalist sounds like they just took Prozac. On the plus side, it doesn't outstay its welcome.
Have never been quite as big a fan of Silver Jews as I'd expect myself to be
Thought thiscwas a bit tiresome initially but then I kinda give in the lonesome groove. Probably needs a few listens.
Folk rock with indie influence, bob dylan
I do have a soft spot for these 90s/2000s indie artists with voices that might, traditionally, be seen as terrible. Thinking Smog/Bill Callahan, Mountain Goats, Mercury Rev, etc. I never really got into Silver Jews but listened to them a bit back when this came out.
Not bad, although his voice was a little grating.
A nice relaxing album, I liked Slow Education and Friday Night Fever.
Decent
Interesting
It was alright, enjoyed a few tracks here and there but it didn't pull me in as much as I thought it might.
Okay album.
Surprising. May listen to that again just for the clever word play.
This felt pretty one note and generic. There was nothing hugely bad about it per se, apart from a few slips into tweeness, which blights many American indie bands, but there was nothing particularly good either. I can't think why I'd want to listen to any of it again.
2.5 stars. Depressing country-tinged indie rock. Some definite songwriting skills here but it's a bit of a downer overall. Standout is the fun "Tennessee".
wants to be Wilco. Not wilco
This sounds like Kurt Vile singing santa songs... 3 stars.
Sure. Not really my taste, but sure. Reminds me of Leonard Cohen.
Through the first couple of songs I thought that this album was going to be very good with the way that the singer was so forward with a pretty powerful voice. His singing style got a little old as the album went on though unfortunately. The actual songs themselves were really quite good with the instrumentals. It was a kind of combination of country and alternative which did good things for me. Would be really nice to have on in the background on a nice day outside. Overall I would say that I was able to get through the minor annoyance of his voice because of how good the songs were. This is a mid to high 3.
Damn I remember when David Berman died a few years back. Could tell the man was sad. I enjoyed this but every song kinda sounded similar. Nothing was crazy about it but could see listening to this going to sleep (not a dig). Really liked the pedal steel on some of the songs. High 3.
As a frequent listener of the National, I’ve had some Silver Jews come across my algorithm but I’ve never paid much attention. While I’m a sucker for the non-sequitur lyrics and unpolished musicianship, I thought the album was pretty inconsistent overall. The highs were high though, I thought “Remember me” was excellent story telling. I listened to it twice back to back which is really rare for me. I haven’t looked at the discography but this sounds like the album that just precedes a really good album.
3.5
Not too bad
Some interesting lyrics and passable melodies. Really brought down by the voices.
Can't get past the voice.
Okay
Could have been a far better album if the guy could sing in tune.
These guys have a pretty unique sound, I really like some of the instrumentation, there's good writing and the cringe-worthy, but the vocals are odd at best - he could grow on one - like Tom Waits and Modest Mouse.
i just hate this vocal style, music is okay but the shitty talk singing kills it 2.5
This kinda indie rock should be right up my alley but... ehh wasn't. It's fine.
Nice little bit of Indie noodling here, will need to check out more of the catalogue.
Missed this group somehow, fine.
Interesting
A quirky album that revealed its charms slowly. On first listen I wasn’t feeling it but gave it another listen and liked a few cuts a bit more. Not something I think I’d revisit though; it didn’t resonate that deeply for me.
Not bad as far as it goes. Sort of like a slow-down and less pithy They Might Be Giants.
I remember me is a great track, but aside from that I don't think anything else stuck out. Maybe I'm not a big fan of country? I was in a sappy mood and even then I couldn't relate that much to it.
Fourth studio album? Say it isn't so, Joe. There's a mournful mix of songs, reminiscent of Dylan, and oddly, Geldof. It does get more enjoyable at the end, but difficult to raise this to a 4.
It has a "I'm a clever songwriter" feel that i get with Father John Misty and Crash Test Dummies, though with a bit more country vibe. The songs are decent and easily approachable, though the "clever" doesn't hit for me too strongly.
Having never heard the Silver Jews, I was pleasantly surprised to hear more Pavement than boring indie pop rock. 3.5/5
Interesting album here from a band that I've never heard of before. This is like a slow indie country rock thing. On the surface it actually reminded me a lot of the Giant Sand album on here that I really liked, but ultimately this one didn't quite do it as much for me. I did some reading on this one, and it seems like the singer (David Berman) and his friends were working at the Whitney and making some music together in two bands, this one and Pavement. Pavement blew up and while these guys were pretty well-regarded in indie circles, they were never nearly as big and are often thought to be a Pavement side project. Berman seemed to resent that a bit, and I believe on this one the other guys weren't involved, but his wife is. I wanted to like this more than I did, but I'm struggling a lot with Berman's voice. It's definitely more of the talk-singing type of thing, and I'm just struggling to get on board with his sound. I'm listening to it for the third time now and it's growing on me a bit, but still not my favorite. It sounds like Berman wrote poetry too, and I can see him being great at that. The lyrics are both fairly poignant and unique (weird at times?) here. I appreciate that part of the album. And there are definitely some interesting songs on here, "I Remember Me" in particular is really great. Overall just falling a bit short for me though, though the understated sound is nice at times. Berman is definitely another on the long list of tortured musicians. He had substance abuse issues, attempted suicide in 2003, and eventually took his own life in his Park Slope apartment in 2019. It's a sad life, but he put out work that lasted, and I'm glad I heard it. Two other notes. First, terrible band name. It sounds like he eventually regretted it too, but just not sure what he was going for there. Second, his father was a corporate lobbyist and Berman really hated that a lot, he hid it for a long time and then almost wrote a book about being his nemesis. Favorite song: I Remember Me Other: Slow Education, Room Games and Diamond Rain, Transylvania Blues, Tennessee, Death of an Heir of Sorrows 8/1/24
I enjoyed this. But I generally enjoy indie rock. Felt like this could have really been any generic indie rock. Lacked a bit of individuality for me. Or did this just influence loads - I dunno, I can’t be bothered to find out. 3.4
The half-spoken vocals are taking some getting used to, but I can get behind the country/indie sound in theory. Very pretty guitar harmonies on Room Games and Diamond Rain. Short instrumental Transylvania Blues is my favorite track, with driving bass and distorted guitar. Strays too far into country at times. The lyric in Tennessee is really, "cause you're the only ten I see"? Nevertheless, there's an earnestness here I appreciate.
I’ve never heard this band and I feel like it was familiar but I’m not sure why. Probably just the sound of the lead vocals. It was a good album but I wasn’t pulled in enough to listen to the lyrics well on the first go so since it’s short, I might give a second listen, which must mean I didn’t hate it.
nice chill album, songs were good to be fair, his voice was good but it seemed pretty tired which is probably what the band was going for, i’ll probably relisten again, good first listen
Musically interesting but ultimately there are many better records…
New artist, reminded me of Crash Test Dummies. Not really interested at first but by the end (and second listen) I enjoyed it more. Subtly intricate in the background but I believe the singing would be the biggest turnoff for people. 3.35/5
An interesting sound and some questionable song titles, but not hideous. A band I would like to know more about.
Nice chill rock album with some witty songwriting. Nothing too exciting but it didn’t waste my time so 3 stars seems appropriate.
Bad singer lmao
2.75, good moments but not my taste
Haven’t really had my “a-ha!” moment with Berman yet, but there’s some great music here and he’s clearly a great lyricist. I hope I’ll “get it” more one day. 3.5/5
Musically this is right up my alley with the mix lo fi country and indie but the vocals are distracting from the music. I kept hearing Steven Wright singing.
The style of music falls somewhere between Whiskeytown and Tom Waits. It's not bad, but sometime a little depressing.
No idea who this is. Had a Lou Reed off-key thing in the vocals. The music is fantastic. Let’s not and say we did is a great track. Super fun and bouncy. Don’t know if I will listen again. But this was a fun record.
hahaha s albumcover SCHREIT indie slow education sochli en countryvibe au? binmer nanig sicher weg de stimm, er chan offesichtlich nöd perfekt singe aber het mengisch sehrsehr e warmi stimm uhh d gitarre huren schön also chli geklimper aber ja time will break the world hetmer bis jz am beste gfalle, ich glaub ich muss nachli meh lyrics lese, das woni usseghöre sind sicher mal nöd 08/15 lyrics water git würkli no damn AHA HORSELEG SWASTIKAS JÄSO transylvania blues findi no cool also chlini pause zwüschedurre hahaha let's not and say we did funny name und funny lied aber iwie gahtsmer gad au extrem ufd eier "I'm getting the pay per tear" sehr cooli line hahaha jz voll country bi friday night fever han gwrn wies klavier immer wieder echli fürrechunnt und echli s lied zemmehebt death of an heir of sorrow no megaaa en schöne closer jaa s album bütet na vill, mengisch findis echlii möchtegern artsy aber d text sind amigs funny und de offesichtlich country ihfluss machts album besser. schwanke zwüsche 3 und 4
Somber, deep, soft, sometimes opinionated. I dig it
This music is okay, but it's not good enough to justify a band name that makes me feel antisemitic to say out loud. It's calm and pleasant, but there's not a huge amount here, given that this band has two members of Pavement in it 3/5
I thought this was perfectly acceptable. The tunes were good and the music was fun, I really liked the slide guitar that popped up throughout. The voice isn't one for the annuls but then a lot of artists in this vein don't rely on a set of pipes.
Interesting but not really for me
3.5/5
This guy can't really sing, but I still love it. The lyrics are interesting and catchy and I laughed out loud more than once.
Some good tunes here. But I can only do the depressing, country-inflected misery songs for just a few tracks on the album. I understand that’s the purpose, so I’m giving him points here for accomplishing what he set out to do. Certainly conveys the feeling he’s going for well, and the lyrics are certainly poetry. Definitely a tearjerker of an album.
The singer's voice is somewhere in between Damon Albarn and Mark Knopfler. The music is a bit subdued even for indie, but that makes for mellow listening.
Slow Education I Remember Me Friday Night Fever I truly did enjoy the lyrics and stories he tells but the vocals ruined it for me. It wasn’t awful to where I couldn’t get through it but it defiantly woulda got a higher rating if not for the vocals. Very simple and chill
Was very neutr
Well the music is not too terrible but the lyrics are at best boring and at worst infantile. The vocals, well let's be generous and call them uninspiring. I am sorry that the person mostly responsible for this was so unhappy with his life he choose to end it ans while I am sure his life had value to the people close to him unfortunately nothing of musical value was lost as a result of his actions.
not bad
Insightful
It’s that sort of bedroom-produced slacker rock that seems to be highly loved, although usually primarily in America, where I’m sure it has more of a homely feeling. And it’s a nice, inoffensive listen. And that is all it does for me. The sort of album that I wouldn’t mind listening to a lot if it was the only CD in my car, but otherwise not something I’d really come back to.
Even though the Pavement boys are gone by this album, this still holds tight to Pavement-style slacker rock. Unfortunately this one never quite hit the way, say, Purple Mountains hit.
Indie rock lento. Ni fu ni fa.
Very monotone and meandering. Kinda reminds me of destroyer
Nothing spectacular, but still pretty good. 3 star territory.
I was liking it. It's got decent stuff. Then I got bored. What is he on about??
This is another one of those records where I'm a bit confused how it ended up on this list. This album almost feels like a parody of indie rock at times. There doesn't seem to be anything really special about this one. I do enjoy country-rock and indie-rock so it wasn't an unenjoyable album by any means but it just didn't feel like anything special to me. The song that has stood out the most to me is Let's Not and Say We Did which is the least popular song on the album. I wonder what that says about me...
kan behöva lyssna på det här igen
This has something, but it also has too much country influence to be really good.
Very Pavement/Cracker. A good listen, but nothing something I'm gaga about.
Fine album, enjoyed it more than the other album I listened by them.
Vocals are pretty bad but instrumentals are good. Favourites: room games and diamond rain, I remember me. 3/5
I guess they just let anyone pick up a guitar and sing these days huh... No offense but throughout the entire opening track I thought my man David Berman could NOT sing 💀💀 sorry Jewish people. Anyone once the second song began I KNEW he couldn't sing, but somehow it stopped bothering me so much. I guess at least we know he's not using autotune. The lyrics were easily understandable even for me which is nice, and the album was pretty cohesive sound-wise and lyrically. Also he did end up killing himself so that's sad. Lowkey I almost cried listening to the album because after his suicide his dad said "Despite his difficulties, he always remained my special son. I will miss him more than he was able to realize" which is really sad, but then I saw the song titled Horseleg Swastikas and no longer felt much of anything. Sadly my man still cannot sing to save his life (sorry), but I suppose it feels a little more relatable that way because I cannot sing either. The instrumentals were pretty good, guitar + piano + Virginian remains a classic combo, the singing (if you can call it that) detracts from the album a little. 3/5, nothing special, not terrible though. No favourites really.
I like this type of music but the vocals are just too jarring for me. Some clever turns of phrase and some that fall flat. I think it would be four stars if I could get around the disinterested and out of tune vocal style.
Rating: 6/10
Как, эмм, не англоговорящий изначально, я нахожу такие альбомы самыми трудными для восприятия: ты должен слушать максимально внимательно и воспринимать каждое слово. Другого пути для восприятия этой музыки просто нет, ты либо погружаешься в поэзию, либо слушаешь пустые и скучные с точки зрения музыки песни. Такие альбомы требуют усилия и фокусирования, которые не каждый может себе позволить. Все-таки музыка воспринимается по большей части как побочное развлечение, и я обычно нахожу себя заинтересованным в тексте только если музыка сама по себе провоцирует. В этом смысле вся музыка Дэвида Бермана дается мне тяжело, хотя я и знаю, что его поэзия - это мое. Лучшая песня - I Remember Me.
Not terrible, but forgettable.
I’m not cool enough to enjoy this. It’s spoken word indie, the guitar licks are good and the fidelity is nice. I just can’t connect to the vibe of not singing, and having the absolute most whimsical lyrics ever.
I don’t know what it is with the folk/indie rock albums on this list, but they’re not for me. It was alright, I liked a decent bit of the instrumentals, but the album would be better if there were no vocals.
3/5/24. Never heard of this band before but enjoyed it! Loved the vocals and easy going nature in the album, mixing country with a little psychedelia. I did wish the songs varied a little more, but this is an album I can revisit. Let's Not and Say We Did is a standout track.
Not really sure how I felt about this album. Poor start which meant I wasn't really engaged throughout. The occasional banger which took me by surprise. Good for a lazy Sunday, bad for getting you going in the morning.
Bien pero nada especial. 3
Favorite Tracks: I Remember Me Tennessee Horseleg Swastikas
Decent but lyrics are pretty terrible.
Der er virkelig et par all timers på den her plade (I Remember Me!! så god!!) men det er ikke det hele der virker for mig. Har kun hørt den en gang før for en del år siden, tror i virkeligheden det er en kæmpe grower hvis man hørte den noget mere. Men synes helt sikkert The Natural Bridge og American Water er bedre plader.
detached and lamenting
Want to look up more about this band
OK stuff, I didn't object to it
War schon ein gutes Album, könnte man nochmal für im Hintergrund anmachen. Die eine Review, dass das Album eine drunk night in nashville einfängt, trifft es gut, und aus mir wird kein Southern gal mehr
this is probably fine but it also seems clever but not catchy enough to account for the cleverness
Overall, this is a good album. I hadn't heard or them or heard any of their music before, so, as always, I welcome the introductions this project is making for me. At times, the vocal delivery gets a little tiresome to me, but I admire the songwriting and performances (very well performed!), and the lyrics are well-crafted.
Good, but probably needs a deeper dive than it got today.
Good lyrics, but the sound gets a little monotonous by the end of the record.
Quite endearing in it's own way. Odd wistful, whimsical songs sung out of tune but the accompaniment is good. It begins to grow on you after a bit and I admire the guts to just go out there and make something like this that stands on it's own.
Best heel aardig, niet zijn mooiste plaat
Thought it was ok.
I can name a dozen things that seem adjacent to this that I like. Pavement, Calvin Johnson, The Vaselines, Vic Chesnutt. And yet somehow I hadn't heard it before. I didn't hate it, but I didn't find it as compelling as I would have expected
US indie vaguely related to Pavement, but more lyrical and less noisy. Didn’t really have time to dig into the poetry, so felt this was unremarkable, but not unappealing.
I enjoyed this, though I feel like I've only scratched the surface here. I definitely wouldn't have been ready for this when it came out. This kind of band is for over-30's at the very least. I really like this era of production. I wonder if anyone has written about this period of the early aughts as a short, golden era of technology really helping trained professionals right before the same technology would rip the entire industry apart, thus creating far fewer specialized professionals. That said, it didn't quite hit me like I think it's supposed to. Maybe on subsequent listens I'll get more out of it.
chill cool
I was going to compliment his songwriting skills, but then he hit me with the fucking "Are you from Tennessee? Because you're the only ten I see" dad joke and I shriveled up like a raisin. Pretty good though. I think this is better than "American Water".
I do like Silver Jews, but this just is not strong as an album. I don’t blame anyone for giving a low rating, but something in me feels the need to rate higher than I would had I not known them before.
Meh. Most of the songs on this thing are bland and don’t really do anything for me. This isn’t boring at least. This album is forgettable, and I probably won’t see myself coming back to it.
Not the album that fans of Silver Jews remember the most according to Spotify, but also to most "critics". It's still the sort of endearing songwriting performed in a indie-rock/alt-country mode exemplified by *Starlite Walker* and *American Water*. But it's probably not enough to justify the inclusion in a list of "essential" albums. Rest in peace, David Berman.3/5 for the purposes of this list, which translates to a 8/10 grade for more general purposes (5+3) Number of albums left to review: less than 400 (I've temporarily lost count here) Number of albums I'll include in my own list: half so far, approximately Number of albums I *might* include: a quarter, approximately Number of albums I'll never include: another quarter (including this one, many others are more important - *Starlite Walker* and *American Water* for instance).
I'm a pretty big fan of Berman's style and talent, and this album hits for me. However, objectively speaking, it's not as stellar as the previous two albums. Even brilliance has an expiration
I Remember Me - 4/5
3.5/5
It was alright
There was some really nice songwriting in the first half, but this whole thing would've been soooo much better with vocals that weren't completely flat. It's a competent album that I didn't hate, but it felt like a missed opportunity
not bad. not bad at all.
I liked this well enough and ended up reading about the main guy. Fascinating stuff.
musically interesting 3*
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: I did actually, some nice vocals and originality Favourite song: Track 1 - Slow Education
Poignant lyricism backed by an inviting, yet occasionally-anxious, indie-country sound
Unusual. I found it slightly hard to listen to as I felt the singing was slightly out of tune. This sort of made it sound a bit quirky but I found it a little challenging. The songs themselves were interesting as so little rhymes. This was good and bad and I gave it 2 listens and the album became endearing. Certainly an influential album and I can see why it's been included here.
Pretty solid. Definitely prefer American water but it’s good
Favorite Tracks: Slow Education, Room Games and Diamond Rain, I Remember Me, Transylvania Blues, Tennessee
Pretty decent
Quite an interesting album, not at all what I was expecting. Pretty folky but quite modern indie rock.
very decent indie rock country album definitely deserving of a second listen
Album wasn't awful but I'll never listen again.
I think this is the first album from this group I've seen on this list, though the sad story of its leader has popped up several times through U.S. indie scene connections. I like it. The tone (even when the lyrics are relatively positive) is a little unremittently bleak.
Meh
Bright Flight is the fourth album by American indie rock group Silver Jews. This emotional album contains melodies about love, anxiety, and rich imagery created by the lyrics. I liked this album, but not one track really blew me away. They were all averagely good for the standard emotional indie rock song. Interesting album and band that I would listen to again for another Silver Jews album.
Standouts: Slow Education, I Remember Me, Horseleg Swastikas, Tennessee 3.5/5
this was a real mixed bag for me. i actually liked a lot of the songs and arrangements. the sort of sparse, alt-country vibe is something i really like and appreciate. that being said, i had a really hard time getting over the singer's voice. it was pretty grating and not enjoyable to listen to. i am not opposed to unconventional singing voices, but i felt like the effort in singing was so lackluster, it really took away from the album. so ultimately, i feel like this is a bit middle of the road for me.
try being british
kinda sad, kinda pretty
Never heard of this guys and it was actually pretty boring, but the second half of thr album became really nice. 'Death of an Heir of Sorrows' hit too close to home.
I like the music and lyrics but not too big of a fan of the vocals
bad cop autodiag
I had never heard of Silver Jews until my son introduced me to them about a year ago. He has pretty cool taste in music so I was intrigued. I kind of like them, for some reason I can't quite place they remind me a little bit of Lou Reed, who I love. I like the simplicity of the songs, the lo-fi nature of the production, but I don't love his voice. Very sad reading the Wikipedia page about David Berman. FWIW, my son said this is actually only his 3rd favorite Silver Jews album, his favorite being American Water followed closely by The Natural Bridge. I listened to American Water and definitely liked it more than this album. So, if you sort of like this album but didn’t love it, you might check out those others. 3 stars.
Monotone talk-singing mostly. Has a country twang with a bit of an alt flair to it. Enjoyed the music, but maybe not the singing so much.
HL: "Let's Not and Say We Did", "Tennessee", "I Remember Me" An alt-country record (and artist) I'm glad I was introduced to, though some of the songs sound a bit samey. Maybe I'll have to let this one stew, as there's something in Berman's voice & words I quite enjoy. 3.5 July 16, 2023
solid
Catchy, fun. Good listen 3.5/5
Ok
My style, but felt a little too slow overall
There were some nice moments, but overall it's just... not bad.
I've never heard of Silver Jews and all of the music on Bright Flight was new to me. The album's semi-droning delivery of the lyrics sounded like it would fit in with Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile. In spite of the drone, there were layers to the music that drew me in for several tracks ("Room Games and Diamond Rain", "Let's Not and Say We Did", and particularly "I Remember Me" with the backing steel guitar). Although the album was good overall, the non-melodic delivery of the lyrics was too much for my taste on "Time Will Break the World".
It's a nice enough folky type noise but dark lyrics and occasionally dodgy vocals. Depressing, so great if that's the mood you're in, otherwise avoid.
Interesting without being thrilling
‘Bright Flight’ contains story-led, well-crafted pieces of pessimistic whimsy that never stole all my attention over a couple of plays, despite some Jack-in-the-box imagery - ‘my horse’s legs look like brown shotguns’ is a clip from one of the more psychotic Loony Tunes skits. The crafty lyrics take precedence over the music, and that’s not enough for me, at least not today. The flat and dry, academic delivery might be the crucial part that doesn’t reach me - ‘Time will break the world’ has what should be a great chorus, but it arrives like a lecture hall recitation of Orwell’s rules for writing. There are some fantastic lines in here, though. ‘…because the dead don’t improve.’
I don't know... Some melodies are good, some are not... Some lyrics I get on with, with some I don't... At first 3-4 songs I got bored by the same chords, but then something struck me and I guess I liked some of it.
This was a fun pseudo country album. I like the sense of humour with lines like ". . . getting paid by the teardrop"
It's interesting that a Jewish guy from New York would form a (1001-worthy?) alt-country band with the "burdensome" name of Silver Jews. Overall, I like the vibe and the songwriting, but David Berman's voice is well below the bar set by even mediocre country singers. A while back, I listened to a few SJ tracks suggested by David Byrne Radio and they benefited from back-up vocalists, one of them his wife I think.
Laid back, toned down delivery with lazy tempo. Liked this, although at some point about halfway through the record the songs started to sound alike.
The songs i connected with I really liked. The ones that were more minimal weren't as interesting for me. This is a hard one to rate for me.
I listeneted to this one twice because I wasn't sure what to do about it. I think I landed on "it's fine." I like some of the songs, some of the lo-fi stuff works. Sometimes the singers vocals work well, sometimes I really dislike them. I will probably listen to this again, but not anytime soon.
Pretty nice. Did they seriously use the ”Are you from Tennesee? Cause you’re the only ten I see” joke as a chorus though???
Alltså det här albumet e ba int så jättebra jämfört med andra delar av Silver Jews discog... DB har många som e mycket mycket bättre o Bright Flight e absurt som enda pick ti listan, över American Water (det mest kända silver jews albumet) eller The Natural Bridge (det överlägset bästa) Tennessee e niiice dokk
First time hearing this one. Sounds great. 3.5/5
Cool thick fog drive listen
A bit more interesting, but not amazing. Solid 3*.
A solid release from a band with at least two far superior albums - American Water especially not being in this list is a travesty
Jewish country Pavement
Folky, I caught some funny lyrics but don't remember them now
I thought this was pretty good! Never heard before, but was interesting. I wasn't a big fan of the singer though with his dragging and borderline out of tune sining. I think most of their songs sounded very similar, so it all blended together and became a bit unmemorable unfortunately.
Ich mochte die Musik aber die Stimme nicht so :/ 3,5/5
Ok.
Mostly boring, but some bright spots are found here
Love the music itself, but I find the vocals to just not my style. There are some gems both lyrically and musically on this album that just get ruined by monotonous droning vocals. I really wanted to love this album.
A quirky folk album with some lovingly meaningful songs.
Interesting composition and lyrics, caught my attention for being interesting but not something I’d near still listen to again
As a rule I like alt-country. This is good but feels somewhat maudlin. Give me Son Volt or Whiskeytown instead.
Didn’t grab me
is it antisemitic to say this is like country leonard cohen? can't tell if the songwriting is genius or ultra cringe. vocals are nice despite that and the overall sound is great. best tracks: room games and diamond rain, slow education, time will break the world
Rock alternativo
I liked them more 20 years ago
I quite enjoyed this stripped back simplicity of this. At least on the surface. There were some fairly catchy little numbers. I would listen again, I think.
Je ne me souviens plus exactement de ce que nous ont proposé ces juifs argentés mais je me rappelle très bien les entendre répéter "la vérité !" à tort et à travers, rendant l'expérience assez peu agréable.
Un album de piètre qualité, malgré quelques sursauts d'orgueil, donc notamment le moment où le personnage principal refuse de partager l'addition.
Reading Wikipedia on the band and David Berman is a wild and sad trip. There is something appealing to me about the almost outsider-indie-country vocals, although they aren't "good" by any standards. I can 100% see the cult appeal here. Definitely a drunken-style country confessional. I'm interested to checking out the entire discography though, as well as David's final project "Purple Mountains". Beyond that, I'm conflict but probably don't enjoy this enough to relisten. But I'm glad I heard of the group.
Sounds kinda generic.
Indicative of late 90's / early 00's indie. The subject hits personally; the whole album is tinged with disparate sadness through the clean, evenness of the music against unenthused and depressed vocals It's smart honestly. Initially sounds like nothing notable, but the album does create a unique story through the play. Not reaching for it any time soon, but its a good blend of sad country and thoughtful indie. Makes sense on this list
Four stars for the lyrics, minus one for the terrible singing, which may or may not be an affect. Think of it more as a wobbly, spoken word performance.
kind of alright. He's got a voice that sounds a bit like a camp bear in a cartoon. like a cross between mr slave and sexual harassment panda.
I don't think I really felt much on this one. Nice tones.
Indie-alt-country. Somewhat boring.
Stand-outs: "Room Games and Diamond Rain," "I Remember Me," "Transylvania Blues," "Tennessee"
Some alright stuff, but some so so
folky indie pretty slow and lots of ballads too
Nothing wrong with it, nothing special
I thought that I'm listening Lou Reed.
3.4 - Listen to “Natural Bridge” instead. While this might be a tuneful and more accessible introduction to David Berman’s impressionistic poetry, it doesn’t have the barrage of mind-bending bars as NB. I do love the honky-rink twang of “Tennessee” and “Friday Night Fever”, though.
Indie lo-fi de manual. Melangiós, intrigant, atractiu i amb uns arranjaments de guitarra interessants. Banda sonora ideals pels losers de començaments de segle
Like Wilco and Pavement had a musical baby. Simple album.
I'm interested in this band, but I didn't really like this album. But it's also not considered their best, or even their second best, so I'm not sure why it's included over a couple of their earlier releases. So I'll listen to something else by them to see if this album just didn't sit right with me for some reason during this first listen.
American landfill indie, pretty bad but not offensively so. A couple of really upsetting puns (e.g. 10 I see / Tennessee), fairly dull music, but difficult to properly hate. Sounds like another three to me!
Once there was a time when I'd have run a mile from anything remotely country. That's changed (via a dive into Bluegrass and Americana inspired by Sacred Harp singing and three years living in the US), and I quite like some alt-Country and Country-inflected indie music. (I've cheated and looked at the full list to see if Gillian Welch is on it, for example...looking forward to that!) I didn't have time to do justice to this album. But initial impressions were that it's good - good songwriting, well produced, but for the most part not really inspiring me to come back for more. One track that did get my attention (thanks initially to the oddly present tambourine) was the instrumental track Transylvania Blues.
I had never heard of this band before. And when I started listening to the album, I thought - can I actually put up with this guy’s drone of a voice? Well I could, because he’s such an interesting lyricist. There are so many wonderful lines. From the track Tennessee : writing sad songs and paid by the tear & Punk rock died when the first kid said punk’s not dead. From Horselike Swastikas : … And I wanna be like water if I can cause water doesn't give a damn. Not surprising to learn that David Berman was first & foremost a poet. The music is fine, but it’s Berman’s words which steal the show. It’s been a real discovery for me.
I liked it. It's very Pavementy in its half-arsedness and it's dry wit, but with a more Americana edge to it. Less keen on that, but I've saved three songs that impressed me (Nashville, I Remember Me and Let's Not and Say We Did, all witty, wonky fun). It doesn't necessarily have much in the way of tonal variation, which is a blessing or a curse, depending on your mood when you're listening, I suppose! It also feels a little dated - this feels like it belongs to the early noughties, with films featuring manic indie pixie dream girls, ironic homophobia and people into this sort of thing being fiercely competitive about having a more obscure artist... and I bet that you haven't even heard of Bardo Pond, who did this miles better ;-)
I can dig it Sounds like Willie style country "Leave Kentucky" 10/10 "We're off to the land of hot middle aged women" hahaha
Have you heard of ‘indie’ music ?
This is an indie band and I cannot be convinced otherwise. Very generic and forgettable. I've listened to a few tracks per day for several days and EVERY time I turn it on I go "oh THIS is what these guys sound like?" This list is full of swings and roundabouts, to be sure, but I've been going through a stretch of like... just boring corn fields.
Ooit helemaal verknocht aan een ander plaatje van deze lui en ook nu snap ik gelijk weer wat je hier tof of juist klote aan kan vinden: Die suffe nasale stem! Wel met geweldige krankzinnige teksten: Goodbye users, suckers and steady badluckers!
Die wat onvaste stem daargelaten, vond ik dit best goed te pruimen.
Best een leuk album. Muziekaal erg prettig maar de neuzige zang is toch niet helemaal mijn ding.
It was just ok
I enjoyed the album, 1st time I have ever heard it. It sounded a bit like Wilco.
Good album but just really weird. The last 2 tracks are the best imo.
Silver Jews are always good
In the “to be revisited” pile. The vocals are throwing me for a loop, but the songs are enjoyable and varied, and I love some of the lyrics.
The vocals are a bit out of tune but that's maybe what makes this so goddamn cosy.
Great moody alt-country vibe. Excellent balance of the twangy and the dissonant. It took me a couple of songs to settle into David Berman's vocal style, but it works here. Will definitely revisit this. Fave Songs: Transylvania Blues, Room Games and Diamond Rain, I Remember Me, Death of an Heir of Sorrows, Slow Education
okish
alrigjt
Bit too talky
A somewhat mediocre album. Mediocre voice, mediocre lyrics, mediocre arragments. 1-2 songs that are good, but no 1001 for me. (5/10) FT: I Remember Me
Heard of them before but never listened, pleasant lo-fi American indie with some good songs rather undersold by singing that may be an acquired tastes.
Indie rock lento. Ni fu ni fa.
Quite a good album
Nice, country-infused indie. I like the sons, but can't really get on with the vocals. The singer's inability to hold a note appears to compromise delivery of the natural melody. This could have been a great album with an in-tune breathy female vocal. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: Slow Education Date listened: 25/05/22
Meh...this one was okay. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Definitely a stronger second half of the album, which is better than the reverse situation. My favorite tracks on this leaned more heavily country and less into...hipster-folk, if you can call it that? That's more what the first half of the album was IMO. Fave track: Tennessee. Yes, the "ten-I-see" pun was total cheese, but it was self-aware. And more importantly, the melody was calm and nice. Overall a smooth and enjoyable listening experience, but not SO enjoyable I'd revisit. The Mississippi of albums.
Álbum proporciona um clima interessante.
Beautiful Americana/alt country but is it ground breaking or life changing enough to be on this list.
Nokkuð gott indie rokk. Punny textar.
Tranquilo y diferente
Quaint little album. Feels very personal and intimate which I enjoyed, and the song topics are interesting and meaningful. Overall pretty decent for something that is not my usual genre. 6/10
Not a terrible album by any stretch, but just alright. It's a decent listen, but nothing really stands out as an important track. Definitely feels like a product of it's time.
This is an album you need to sit down and take your time with. When David Berman sings, you need to listen to his lyrics. It has a country/indie rock charm, but there is always the feeling that there are storm clouds on the horizon. It's an album that needs a hug and a pat on the shoulder. Best Tracks: Slow Education; I Remember Me; Tennessee
Really dug the instrumentals, did not enjoy the vocals. Sounded like someone complaining at me for 35 minutes. Looks like it's some members of Pavement with a different vocalist, I guess that explains it.
I still have a ways to go before I'm totally on-board with Berman's voice. That said: I got on board with the longer instrumental sections in the second half, lyrics worth reading, love songs, the passage of time.
Never Heard of Silver Jews before this so definitely my first time of listening. Wow, love this! A cross between Lou Reed (Circa Velvets), Leonard Cohen and David Lowery from Camper Van Beethoven. Some sad but definitely Sunday morning songs, I am intrigued by his voice and his lyrical content. "I Remember Me" "Horseleg Swastikas" and "Let's Not Say We Did" are my favourites here. A lovely sunday morning listen but not sure if it justifies a place on this list!
Was alright 5/10
J’ai des vibes de zappa, c’est bien 3.25
Quite liked it, bit wobbly in parts though. Can hear lots of other things like pavement/bright eyes/Elliot smith/Decemberists etc in there.
What a strange time. Irreverent, blunt, and occasionally hilarious, they lyricism on display is a special kind of witty that almost goes too far into annoying. He's definitely got something going, but I'm not sure how much I enjoy it.
After reading the reviews and Wikipedia it sounded like an album I would enjoy. I did, but not as much as I thought I would. Maybe if I listen to it again or different albums. In the end not bad, some good songs on it l also. Favourite songs: - I remember me - Let’s not and say we did - Friday night fever
Mmmm, como que me sonó a muchas cosas y no le encontré algo único, pero quizá porque no conocía Silver Jews. En fin... 6.5/10
I enjoyed this and there were some real stand out tracks, but it didn’t really fully click with me as an album for whatever reason.
Varia em qualidade. Algumas mais agitadas são boas
I liked this somewhat - this indie-rock-meets-country album somehow sounds bleak, but in the first couple of songs manages to hit the right notes for me. The songs on the opposite end aren't as strong, though. 3/5
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?
Way too slow-paced for me
i didn’t have very strong feelings about it one way or another… all the songs sort of sounded the same to meㅠㅠ
This was not interesting. The singing was not good.
Yet more bland boring indie rock with the most monotone vocal delivery.
Sounds like Lou Reed. Okay songs - would rate as 2.5 if I could. Not sure if I would listen again.
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
Just kinda run of the mill indie stuff. Idk if it really deserved it's place on this list
another first. not so so bad but honestly not memorable. i totally zoned out a few times. feels repetitive.
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.
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.
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.
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
A bit dull
Not a fan