Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Sounds like a (bad) Beck ripoff. No enjoy. In fact, I've got a bad streak going here where I've had 4 albums in a row of just absolute garbage. Hope it gets better. 1.5/5 = 2 stars because some of the music was enjoyable. But I'd rather just listen to Beck.
I get why this isn’t everyone’s bag, but this hit something with me. I wish David Berman got to see how many lives he was able to touch just with music.
That's not my taste in music - But ok
Meh. I generally enjoy David Berman and love the Purple Mountains. This was fine enough to listen to but I won't be clamouring back any time soon. 2/5
Not for me, can't stand the vocals, won't even finish. I did like some of what "Time Will Break the World" was doing.
Boring
Lyrics are weird, like early Beck, Voice is more like Cake. Music is uninteresting and basic, which make it much less appealing then the aforementioned Artists.
Dull, lifeless, soulless music. Sounds like the singer bored himself.
Weird lyrics
Alt rock country mixup that shouldn’t have happened
This was cool. I liked it overall. Kinda meh though
This is ok, a pretty run-of-the-mill early 2000s indie rock album, and there is no mistaking it for anything else. It’s perfectly pleasant.
Utter rubbish
I think this is a 5/10 record - I like a few songs and the issue is primarily that there a few that are really hard to listen to. I listened in two parts and I went back again at the end to listen on headphones, wow there are a few songs on the first side which are a real slog where the vocals are rough - I like singers that aren't conventional but these are so laid back and almost feel intentionally out of tune at times. I think the lyrics are meant to be the main draw but honestly they weren't hitting for me either - they were dry and as depressing as it gets. I quite liked some of the more country instrumentation and the instrumental track was honestly very good! Putting this one firmly as 'not for me' and as there's no half stars I will give it a 2.
Better than Coldplay.
I couldn‘t stand it at the beginning but it aomehow grew on me.
The leader singer sounds like he's trying to be Johnny Cash. Lyrics are strange and the songs kind of bore me. My favorite song is Transylvania Blues (no singing and great guitar work).
I’m not quite sure why I haven’t listened to this band before. The vocals I immediately recognised from Purple Mountains (David Berman). And interestingly Stephen Malkmus (Pavement) is a member. I now want to hear their other albums. Glib, low fi 4/5
way too slow for me, but for this style i must admit i tolerated it better than expected lol.
this was good!! fits right into that mellow, deepish male singer-songwriter vibe that i’ve only really come to know from this list
Each song sounded exactly the same
DID NOT LISTEN
I almost gave it a four but I listened to it a couple times and it got a little tiresome so I would give it a 3.5 if they
Music for sad.... cowboys? Sad hipsters?
So freaking boring. And "Water don't give a damn" is the cheapest play on words I heard in a long time. It's not all bad though. After the second listen I enjoyed it more. Either way: 2/5 max.
Not my thing. It's my speed but don't care for this kinda "sitting in the tall grass" type country. It's like Kurt Vile wore a vest with an American flag on it.
Just no. 2* for track 1.
I didn’t listen to this but from the few songs I heard, it reminds me Collin :)
Honestly I can never decide if I like Silver Jews or not… I’m constantly going back & forth on it. But this album is pretty solid. A lot of the songs stood out for me — I think I liked “room games & diamond rain” and “death of an heir of sorrows” the most. From Horselegs Swastikas: “I wanna be like water if I can, ‘cause water doesn’t give a damn.”
i'll listen again
Not a huge fan, but shalom people
"Nett" im besten Sinne. Rauschte eher an mir vorbei und es blieb nur wenig hängen. Schönste Zeile: irgendwas mit explodierenden Sonnenbänken und reichen Frauen darin.
Great band name. Not so much a great album.
Love the voice, lyrics and sound of this album.
Still waiting for his stuff to grow on me more. Love the lyrics but it's still a slow grind
Are these lyrics translated from Japanese or something?
David Berman's vocals are absolutely gorgeous. This with combined with loose, extremely slow paced approach to country, makes for an enjoyably melancholy listen. I am a lover of sugary treats, so I must admit that the pop factor Berman later brings to Purple Mountains is more my speed, but I certainly have no regrets spinning this for half an hour.
The bizarre lyrics kept me entertained. Otherwise this would be a 2
For a country record, I think it is very good. The voice is soothing and sad, while the instrumentation borrows elements from other genres such as indie-rock, and it works very well. I just wish I could connect with it a little more. Emotinally speaking, it didn't do too much for me.
No way - I know these guys. I listened to "Purple Mountains" a little over two years ago, which is the successor band to Silver Jews. That album was pretty good, though it's too much of a downer for me. This guy's vocal fried, sad sack voice gracing my eardrums again after all these years is a nice feeling. Welcome back. Comparing this to Purple Mountains leaves a bit to be desired, though in all fairness both albums have different things going for them. The biggest difference is that Bright Flight is the more emotionally complex album. BF is about as hopeful and affirming as it is desolate and hopeless, whereas Purple Mountains is much more resigned to fate. Berman's depressive vocals are sure to polarise, though for what it's worth, I think they're quite good. They're very good at holding my attention and it's pretty endearing when his voice occasionally breaks into a more positive tone. Instrumentally this album is quite similar to Purple Mountains, though I recall PM having a bit more of an atmospheric edge whereas this album is a lot more straight-laced in it's musical identity. Very old-country influenced, which I think works with the directionless, helpless feel of the music while also being pleasing to listen to. The electric guitars on these albums feel like a warm hug, and the acoustic guitar that pierces through it is equally as comforting. I'm privy to the idea of giving these lyrics a closer look sometime in the future. Silver Jews are officially on my radar. I added them to my little notepad file and everything.
relatively chill album with an alright singer that's got some country twang to it.
Church music?
Haven't heard of the band but when I saw on Wikipedia that people from Pavement are involved in this I knew it's gonna be shit. And it was! Worst kind of indie bullshit 1/5
I wasnt familiar with the band or album going in. A fushion of post-grunge garage rock with indie flavor- I appreciate what they were going for but I didnt really enjoy it. I can see how it was an influential album for early indie rock though (modest mouse, arcade fire) Overall- fine, but not for me
Surely there are 1001 better albums than this
good enough
It's lackadaisical, smug and a little too simplistic for my taste. Mostly it just reminds me of smoking cigarettes in a beanie in 2008. Not exactly a bad feeling, but nostalgia for a different time can only carry me so far.
I've never even heard of Silver Jews but I really enjoyed this.
Indie country anyone? No, me neither.
Snow falls down so beutiful and stupid.
Generic sounding indie landfill. Move on.
A studious avoidance of charisma.
On first listen, I didn't like it. Felt that it was some kind of Lou Reed tribute. But there are moments of authenticity that make me think I should relisten to this later. Like maybe when I'm drunk on a couch in Nashville.
Hahaha this one really feels like a product of recency bias in the early 2000s reviewers. Sort of similar to many other superior whispering mid western albums.
Orkade inte lyssna klart.
No thanks
Eerste nummer net alsof Rick aan het zingen was. Maar gelukkig niet gelijk af gezet want daarna wordt het marginaal beter. maar nog steeds wel trage meuk. Heb niet het album afgeluisterd, tekst sloeg nergens op en musicaal talent van een goudvis
Opzich helemaal niet verkeerd, maar waarom is de zang bij dit soort platen altijd zo wack? Ik weet dat die kerel heel depressief van, maar door zijn stem ga ik bijna zelf knopen leggen...
mmmm....
That was painful for me to get through
Why did this make the list though?
Ganske kjipern
The singer sounds bored
Like if the lumineers enlisted bob dylan to sing the country songs they tried to write with lyrics poorly imitating him. Bad even for 00s indie.
Never heard this one before. It's pretty good.
Sometimes I got lulled in by the music, other times I cringed. A bit boring overall.
This is not your average indie band. Each and overy one of the ten tracks on this record were crafted to perfection, both melodically and lyrically, with each one telling a story which permeates into our emotions, whether it be sadness, joy, nostalgia etc. It's not just a record, it is a full-blooded composition piece, David Berman's magnum opus, so to say.
I love American water and have a great deal of respect for SJ. Bright Flight is sort of a bummer. It's lovely poetry. The music is enchanting. It's just real raw in a way I don't prefer. I had the chance to see them live in there third show ever and was already a fan of American Water and Natural Bridge. They played one song off of this album.
I got quite bored, it was a miserable slog and I didn’t even finish it
This is the kind of charming and awkward indie-rock sound that's very easy for me to enjoy. It takes a lot from bands like Modest Mouse and Slint (in fact, a couple of members from Slint are in Sliver Jews), but adds a very nice country flair to it all. The music here is very rundown, depressing, and sort of hopeless in a lot of ways - an effect that's amplified when reading up on the tragic life of David Berman, the lead vocalist here. His monotone, deadpan delivery here is what sells the record, it makes any sort of emotion that manages to come out feel that much more powerful. I'd say that attitude comes to a head on the closer 'Death of an Heir of Sorrows' with its heart-breaking depiction of loss, a theme dealt with on many songs on this album. I also really like the female vocalist here, who, I believe, was David's wife at the time - she really saves the song 'Tennessee', after David hits you with that cheesy as all hell refrain (still a cute song regardless). Not all the songs here deal with loss directly - 'Time Will Break The World' seems to be taking on much larger subject matter, with this epic and haunting guitar tone driving the whole thing. The not-so-happy story of 'I Remember Me' was engaging, and the instrumental 'Transylvania Blues' may just be the best thing here. The playing on this album in general is very solid. Still think this is a very difficult album to dissect after one listen, but I found its varied approach to the many sounds of the '90s alt-rock scene to be refreshing at the very least, and quite easy to digest.
Very nice; witty, melodic, and mellow. Good accompaniment for working. I listed to several of Berman's albums, then read his Wikipedia page and was dismayed to learn of his death. RIP.
This was an absolute miss for me today. I scrubbed through most of the songs. The only one I listened to all of was Transylvania Blues which was ok. In another time, another place this might have scored higher, but it wasn't today.
This guy one is not for me, kind of boring.
Nope. He’s just speaking, not singing. It’s annoying and his lyrics aren’t remotely interesting.
A very, very faded and watered down copy of Lou Reed. The music was fine, the lyrics weren't anything to write home about.
Chills. So haunting the Tennessee song is special.
Good stuffff
Total shit. Awful singer, boring songwriting. Did not make it through two songs.
A nice chill vibe… I think I could listen to a song or two on shuffle, a full album was a lot.
Interesting lyrics, but overall a sad/beautiful album. The lead singers voice is different, but it kind of works. Has an alt-country sounding twang, but feels very stripped down.
Pretty nice music, low 4/5
An album with a drunkenly sad atmosphere. It didn’t resonate quite as deeply as I thought it might, but I still enjoyed it. Favorite: Time Will Break The World 3-3.5
The ones with Malkmus are better and should have been here over this one
Err, I find the songwriting interesting but the delivery leaves me kind of cold.
Silver Jews - Bright Flight Very much my cup of tea, and a new album for me from a band I already enjoy. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
í anda alternatífs köntrí. er frekar áreynslulaust en með textum sem gefa vísbendingar um framheilaskaða. gæti fílað með aukinni hlustun, 3.5.
Utter shit
My kind of thing, but would really struggle to justify its inclusion on this list.
Hard work
Writing sad songs Getting paid by the tear Let's get married and go to Tennessee You're the only ten I see Dull and grey, like I like my music
Pavement but more boring? Hmm... I like it fine enough but it's missing something. Sometimes it reminds me of Galaxie 500 or Yo La Tengo. Glad I heard it but not really for me.
I like Silver Jews. American Water is one of my favourite albums of the last 30 years. David Berman's voice has a Johnny Cash quality. Of course he has nowhere near the power and resonance of Cash's baritone but the phrasing definitely puts me in mind of Cash, he has a natural matter of factness to his singing that feels really comfortable and makes me want to listen more and more. Though this album is not up to the quality of American Water it definitely has all the qualities of songwriting and storytelling that Berman is so adept at. 4 stars
Långsam indie
It’s fine? Inoffensive, nothing spectacular but definitely not bad. Nothing I care to seek out again. I Remember Me is nice.
Utterly forgettable, listened to it twice without realising it was on repeat and was most of the way through again before I noticed.
This was the "weirdest" one yet...
You know when you see a used couch, and think to yourself, "Hey that is kind of a nice couch", but then you look closer and realize it's got stains, and no matter how much scrubbing, it's basically trash. That's kind of how I feel about this album.
Nope.
Wow, this was bad. Is this even singing? He sounded like he was bored out of his mind while reading the lyrics from a sheet of paper.
Woof. 3 stars I mean I appreciate hometown pride but its so so sad.
Lidt stille indierock, lidt meh, lidt country
Average at best
Alright
Well I couldn't find anything to dislike about this, it had good lyrics/ vocals, interesting music, veering from country to indie and back again. Definitely getting the Pavement vibes. So this was definitely going to be a 4 or a 5, but I'm going with 5.
One of the greatest lyricists and song writers of the past 50 years. I’m not sure how this album in particular was chosen over American water or even the natural bridge, which I think exemplifies Berman’s unique style of writing far better, but I’ll never complain about having to listen to a Silver Jews album. If you didn’t like this album I’d urge you to listen to purple mountains, one of the best and most powerful albums of the 21st century. If that clicks for you then maybe you’ll find a new appreciation for this one as well.
Whew!
3/5
Booooooooring
Not for me
Absolutely awful. Convinced this album was created solely to annoy me
Strangely grew on me. Reminiscent of early Beck, One Foot in the Grave, to be specific. Not that it sounds just like it, but has sort of the same feel to me. At first I was unimpressed, but by the end I could see listening to this again.
dogshit yanks
Not even average.
Dylan without the lyrics, without the melodies - not much remaining.
The lyrics aren’t good, but I heard how it would influence certain genres later. (3)0
Enjoyed but a little depressing
Take bad country music, trim it with spoken word style. The only way I could like this album less is if I were silver or Jewish...
I do like this. It comes across like other slow indie type albums of the mid 2010's. I know I liked the first half more than the second half. Worth listening to some of their other stuff.
slow, melancholy, awesome!
For some reason I looked at the rating before listening. I'm extremely surprised at the overall score for this. This is not the most musically challenging, or lyrically complex album on the list, but everything just works. The lyrics are bleak, and the music is wistfully leaning back decades, but something just drawing me back in to another listen.
Pretty melancholy. Songs really lacked melody. I didn't hate it, but certainly wouldn't listen again.
I cannot overemphasize how bad this is. That singer, those lyrics ... terrible.
Brilliant. I missed the Silver Jews but I did not miss Purple Mountains, and what a record that is. Awfully tragic situation. But what a way with words Burman has. The music is chill as fuck and hangs loosely around his songs entirely suitably, like a well worn, comfortable jacket. I hear pre-echos of riffs that turn up again 2 decades later in Room. Obviously Pavement-adjacent but feels extremely distinct from that. Lovely. I need to engage with more of it.
Indie-rock infused with country. Basically Wilco but worse. Way to country for my tastes.
heroin
Fun and creative indie album that was varied enough to hold my interest
Sounds like The Bloodhound Gang. But if they Bloodhound Gang was sad and whiney as fuck.
No termina de convencer, a veces es lento y otras muyyyy lento, pero aprecio que la grabación parece ser hecha sin el aporte de mucho laboratorio
2 - Sounds like every other 2000's era indie rock artist.
Silver jews never really got the attention they deserve, every album is great. Such a shame David Berman is no longer with us. R.I.P. DCB
Don't recall much about it
I haven't really found the time to write full reviews lately, but this one pisses me off so much that I just have to vent. My expectations were low, but man, what a fucking disappointment that was. Like a huge monument to mediocrity, and a bad attempt even at that. The last time I heard vocals so disconnected from any sort of musicality was at a middle school slam poetry event, and that guy still did better than whatever this album is supposed to be. The only redeeming factor is that it is just 35 minutes long, although it sure does feel way longer than that. From now on I'll stay far away from bands describing themselves as "a beautiful mess" of three of my least favorite genres.
When your lead singer sounds like that you think you'd do a bit more to cover it up but w/e 2.5
A pretty good album, expected a different sound, but what I got was a nice blend of alt-country and indie. I'm not a huge fan of indie music in general, but I am of some quality country. So this one leaned more towards the country side for me. The album is pretty light on the sonic side. There are clean and precise drum, piano and guitar sounds, with similar stuff happening on the vocal side. The vocals are well articulated and easy going. The country style and feel is well represented on this album. Everything is there, the nice easy melodies, clear vocals, down to earth struggles and real life lyrical themes. Reminded me of Johnny Cash on more than one occasion, which says a lot. I was between 3 and 4, will give it a 4 since it was a really fun and light listen.
Intriguing. I’d never heard of the band. Echoes of Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, maybe Johnny Cash, what’s not to like? Rated a 4 so I’ll come back to it.
I can't believe I got a band with Jews in the name in the same week as Kanye. That's kind of hilarious. Anyways, Bright Flight is a good album. It's not a super interesting album to me personally. I've listened to a few too many 90s/2000s indie albums for this one to really speak to me. However, I can absolutely tell that this album is one that was made with a lot of care. The style is nice. It's definitely indie, but it has some country elements that would make it stand out if it weren't for other bands like Wilco that kind of do similar things. I've also seen comparisons to Tom Waits in some of the reviews, which I didn't get much of. I can kind of see it, but as far as artists with 5 albums on this list that I'd compare this album to, I definitely got more of a Nick Cave vibe from this than anything. That's probably because of David Berman's vocals, which I think are good for the songs. The writing is pretty good. I don't think there are really any bad songs on here. It's definitely on the shorter side. I would've been okay with it being a bit longer, but I'm also totally fine with the 35 minutes we have now. This is far from my favorite album of 2001. However, I would still like to give praise to this album, because I think it deserves it. High 3/5.
Bright Flight is an album that feels like it’s constantly teetering between deadpan humor and crushing sadness, and somehow, David Berman makes that balancing act feel effortless. His voice, as always, is more of a wry, world-weary drawl than traditional singing, but that’s part of the charm—it’s like listening to a guy at the end of the bar tell stories that are equal parts poetic, absurd, and devastating. Songs like Slow Education and Let’s Not and Say We Did are beautifully lazy in that Silver Jews way, drifting along on twangy guitars and lyrics that feel like inside jokes between Berman and the universe. Then there’s Tennessee, probably the closest thing here to a proper country song, but still laced with the kind of irony and longing that makes it unmistakably his. It’s not an album that demands your attention—it just exists, unfolding at its own pace, and either you’re on its wavelength, or you’re not. The arrangements are more stripped-down than on previous Silver Jews records, making the songwriting feel even more exposed, sometimes to the point of feeling too slow or sparse. But there’s something undeniably hypnotic about Berman’s world, where love, loss, and deadpan one-liners coexist in a way that makes you laugh right before it punches you in the gut. Bright Flight might not be as immediate or iconic as American Water, but it’s still a beautiful, melancholy trip through Berman’s singular mind. It’s sad, it’s funny, and it’s got just the right amount of existential shrug. If you’re already a Silver Jews fan, it’s another chapter worth savoring. If you’re not, this probably won’t be the album to change your mind—but for those who get it, it’s a quiet masterpiece.
I find it fascinating that David Berman and Steven Malkmus played together, because Berman's vocal stylings are *so much* like Malkmus'. I wonder who developed that up and down lilt first. Anyway, this is quite good. I'm not as enamored as many folks who really got into this, but as a sort of proto-emo, I can see that particular appeal. Unexpected bangers: Time Will Break the World, Tennessee, Death of an Heir of Sorrows.
eh couldn't really get into this either. 2/5
I feel very conflicted about this album. Musically, I liked a lot of this. The vocals, however, just sound wrong at times; it’s like he does not want to be there. I feel like this would be like a 3,5/5 but I’ll round down because 4 stars is too much for this.
This was quite nice and relaxing
Different kind of sound. Singer off key. Strange music.
This is like lo fi indie country rock verging on noise rock. Complete with a singer who can't carry a tune in a bucket. The lyrics are simplistic and nonsensical. The singer, David Berman, gathered up a few members of the band Pavement to create this band. I've reviewed a few of Pavement's records on this generator, and really disliked those. I don't really know what the hell this is, but it's not great. There are fleeting glimpses of cohesion, but then the singer opens his mouth again... Favourite songs: I Remember Me, Friday Night Fever, Tennessee Least favourite songs: Time Will Break the World 2/5
Derivative 2000's indie rock unfortunately. There are far better examples of this genre, and perhaps this is not the album that is the one that's meant to showcase the band's abilities but its not very inspiring either. Nod to a bit of midwest emo in here. Country western themes too allow for a more emphatic and unique indie sounds.
This is a rather dull album with some meme-level lyrics. I have listened to it before I died.
3.75
Een soort indie variant van Tom Waits met Nick Cave, met een stukje country maar zonder de goedkope country teksten. Ook wat Bob Dylan eigenschappen, maar in dit geval is het wél nog om aan te horen, ondanks dat hij dus soms wat dissonant klinkt. Soms wat bluesy, waarbij de artiest daadwerkelijk zo blue was dat 'ie de hand aan zichzelf heeft geslagen. En hoe rustig het album over het algemeen ook is, er wordt af en toe echt wel een lekker stukje muziek gemaakt. Een heerlijke productie om naar te luisteren, waarbij alle instrumenten (het zijn er niet zoveel, maar dat is geen probleem) allemaal geweldig klinken. Helder maar toch warm, lekker ruimtelijk. 35 minuutjes is ook niet teveel. Het zal niet m'n minst controversiële 5 zijn, maar ik ga hem wel uitdelen.
I just kept waiting for something interesting to happen. It's musically not terrible, but it's not very interesting.
Not interested in this
Beautiful bluesy and broken. That’s the kind of album I come to associate with this list.
boring ass néné
I'd.previously heard of Berman but never listened to Silver Jews before. So this is a fantastic find for me; I really liked it. I think Berman's voice really works well with the music, but I actually thought the instrumental Transylvania Blues was the standout. Was in the mood for this today, so I'm going to give it a 5.
Not terrible, but not particularly good either. “Transylvania Blues” was a welcome break from the dull vocals (both male and female vocals btw). Even some of the guitar riffs were questionable a variety of times. Some interesting mix of styles and some weird lyrics. I’ve heard worse, but I won’t venture into any of their other albums. 2 because it’s a bit samey with the vocals, singing style and lyrics.
Dude can't sing
Not a fan.
Had too much of a country sound for me
Like Lou Reed but worse. Very dreary
malkmus? i'm in.
More like beige Jews this is so bland, geezer can’t sing either
Was not a fan.
I was so happy when this ended and an REM song came on.
Utter mumbling garbage, didn't make it past the third song.
Some of these songs are pretty good, but some of these songs are just so verbose. At various points throughout the runtime it feels like they’re trying to be confusing on purpose. In the hopes of being seen as sophisticated? It just comes off as annoying. I liked most of it, though. Solid enough. 4/5
I know nothing about this. Is it hipster country? The music doesn’t seem to match the vocals. Voice is strong and distinct. Songs are fragments. It’s like a less nerdy Beck or a less cool Supersuckers.
A intimate and honest record with vivid imagery. Lyrically focused, vocal-front music with a loose-feeling indie rock supporting cast that also has some rootsy vibes. Bermanmay not have a traditional “good” voice, but it’s perfect for the music he’s creating. You can feel his melancholy, loneliness, despair, and occasional slight glimmer of hope. However it can get dull, particularly if the lyrics don’t pull you in.
This sounds like country music but done ironically by someone from New Jersey. Not bad, I think guitar and so on are great. This sound is reminiscent of Bojack Horseman to me idk.
To be completely reductive for the uninitiated, this is like a country Elliot Smith. Brilliant lyrics, clever songwriting, borderline catchy. Slightly upbeat melodies partially obscure the darkness (and foreshadowing) of the words. Berman was a modern day poet, and this was one of his great achievements.
smarmy and simple indie rock music. the vocals especially remind me of something johnny cash would put out in his final years. he almost sounds bored. not sure if i'm feeling this one too much, it's a very quiet sound and it doesn't do too much to keep me interested for long. some of the lyrics are interesting, but it's just... blah. sorry.
I enjoyed this for the smart lyrics and the quality of the songwriting.
Not sure. Very light and soft. No grit
not what is expected. a more country album than I thought it would be. Needs another listen
Give me Gold Palestinians instead… NEXT 1/10
a kitten with from Great Britain sleeps behind the drapes an old silver bowl filled with apples and grapes. Highlights: I Remember Me The Font on the Cover of the Album death of an heir of sorrows I don't like it. but i really buy the premise that this inspired a lot of better music.
It wasn't awful but the music was just boring to me and so was his voice
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.
This just sounds so generic. Nothing standing out from this one. I think some of the more “modern” albums just got here because either the author liked them or somehow the band paid him. No disrespect, I just don’t think this should’ve taken up a place from more influencial records
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
Pre: No expectations going in. A quick look at Spotify shows other Silver Jews albums as significantly more popular. Was a bit worried this was going to be a deeper cut and more inaccessible. Post: Exactly the sort of album I worry the 1001 will be packed with; the kind where I can't at all hear what the fans hear. Drab speak-singing vocals over adequate guitars elicits nothing in me, in spite of poetic lyrics. Reminds me of the soundtrack for numerous crap mid-00s indie films I watched as a teen. 1000 albums to go. Presumably it can only get better.
Pre: I've been meaning to listen to more Silver Jews as they are a band I have heard enough songs I've liked but I've typically bounced off each album I've listened to so far. I also did not realise until checking the background of this that Stephen Malkmus was a founding member! I can't remember how I first heard about Silver Jews but I know I started listening to them after the Courtney Barnett cover of We Could be Looking for the Same Thing. Post: I think one of my takeaways of this is that I'm not a huge fan of David Berman's vocals. My favourite moments are when either he is not singing or someone else is on vocals. Thinking about it this makes sense how my most listened to songs by them are either group vocals or through a cover. I was surprised how much of this I would say is country, I always placed them as mostly folk and indie rock. It seems to lean closer to country for the second half but sadly this is where it starts to leave my interest. Maybe I'll come back to this album for the first few songs but it's unlikely I'll want to revisit the latter half. Highlight: Slow Education
Not what I had expected going in. Never listened to them before.
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.
while i'm glad that others found this a rewarding listen, to me it felt insipid and uninspired. sure would have been nice for the singer to actually, y'know, sing. these early aughts indie-albums-with-a-fill-in-the-blank-twist (in this case, country) are a dime a dozen so i'm not losing any sleep over this one failing to excite. the best song on here is transylvania blues, if only because it sounds nothing like the others favorites: i remember me, transylvania blues
Slow education, starting off religious. His heavy voice with the brightness of the woman’s that come in is a beautiful pairing. The instrumentation seems very secondary to the lyrics on this one, somewhat sloppy in a good way, to match the lead vocal. So it’s about doubting religion??, and growing up and feeling like you’ve been lied to?? and it leads to the idea of death :( I love how childish and also deep cut the chorus is. Talking about being part of all the elements and knowing “i’m not the same” after being enlightened in whatever way. Room Games, such a romantic opening “i’m gonna love you for a hundred years, through suffering and celebration dear”. This is a gorgeous understated indie love song. oh my lord “we’re gonna die till it doesn’t hurt, then they can bury us side by side” it may seem like it’s been said before, but for me he’s just set such a high standard of lyrical ability! that’s stunningly heartbreaking. The guitar solo is precious, the drums are such so stable and the vocals are not perfect in a brilliant way. Time Will Break The World, greaaaat title. Another Ab Lincoln mention. I resonate with “the snow falls down so beautiful and stupid”. I think this must be about government or obviously just the state of the world in 2001, “And i have no idea what drives you mister, But i’ve killed you in my mind so many times before.” A big statement. I remember me, he’s a romantic. and a beautiful writer. “And they slow danced so the needle wouldn’t skip, Until the room was filled with light.” Followed by “The sunshine walking inside you, And the man you could see in me” has made me tear up. Oh god my heart just broke “when a runaway truck hit him where he stood”, “so deep in his coma, when he finally came to the girl he loved was long gone”. what a sad but great storyline! “I remember her, i remember then, i’m just remembering” Horseleg Swastikas, makes me nervous kinda title. I’ve been thinking he gives me a Johnny Cash vibe and this song has solidified that. This is indie country. “And i wanna be like water if i can, cause water doesn’t give a damn” Transylvania Blues, is a nice instrumental break but i miss his lyricism lol. Let’s Not and Say We Did It, also great title, drums are the starrrr of the show. Incredible rhythm, such a fast pace. This is a fun and silly song i like it. Piano is great too, sounding very honkytonk. “we can ride all day in a one course open sleigh, and that’s exactly what we did”, such a good ending. I heard a little chuckle in the mix too. Tennessee, “i’ll make a career, out of writing sad songs and getting paid by the tear”!!! i love his honesty. “Marry me and…come to tennessee, cause you’re the only ten i see” brilliant. Oh the woman’s responding now, she has a small section but a great one. “Because the dead do not improve”, this is true but in my head also harsh, i think that the memories of a person can become a better legacy than people thought when they were here. Hindsight sometimes signs such a big amount of love. Friday Night Fever, a song simply about the need to be independent. And it’s true and great. “Sometimes a man just needs a breather, She knows i love her and i need her, I’ve just got that friday night fever”. Women feel the same. Death, last song. He continues to be so sad and sweet. “We’d never been promised there will be a tomorrow, So let’s just call it the death of an heir of sorrows.” “I wish I had a new pair of boots, But mostly i wish, i wish i was with you”. This is a 5 and i was not expecting it at all. I had no idea what I was in for. Ive learnt that David Berman never really liked to do live shows and I’ve just learnt that David Berman is dead and a real part of me is sad. I had hope I could see him live. He’s new favourite songwriter of mine. And i hope that the other two members of the band are well.
country but punk? I like it!
It didn't exactly command my full attention but it was decent enough. Some nice lyrics.
Don’t get it, lo-if bad folk
Really had a hard time getting through this one with this singer's particular vocal and lyrical style. I don't like alt country enough to rescue it.
Everything Berman ever did is amazing. I don’t know if it’s exactly a good time listening to it but it’s also all elevated when you learn the backstory of everything surrounding it. He and his work are mythological for a reason. But I am convinced it contains magical incantations and if I listen to it too much I will also kill myself.
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
I messaged my friend who really likes this band "isn't life hard enough?" and received a response explaining that there's another, even more depressing and harder to listen to, album that's good but difficult. For me, life is already hard enough and the flat vocals are difficult in a different way.
Interesting but didn't really hold my interest - never a good sign when you hear a good one and go to check what it's called and realize it's actually Spotify shuffling similar artists after the albums finished lol
I actually quite liked this but the songs are so similar that a full album felt like too much
This was the second time I had listened to this album, and I enjoyed it a lot more this time round.
didn’t like country (country?) in the first place. i don’t know how else to say this. i fucking hate this guys voice. i imagine this is how everyone who doesn’t like leonard cohen and lou reed feel about leonard cohen and lou reed. but oh my god, i can’t listen to a single one of these songs with a smile on my face. get me out of here. and why the hell does it sound like he’s singing INTO my ear canal. BACK UP FROM THE MIC BUDDY. OR SING A TUNE. HELP MEEEEE. anyway. not a fan, the music is okay, but like, jesus christ. he sounds bored in every single song or sleepy or stupid and ugly. i’m lowkey giving this a 1, had a hard time finishing which i think is a sign there wasn’t really any part of this i would bump it to a 2 for. i guess it wasn’t like offensive or like grating. but man. eugh.
Pre-listening thoughts: no clue who or what this is gonna be Post/during listening thoughts: yo who is on lead vocals and is he half asleep singing? It sounds like he's bored of his own material. Lowkey this is how I feel about the lead singer of The National too. It's like indie music that seems to bore the band itself. Well, count me bored too. There is little distinction between songs. They all sound the same. 3/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no Fav tracks: Let's Not And Say We Did Least fav tracks: Time Will Break the World
I know it's mumbly miserable stuff... but I really enjoyed this. I don't think it's "great" but I'm more likely to listen to this again than many of the other things on this list.
Strange fusion between country and indie that just starts and remains flat all throughout. The dull vocals certainly didn't help. "Tennessee" can't be a real song either.
Was not at all expecting Silver Jews to show up on this. What a pleasant surprise. I listened to this album all day and what a joy and a delight. Perfect!
I’ve never heard of Silver Jews before, nor this album, so I have no idea of what to expect when I listen to this. I see the reviews for Bright Flight are… shall we say, less than favorable? Outside of this project, I don’t really have a lot of experience with indie rock from this era, and the things I’ve listened to so far have been pretty hit or miss with me, so I’m heading into this album with middle-of-the-road expectations. As I listened to Bright Flight, I waffled back and forth between not liking it and finding it okay. It took me a minute to get used to the vocals, but once I did, I was able to appreciate them more. The stripped-down arrangements were done well, but aside from a few songs, I didn’t find anything particularly interesting or enjoyable about this album. However, I thought the songwriting was pretty good, and there were some fairly clever lyrics. The line “Everybody's going down on themselves, No ‘pardon me's’ or ‘fare thee well’s’ in the end” was probably my favorite line on the whole album. “Transylvania Blue” was my favorite song on the album. I really enjoyed the moodiness and atmosphere to the sound, and it really stood out from the rest of the songs. “Let’s Not and Say We Did” stood out too; I enjoyed its upbeat tempo, the percussion, and the piano melody. Other than that, though, I really wasn’t into this album very much. I didn’t think Bright Flight was bad per se, but it’s definitely different than the type of music that I tend to gravitate towards, and it didn’t do enough to stand out.
Mostly dull, although there are some nice parts.
Silver Jews - Bright Flight It's a country album and it sounds mostly alright at least. Personally, i'm not a huge country fan honestly, so some of them were just, a bit odd to listen... However, it does have it's good moments (especially Transylvania Blues, even though it's the only track he doesn't sing on it, it has a lot to offer sonically speaking). Overall however, this is decent. 1.- Slow Education = 8/10 2.- Room Games and Diamond Rain = 7/10 3.- Time Will Break The World = 6/10 4.- I Remember Me = 7/10 5.- Horseleg Swastikas = 7/10 6.- Transylvania Blues = 9/10 7.- Let's Not and Say We Did = 6/10 8.- Tennessee = 5/10 9.- Friday Night Fever = 6/10 10.- Death of an Heir of Sorrows = 7/10 FINAL SCORE: 6.8/10
I like other Silver Jews albums better
pretty good stuff, excited to check out their other albums
Well, that sucked.
Got some Neil Young and David Byrne vibes from this one. I appreciated the simple imperfection of the whole album.
it grew on me
Someone forgot to take their lithium! This album should come with an 800# for the Samaritans on it. I ❤️ Silver Jews. Sad country and sad indie are two of my favorite styles and so this is like Reeses peanut butter cups for my ears: two great tastes that go great together! But they are also the GG Allin of low-fi country rock because you can tell it's going to end badly, in fact they're telling you directly, and it's hard to look away. Hadn't heard this one before but played it three times in a row, I loved it so much. This album, like the others I have heard, would make a great test of a psychotherapist's professional ethics: how many songs does it take before the shrink is compelled to intervene? Also, "I want to be like water if I can...because water doesn't give a damn" - what a great line! Their lyrics jazz me up to where it's distracting. Unexpected rhymes are good times! I can't wait to read what my poet sister thinks of them.
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.
Not too bothered
lyrics have depth but singer sounds like a stoned Lou Reed
#462. About as interesting as an underseasoned and overcooked steak. 2/5: gray Song added to playlist: Room Games and Diamond Rain I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
I couldn't get through the first track of this absolute garbage.
I guess it was a good thing that I procrastinated on this one a bit, especially when I'm feeling pretty down. It scratches that specific depressive itch really well, especially in it's first half where most of the songs are just beautifully made and written (if sad as they come). The later half that goes more country with it I'm less interested in but it's still enjoyable. I think it will grow on me
Fine. A couple boring songs.
It has its moments.
# 389 : Dull and lifeless - Another album in my 1001 albums to AVOID before you die
Ik vind het eigenlijk niet zo heel mooi gezongen. De man is wat saai en de vrouw een beetje vals of zo. Melodie is ook niet heel bijzonder, maar ik kan het wel luisteren.
sad love songs by a guy who could barely sing. its compelling and country and funny and wry. its a good love album when youve got the friday fever.
Time Will Break The World is more spoken word than music, which is always a pet peeve. Death of an Heir of Sorrows is a really poignant song. This is probably worth a second effort.
Dull.
Kom skemmtilega á óvart.
Þetta er það sem ég elska í plötuleiknum, uppgötva eitthvað nýtt. Aldrei hlustað á Silver Jews, samt voru Malkmus og Bob úr Pavement upphaflega í henni. Frábært indírokk, rúllar mjög þæglega. Mjög góð vinnutónlist.
Best: Transylvania Blues Worst: Tennessee Liked songs: 50% Mid to high 2 Shocker, but the more indie rock it gets the more I like it and the more country it gets i don't. Given the very limited country I've listened to though, it's some of the best.
unlistenable; not even funny bad
Reminds me some of Bill Callahan, but I found this overly boring compared to thatm. The lyrics aren't inspired enough for me to get past the talk-singing that is offered here. It has some cool country influences, but ultimately is a stereotypical indie rock record.
Someone else I've never quite gotten around to, although I did listen to his Purple Mountains album.
Bright Flight is pretty miserable in sound and content, just morose bluegrass country stuff. Voice is alright (he thinks he's Johnny Cash at times) but the whole thing is just a bit too plodding and depressing for me to care about. Another 2.
This was not very Christmassy. Miserable man singing about miserable things miserably. Doesn't have a good enough voice to allow for it being that front and centre of the production, and doesn't have good enough lyrics to make you not really care about it. 2/5.
Sounded like country. Don’t like country.
Overall: 4/10 Honestly, what are you supposed to expect from a band called "Silver Jews". Well, country-tinged indie folk wouldn't have been my first guess but I'm not complaining! Or at least, I wasn't complaining at first. This is the kind of music that I tend to like in shorr bursts, but an entire album of the same nasally monotone voice gets really grating on the ears after a while. The music behind that voice is actually pretty great but one thing I'm realizing by doing this list is that vocals seem to be incredibly important to me when it comes to how much I enjoy an artist. Fav Song: Transylvania Blues Least Fav Song: Let's Not and Say We Did
Odd and interesting
hehe Jews... Oh fuck not sure if I can hang. The first words were "When god was young" Okay it wasn't religious. I'll keep listening. 2 sars.
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.
I found this extremely boring and weary, except for "Transylvania Blues". Most of the album was too slow and plodding for me, and I really disliked the singer's voice. 1.5 rounded up
No one deserves a country indie rock album.
Put your back into it, mate. C'mon.
Did not listen
4/5. At first, I thought this was going to be a pretentious album and although there is that energy there, the lyrics and vocals imply intense sadness. There is a twinge of hope but more realistic than optimistic. This album is full of emotion and the songs are well written. I would not want to listen to this on a bad night, challenges those thoughts. It's simple melodies and although not great singing, I don't really think that's the point. I enjoyed the listening experience. Best Song: I Remember Me, Tennessee, Slow Education
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.
I'm sure there's a great album out there that has drunken speak singing over the top of a generic backing track. This is not that album.
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.
I think you had to be there. 2/5
2.5
His biggest drawback is he can't sing. Lyrically pretty good but why not listen to Nick Cave instead? I found it a bit tedious/flat/samey.
The best parts are when the guy isn’t singing, but even those are only ok.
Wish there was more stephen malkmus
Fine but a little boring
Can’t say that I enjoyed. It was pretty standard early 2000s alt that is not really my jam
Boring, depressing indie rock sung with almost indifference. I thought it was satirical at first given the singer's bored inflection and sarcastic lyrics. Music wasn't bad i suppose, just nothing catchy enough to bring me back.
I really liked the music, and the lead singer has a great speaking voice, but he doesn't sing with it. Or rather, he doesn't know how to as an attempt is made. This could have been really good.
Laid back low-key indie. Nothing exciting here really
not bad, i enjoyed some songs. overall, the sound isnt necessarily for me, but still nice.
Why on earth did this make the list? This is awful.
"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.
Quite the surprise. I’m not a big fan of county, but I love alternative, so this really hit a sweet spot for me. I noticed that many reviewers called it boring, and I just don’t get it. Can you really make a comment like that if you’ve been on a string of electronica I wonder?
Rating: 7/10 He might be an awful singer, but there is a genuine nature to the music that resonates with me.
First time hearing the band, having moved from indie in the mid 90’s. The 1st 30 seconds I thought oh no, but by the end of the track hooked. Poetic, low-fi, country tinged.
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.
Rather liked it. Made me poke around in their discography, so there's that. Is it something I needed or that I feel is an important bit in music's (recent) history? No. A strong 4.
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
"Bright Flight" is the fourth album by American indie rock band Silver Jews. Silver Jews are led by vocalist and guitarist David Berman. Other bandmembers included Berman's wife Cassie Berman (vocals, bass), William Tyler (guitar, vocals), Mike Fellows (bass), Tim Barnes (drums, percussion), Paul Niedhaus (pedal steel guitar) and Tony Crow (piano, organ, synthesizers, vocals). The album was recorded in Nashville as the Bermans had just moved there from Kentucky. Piano keys and David Berman's low voice opens "Slow Education." Berman's voice is half-singing and half-talking. The pedal steel guitar in this song and many of the songs on the album give an alt-country vibe. Nice backing vocals by Cassie. I think he's talking about the imperfection of human nature. Things get darker with the guitar and Berman's voice and lyrics in "Time Will Break the World." This feels like Southern gothic. Berman has apocalyptic visions including heinous acts by his Father. "I Remember Me" starts out sparse with a strumming guitar and soft beat. A young love is born, lost during a coma and then remembered. The music follows the lyrics and picks up when he remembers. "Tennessee" is an autobiographical song as David gets his girl, Cassie, leaves Kentucky and moves to Nashville. Light acoustic guitar and Cassie contributes as co-lead vocalists with David. The album ends on a down note with "Death of an Heir of Sorrows." Softer music. David's deadpan voice tells the story of the death of his friend and writer Robert Bingham. The overriding musical style on the album was alt-country with the steel pedal and acoustic guitars; no surprise given the Bermans had just moved to Nashville. The music combined with lyrics and vocals was also very Southern gothic. Berman's lyrics are poetic with images of Americana and also very personal hinting at drug addiction and depression. Berman would attempt suicide a few years after this album. Every Silver Jews' album is worth a listen and this is a very good one.
A little twangy for my tastes but I liked the energy, more of a six-I-see
If someone got into my car while this was playing, I'd be a little embarrassed.
Bronze star for the silver news
Tää meni tällaiseen yleisindieosastoon mulla. Vähän tyhjäksi imetty laari tämä. 2/5
Keskimääräistä kiinnostavampi saundi, mut ei ihan klikannut siinä määrin että neloseen pääsisi. 3/5
Tanning beds explode with rich women inside …
Interesting choice. Interesting lyrics. Another tragic story. But another meh.
this is the scariest part of my Halloween by far
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
At first I really hated this and wondered why it was included on the list. Then I started to hate it less. Still, I won’t listen again.
shit
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
It just feels generic. Like anyone could have made it at the time. Nothing distinct. Mundane and uninspired.
5/10 Do not like the vocals
Gives me country vibes in a bad way
Country, folksy, relaxing. Recommended them to dad
Feels artsy for the sake of being artsy.
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
Mediocre honky tonk, painfully cliche puns, and a vocalist (I refuse to call him a singer, mumbler maybe) who sounds like he would commit suicide, if only he could muster up the energy to pull the trigger.
This isn’t a bad album but it’s not for me. I just found it boring mostly. I figured I was almost done with it when I looked and saw I was only on the third song. So for a relatively short album I was done with it about three songs 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.
Kind of a clonky album that had me immediately thinking about Pavement. Oh funny, I read the bio as I was writing this review and I guess this band is strongly tied with two members to Pavement. So that made a lot more sense. I don't particularly like the weird "low-fi" sound particularly of the vocals in Pavement and now this band. I really don't find the lyrics profound or even interesting. Is it supposed to be ironic? Melodic? Really falls quite flat though it's not the worst!
I put more effort into blowing my nose than Silver Jews put into its album. Slacker music used to seem so much cooler. I shouldn't be surprised, this is exactly the garbage you'd expect Stephen Malkmus to be involved with.
David Berman might not be very good at coming up with band names. Or writing lyrics. Or singing. Ok, occasionally he comes up with a gem of a lyric. But those gems are hard to uncover wading through muck like “you’re the only Ten-I-see.” He’s a poet, don’t you know it? Is it satire? Tongue-in-cheek? Is the intention for me to laugh out loud? “Transylvania Blues” has a great sound, though. Probably helped that it was an instrumental.
I like the lo fi sound but does anyone else feel like it was a hallmark of this time in indie folk that male lead singers be kind of crappy vocalists? Also the lyrics leave something to be desired although they did make me laugh out loud. Several songs were very stream of consciousness meets elementary school poetry where things have to rhyme but not make sense (Time Will Break the World was the funniest to me containing gems such as "A kitten from Great Britain" and "tanning beds explode with rich women inside").
It’s difficult to think of a more unexciting voice. Get a new singer or use autotune. Anything to mask the boring.
The second half of this album is much more interesting than the first half. Much better than I expected
Have never been quite as big a fan of Silver Jews as I'd expect myself to be
Forgettable noise.
Did not like at all
first half pretty comfy, second half not quite as potent