Silver Jews Albums (6)
'Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea'
Release Date 6/6/2008
Tracks 10
Label Drag City
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Whether its songs were autobiographical or not, Tanglewood Numbers carried the weight of the hard times David Berman survived before making the album. By contrast, Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea is one of the Silver Jews' lightest albums, at times surpassing the most playful moments of Starlite Walker and American Water. Berman's sly sense of humor has always been a vital -- maybe even the most vital -- ingredient in the Silver Jews' music, but some of the songs here are so goofy, at least on the surface, they might put off fans who want him to be only a serious writer or wry raconteur. "Party Barge" opens with gleefully fake seagull sound effects and just gets wackier from there, with Berman and his wife, Cassie, trading off lyrics like "Send me your coordinates and I'll send a Saint Bernard." Yet even the silliest-seeming songs aren't trivial -- and like most Silver Jews songs, they're eminently quotable: the album's longest and wildest song, "San Francisco B.C.," a six-minute epic involving an ex-girlfriend who is a "vocal martyr in the vegan press," has almost as many narrative developments as a small novel; "Candy Jail" may have fittingly sugary marimba melodies, but the first words out of Berman's mouth are "pain works on a sliding scale." The darkness that drove much of Tanglewood Numbers resurfaces from time to time on Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea, sometimes in strange places, like the breakneck story-song "Aloysius, Bluegrass Drummer," where a star-crossed romance with a very hungry country singer and the mysterious "region 10" combine in surreal, sinister ways. However, even on the album's most inward-looking song, the gorgeous "My Pillow Is the Threshold," which explores the night life of dreaming, that darkness feels like it's been put into a more manageable perspective. Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea also boasts a few quintessential Silver Jews songs, including the opening track, "What Is Not But Could Be If," a lonesome, open-ended musing where the rumble of Berman's slightly frail baritone sounds like the missing link between Johnny Cash and Calvin Johnson. "Suffering Jukebox" is another classic from its title onward; written in sympathy of the mostly ignored jukeboxes in honky tonks everywhere, it's just another example of how the Silver Jews find imaginative perspectives on classic country sounds and imagery. They go a step farther on "We Could Be Looking for the Same Thing," delivering a love song sweet and straightforward enough to be a hit in a parallel country-pop universe, lyrics like "I hope I don't come across as a coyote in your eyes" and all. Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea reveals more poetic, as well as playful, layers with each listen -- and above all, underscores what an inviting songwriter Berman is, whether he's taking a darker or lighter approach. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Back after a much-too-long four-year absence -- during which David Berman struggled with substance abuse, depression, and a suicide attempt -- the Silver Jews return with Tanglewood Numbers, an album full of the wry, insightful storytelling for which the band is beloved, as well as some striking differences. The album's polished sound will come as something of a surprise to fans who have been around since the Starlite Walker days, as will Berman's urgent vocals on tracks like "Sometimes a Pony Gets Depressed." However, these changes work in the album's favor and give an anthemic heft to the most gripping moments, most of which are about confronting troubles and fears head-on: On the album's opening track, "Punks in the Beerlight"'s "burnouts in love" fight to stay that way even when it gets really, really bad; "There Is a Place" closes Tanglewood Numbers by moving from despair to hope with a thrilling, white-knuckle chant of "I saw God's shadow on this world." But, even on the album's most desperate, searching songs, Berman's unfailing eye for detail remains, and Tanglewood Numbers is populated with young black Santa Clauses, girls in special economic zones, and guys who work in airport bars. Funny couplets like "Sleeping Is the Only Love"'s "I heard they were taming the shrew/I heard the shrew was you" and lighter, more typically rollicking Silver Jews tracks such as "Animal Shapes" and "How Can I Love You if You Won't Lie Down" keep Tanglewood Numbers from sounding too much like a recovery journal (not to mention that Berman is too talented a writer to need to rely on strictly autobiographical subject matter). Nevertheless, the dark undercurrent that runs through the album makes sweet moments like these all the sweeter. Hopefully the circumstances around Tanglewood Numbers will never repeat themselves, but there's no denying that this is a uniquely powerful and moving set of songs. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
As comforting as an old sweater, the Silver Jews return with Bright Flight, another collection of David Berman's witty, poignant, somehow reassuring songs. Though the easygoing sound of this album is in keeping with the rest of Berman's work, the Silver Jews' mercurial lineup affects the feel of each album. This time, Berman's sweetheart, Cassie Marrett, handles the backing vocal duties instead of sometime-Silver Jew Stephen Malkmus, who was presumably too busy with the Jicks to lend his services this time around. Consequently, Bright Flight bears more than a passing resemblance to The Natural Bridge, the other Silver Jews album recorded without Malkmus; though the group is definitely Berman's project, both The Natural Bridge and Bright Flight feel more like solo albums than collaborative efforts. Basking in the warm production and pedal steel guitars of Nashville -- where Berman relocated to record the album -- Bright Flight doesn't try to match the off-the-cuff sparkle of albums like American Water. Instead, the album's polished sound draws more attention to Berman's drawling voice and witty-yet-earnest lyrics, which ranges from silly puns like "Horseleg Swastikas"' "Water doesn't give a damn" to evocative images like "Time Will Break the World"'s "My horse's legs look like four brown shotguns." Many more examples abound on nearly every song (except the instrumental, "Transylvania Blues," natch) but it's not necessary to follow Berman's wordplay to enjoy the music. Songs like "Slow Education," "Room Games and the Diamond Rain," and "Tennessee" spotlight the Silver Jews at their singalong best; the brooding "Time Will Break the World" finds Berman at his most political; and "Let's Not and Say We Did" and "Friday Night Fever" add that slightly goofy sense of humor that makes every Silver Jews album that much more fun. Though it's not as essential as Starlite Walker or American Water, having another Silver Jews album is like having another birthday -- it's better than not having one. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
American Water, the Silver Jews' third full-length release, reunites David Berman and Stephen Malkmus and adds new members Mike Fellows, Tim Barnes, and Chris Stroffolino. Named after a poster Berman saw at his veterinarian's office for American Water Spaniels, the album boasts some of the Jews' best arrangements and playing, from the flute and brass-tinged "Random Rules" to the driven but eloquent guitars on "Night Society" to the wah-wah friendly, '70s-style pop of "People." American Water also varies in tempo and mood more than any Silver Jews album since Starlite Walker. "Send in the Clouds" and "Smith & Jones Forever" gallop along, while "We Are Real" and "The Wild Kindness" stroll. Though most of the album's lyrics aren't as personal as those on The Natural Bridge, they still feature Berman's detailed wit, like this couplet from "People": "The drums march along at the clip of an IV drip/Like sparks from a muffler dragged down the strip." The tight, sunny-sounding production sparkles on songs like "Honk if You're Lonely Tonight," and Berman's and Malkmus' twin vocals brighten songs like "Blue Arrangements" and "Federal Dust." As with all of the Jews' best work, American Water sounds like it was made for the band's own enjoyment, and the listener is just eavesdropping on their fun. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The Silver Jews' 1996 recording, The Natural Bridge continues the band's shift from their early, sprawling racket into a smooth foil for David Berman's laid-back vocals and evocative lyrics. When sessions with original Jews Stephen Malkmus and Bob Nastanovich and with members of the Scud Mountain Boys didn't work out the way Berman hoped, they were scrapped; the final version of The Natural Bridge was recorded in the summer of 1996 at Hartford, CT's Studio .45, which was originally a gun factory. New Radiant Storm King's Peyton Pinkerton and Matt Hunter, Drag City producer/sessionman Rian Murphy, and keyboardist Michael Deming joined Berman in this version of the Jews' lineup, resulting in a more spacious sound than on any of the group's previous recordings. The Natural Bridge is also darker than the band's previous work, with lyrics like "I think we may be losing now/Please guard my bed" from "Pet Politics" and "Burnout tramp/Waits by the ramp/For one more car" from "Ballad of Reverend War Character." However, this darkness blends and contrasts with the wry, wistful "Dallas" and "Pretty Eyes." "The Frontier Index" combines jokes and a beautiful, descending guitar line for a really nice mix of ideas and emotion. Though The Natural Bridge lacks some of the immediacy of the Jews' earlier work, and Berman's voice slips into a monotone occasionally, this album offers some of the Silver Jews' finest moments. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Starlite Walker is a first for the Silver Jews on many levels. Not only is it the group's first full-length album, it's also the first recorded in a full-fledged studio -- Memphis' 24-track Easley Recordings -- as well as the first collection of songs penned almost entirely by Berman. The album's lyrical and musical richness comes partly from Berman's retreat to the woods of Oxford, MS in preparation for the record, and partly from the understated, intimate production. As a result, Starlite Walker collects some of the Jews' most diverse and affecting songs. Wry lyrics like "I just got back from a dream attack" from "Trains Across the Sea" and "On the last day of your life/Don't forget to die" from "Advice to the Graduate" let Berman's easygoing charm come to the front, while jangly and crunchy guitars, Malkmus' backing vocals, and Nastanovich's steady drumming punctuate his observations. Though Starlite Walker is a more low-key, reflective affair than the Silver Jews' EPs, the album benefits from it, combining the laid-back experimentalism of the Jews' early work with more sophisticated and expressive songwriting. "Advice to the Graduate" and "New Orleans" turn from humorous to poignant with a simple chord change; "Rebel Jew" draws on the group's affection for country music; and instrumentals like "The Moon is Number 18" and "The Silver Pageant" add to the relaxed, homespun feel of the album. Repeated listening just enhances Starlite Walker's warm, off-the-cuff appeal. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
