MattZ Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 I've had a few days with this release now, and I can't stop playing it. The first spin was a bit of a head scratcher. I didn't really get it and felt below par. But something clicked and now I love it. Putting the needle down on the album is like stepping into another world. There's nothing like escaping into a Silver Jews album. Open Field. It works! Maybe if someone else wrote that song, I'd think it was crap and turn it off. But when David Berman does it, it just works for me. Same with Candy Jail and Party Barge and, well, every other tune on there. Dang, I love this guy. Got a lot of chatterboxes in this crowd... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GtrPlyr Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 I first heard the MP3 version of this a few months back. First listen through revealed some standout tracks, but I wasn't blown away. By the 2nd or 3rd though, I was loving it almost as much as the last one. The sound of the MP3s weren't all that great so I decided to give it a rest until the CD was released. Picked up the CD when it came out and have been spinning it on a consistent basis: once, sometimes twice a day. There's something about Dave's voice, music and lyrics that just work for me. Listening to his records is like hanging out with a cool friend that likes good music and tells smart and funny stories. Sure, you might not always know what he's going on about but you enjoy the company nevertheless. I had this playing the other day and the girlfriend commented that he sorta reminded her of Johnny Cash. I guess the combination of the deep voice and country tones of this new one lend itself to that comparison somewhat. She also seemed to like the later part of the record the most, particularly stuff like Party Barge--catchy guitar parts and seagulls... you can't go wrong there . On a side note, I like that there's a chord chart included with the disc so you can strum along. That's a nice touch. I'll have to give it a go sometime. Thanks to your thread I have this playing yet again. p.s. I know what you mean about Open Field. You look at the lyrics and you think, this shouldn't work. If I wrote it I probably would've put it in the reject pile. I have a philosophy regarding songwriting that the way you deliver a song--particularly the sound of your voice: the phrasing, the conviction, the emotion in it--holds more importance on the overall impact to a listener than the lyrics. Someone like Dylan of course has the lyrics and the delivery--which makes him the double threat that he is. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ikol Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Open Field. It works! Maybe if someone else wrote that song, I'd think it was crap and turn it off. But when David Berman does it, it just works for me. I thought I read in an interview that someone else wrote that song. But yeah, the new album is great. Berman writes some of the cleverest/funniest lyrics. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wendy Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 I'm right on board with you all in the "3 times" department. But all Silver Jews were like that with me. I was listening again last night, humming along while re-building my iTunes folder since my PC died recently. Here's an interview by Greg Locke (Fort Wayne music critic and huge Silver Jews fan) held with David Berman recently. He said there would be more. http://greglocke.today.com/interviews/davi...interview-no-1/ ... and Greg also mentioned Pitchfork TV "Juan's Basement" had a bunch of Silver Jews videos and interviews Here's one song "Candy Jail." This link gets you to Pitchfork TV to see the others. http://www.pitchfork.tv/juans-basement Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted June 23, 2008 Author Share Posted June 23, 2008 that just about made my day. Thanks Wendy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GtrPlyr Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 I thought I read in an interview that someone else wrote that song. But yeah, the new album is great. Berman writes some of the cleverest/funniest lyrics.You're right, it was written by a Japanese musician named Maher Shalal Hash Baz. You can hear his version here: http://hypem.com/track/543823/Maher+Shalal...+Baz-Open+Field Quote Link to post Share on other sites
winter party person Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Pitchfork sort of trashed it but i think im going to go ahead and buy this anyway...i love the silver jews. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted June 25, 2008 Author Share Posted June 25, 2008 Coming to a town near you: Silver Jews - 2008 Tour Dates08/28 Milo Columbus, OH 08/29 Beachland Ballroom Cleveland, OH 08/30 William Pitt Union Assembly Pittsburgh, PA 08/31 Crofoot Pontiac, MI 09/02 Lee's Palace Toronto, ON,CAN 09/03 La Sala Rossa Montreal, QC,CAN 09/04 Iron Horse Music Hall Northampton, MA 09/05 Middle East Boston, MA 09/06 Music Hall of Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY 09/07 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY 09/09 First Unitarian Church Philadelphia, PA 09/10 Black Cat Washington, DC 09/11 Cat's Cradle Carrboro, NC 09/12 Grey Eagle Asheville, NC 09/13 Variety Atlanta, GA 09/14 Jack Rabbits Jacksonville, FL 09/15 The Social Orlando, FL 09/16 Club Downunder Tallahassee, FL 09/17 One Eyed Jack's New Orleans, LA 09/18 Walter's on Washington Houston, TX 09/19 Emo's Austin, TX 09/20 Hailey's Denton, TX 09/22 Plush Tucson, AZ 09/23 Casbah San Diego, CA 09/26 Echoplex Los Angeles, CA 09/27 Fernwood Resort Big Sur, CA09/30 Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR 10/02 Neumo's Seattle, WA 10/03 Neurolux Boise, ID 10/04 Urban Lounge Salt Lake City, UT 10/05 Bluebird Theater Denver, CO 10/07 Waiting Room Lounge Omaha, OH 10/08 Triple Rock Social Club Minneapolis, MN 10/09 Picador Iowa City, IA 10/10 Metro Chicago, IL 10/11 Birdy's Indianapolis, IN 10/12 Exit/In Nashville, TN Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CortezTheKiller Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 "Lookout Mountain" is a great song. LOOKOUT MOUNTAINIf I throw myself off Lookout MountainNo more for my soul to keepI wonder who will drive my carI wonder if my Mom will weep If I throw myself off Lookout MountainNo more pain my soul to bareNo more worries about paying taxesWhat to eat, what to wearWho will end up with my records?Who will end up with my tapes?Who will pay my credit card bills?Who's gonna pay for my mistakes? If I throw myself off Lookout Mountain who will ever hear my songs?Who's gonna mow the cemetery when all of my family's gone?Who will Mom and Daddy find to continue the family name?Who will stand there taking credit, who will lay there passing blame? Who will lay there passing blame? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HighFives Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 I'm so stoked they are coming here (to salt lake) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted June 27, 2008 Author Share Posted June 27, 2008 09/07 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY I've got a golden ticket... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wendy Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Oh, I'm soooo going to the Indy show. It's a tiny place .. .and another Saturday night show for me!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Welsh Rich Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Seeing them at ATP this year was one of the most surreal events of the weekend. A very twisted live show, but the new album is great. Any other recommendations for where to go next? There seems to be a few out there... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ikol Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Seeing them at ATP this year was one of the most surreal events of the weekend. A very twisted live show, but the new album is great. Any other recommendations for where to go next? There seems to be a few out there... I would go with either American Water or Tanglewood Numbers. They're all pretty damn good, though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 Seeing them at ATP this year was one of the most surreal events of the weekend. A very twisted live show, but the new album is great. Any other recommendations for where to go next? There seems to be a few out there... I'd recommend American Water. You can't go wrong with Bright Flight or Tanglewood Numbers, though. I think Natural Bridge was the toughest one for me to get into, but now it's the one that reveals the most new gems on each listen. I think I read somewhere that Pavement broke up because Malkmus thought Natural Bridge was a perfect album and Pavement could never make an album that good. Can anyone confirm that rumor? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ikol Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Silver Jew is on pitchfork.tv this week. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brianjeremy Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Silver Jew is on pitchfork.tv this week. Thanks for the heads up, I've been wanting to see this. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
c.lo Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 I've had a few days with this release now, and I can't stop playing it. The first spin was a bit of a head scratcher. I didn't really get it and felt below par. But something clicked and now I love it. I'm still waiting for it to click... you shouldn't have to try to like an album, it should just happen, right? You just can't beat American Water, it's almost perfect.(or maybe my love of Malkmus makes me biased?) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 I'm still waiting for it to click... you shouldn't have to try to like an album, it should just happen, right? Oh, I think some of the better albums in my collection are ones that I grew to like. Among them are ALL the Wilco albums except AGIB, which I loved from the start (my brain was in the wrong place for the world/right place for that album when it came out). That being said, LMLS does almost nothing for me right now. Seems very thrown-together. All of his albums seem very thrown together, but I don't like this potluck as much as the ones that preceded it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whitty Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 It's a disappointing overall effort for me too, but with a few solid keepers to be salvaged. "Suffering Jukebox" has some of the carefree, jangly charm that makes me love Tanglewood Numbers and American Water so much. "Party Barge" and "San Francisco B.C." are good fun, but there's nothing on the album with the emotional heft of "There Is A Place" or with quite the unbridled keenness of "Random Rules" or "The Frontier Index". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brianjeremy Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 I like LMLS fairly well. It's not as good as Natural Bridge or American water but it's still pretty darn good. I love Strange Victory Strange Defeat, Open Field, and What is not but Could be if. I guess the album hits more than it misses. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted November 19, 2008 Author Share Posted November 19, 2008 I like LM, LS a lot and I think that, if it suffers from anything, it's the inevitable comparisons to the virtually perfect triumverate of American Water, Natural Bridge and Bright Flight. Listening to LM LS is like stepping into a different universe. And it's a universe that I am happy to inhabit. The jukebox as metaphor for man ("money lights your world up," "you're all filled up with other people's dreams"), the knockout one-liners (fist cuisine, killer cut, a monday in ft lauderdale), even the liner notes and the chord chart. I said what about the stuff that we quote believe? It's not as good as his best, but it's still better than most. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
c.lo Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 It's not as good as his best, but it's still better than most. yes, I so agree. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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