Silver Jews: Classic or dud

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well, which is it then?

― fritz, Thursday, 1 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Possibly a bad "classic or dud" band, in that they're neither -- just a reasonably good and interesting project. (I suppose that means "classic," so far as the question goes.)

― Nitsuh, Thursday, 1 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

possibly quite right, suh. no need to c or d, just interested in people's thoughts ( esp. on the new one).

― fritz, Thursday, 1 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

there lyrics are grate , there music is grating

― anthony, Thursday, 1 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I don't mind the music, but the vocals are just embarrassing. It's a rare poet who can do his own works justice.

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 1 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I want to say classic but I can't quite do it. Too many tunes are a bit on the dull side, even when (yes) the lyrics are good. But the two records I have are about 40% EXCELLENT songs, so he's pretty close. I like Silver Jews a lot, just rather hit-or-miss in the melody dept. Excited to hear the new one.

Search: Random Rules, Dallas (the line "How'd you turn a billion steers/ into buildings made of mirrors" is so great -- I always picture the skyline from the opening of the Dallas TV show) How To Rent A Room, Buckinghan Rabbit, Frontier Index, Black and Brown Shoes, Albemarle Station (god, I love that one)...a few others.

I like American Beauty and Workingman's Dead, so I like his music and voice just fine.

― Mark, Thursday, 1 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

It just seems like he doesn't give a shit about his singing. Maybe he does, and his voice "sucks" "on purpose" but when the rest of the instrumentation is so basically competent it sounds wrong.

Lyrically he is amazing, I agree. "Last night I dreamed of Jesus" has such a great procession of verses. "trains across the sea" has got every CFO's nightmare: "half hours on earth / what are they worth? / i don't know."

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 1 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Two years ago I'd have said classic, but then, I'm no longer hyper indie and apt to run in terror from music that actually sounds nice. That said, still pretty good.. he does write good lyrics tho' I feel they're a little too.. Americana clever-clever, overwritten maybe. Search "Dallas," "Smith & Jones Forever," .. actually both of the last two albums are quite good all around, w/some great lines: "And so the rent became whiskey / and then my life became risky..."

― daria gray, Thursday, 1 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

classic, no doubt - esp american water. as for the voice: as d berman himself sings: "all my favourite singers couldn't sing"

― martin h, Saturday, 3 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Mark E S can't really sing either, and sometimes his band is fabulously competent, but the attitude that backs it up is just ferocious. He SELLS it. Dylan sold it. Cash sold it. I don't think Berman sells it. At least not to this customer. It's like he's sort of hoping you're buying but if not, hey, no biggie, come back tomorrow.

― Tracer Hand, Saturday, 3 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

i like them better without malkmus. don't really listen to them much no more.

― di, Saturday, 3 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I agree with Tracer on the voice but actually I find that kind of understatement charming. To abuse his selling it metaphor - it's the difference between "Can I help you?" and letting you browse. It means they're a band I listen to hardly ever but I'm always charmed and enjoy the experience when I do. Lyrics? They're best when they're moving, but they do clever intelligently, at least.

― Tom, Sunday, 4 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

2 years pass...

video of the empty bottle performance:

www.falsedawn.blogspot.com

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 30 March 2004 17:53 (9 years ago) Permalink

whoops, it's actually here:

http://www.multiply.org/notebook/archives/000476.html

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 30 March 2004 17:54 (9 years ago) Permalink

chestnut station, how i love thee!

― morris pavilion (samjeff), Tuesday, 30 March 2004 18:03 (9 years ago) Permalink

Classic.

True story:

I have 2 friends, room mates at college, one is a the biggest Silver Jews fan in the known universe, one just likes it cause the other one got him into it. The one who just sort of like them and wants to seem indie gets a fake ID to see the David Berman "poetry reading" in Chi-town, which of course turns out to be one of the only Silver Jews concerts ever also featuring Will Oldham and the guy from Smog and long story short he bought a poster for the real fan but still c'mon

― David Allen (David Allen), Tuesday, 30 March 2004 18:19 (9 years ago) Permalink

Ridiculously Classic. So many beautiful images.

"I love to see a rainbow from a garden hose /
lit up like the blood of a centerfold /
I love the city and the city rain /
suburban kids with biblical names"

― Ben Boyer (Ben Boyer), Tuesday, 30 March 2004 18:27 (9 years ago) Permalink

The drums march along at the clip of an ivory drip like sparks from a muffler dragged down the strip,
uh huh.

Nobody writes lyrics better.

― otto, Tuesday, 30 March 2004 20:11 (9 years ago) Permalink

Utter CLASSIC for Natural Bridge and American Water.

― scott m (mcd), Tuesday, 30 March 2004 20:32 (9 years ago) Permalink

classic, and I am almost sure that Actual Air will always be much better than the Tweedy-man's upcoming poetry volume, sad but true

― Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Tuesday, 30 March 2004 23:13 (9 years ago) Permalink

the best band. ever.

― comic book guy, Friday, 9 April 2004 13:39 (9 years ago) Permalink

concur!

― andrew s (andrew s), Friday, 9 April 2004 14:38 (9 years ago) Permalink

"Nobody writes lyrics better."

Otto OTM.

Classic, if it needed saying.

― Snnap Dragon (snnap dragon), Friday, 9 April 2004 17:48 (9 years ago) Permalink

There are plenty of non-singers who made it big, Dylan,
Lou Reed, Malkmus, etc.

But despite their lack of technical ability, they had charisma
and an infectious sense of rhythm.

I don't hear either in Berman's voice. But that's just me.
They have a few great songs, so I can't in fairness dud them.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Friday, 9 April 2004 18:35 (9 years ago) Permalink

and you're supposed to be the people who know about music? a few great songs??? this is a joke! best band ever!

― comicbookguy, Saturday, 10 April 2004 20:25 (9 years ago) Permalink

silver jews are a classic to me, and thats all that really matters. the natural bridge is a record that literally hasnt left my stereo since 1996.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Saturday, 10 April 2004 20:34 (9 years ago) Permalink

ok, that's scary.

― stockholm cindy (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 10 April 2004 20:35 (9 years ago) Permalink

uh oh... hehehe.

― gygax! (gygax!), Saturday, 10 April 2004 22:23 (9 years ago) Permalink

5 months pass...

Starlite Walker is so good in parts.

― adam. (nordicskilla), Sunday, 19 September 2004 20:51 (8 years ago) Permalink

On the last day of your life, don't forget to die
aha

― adam. (nordicskilla), Sunday, 19 September 2004 20:59 (8 years ago) Permalink

new orleans

― lauren (laurenp), Sunday, 19 September 2004 21:56 (8 years ago) Permalink

really amazing lyricist, that silver jews dude...i wonder what darn1e11e thought of him...they seem somewhat similar in some respects....

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Sunday, 19 September 2004 23:06 (8 years ago) Permalink

i can't believe no one's even mentioned my favorite song - "Pet Politics"

I say classic, all the way, but i didn't buy his last album. Was it good?

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Sunday, 19 September 2004 23:41 (8 years ago) Permalink

the only song of theirs i really know is tennessee; my friend Austin plays it all the time. i think i should get their records based on the opinions of those i trust.

― Ian c=====8 (orion), Monday, 20 September 2004 00:43 (8 years ago) Permalink

i love this band like no other. the wild kindness, inside the golden days of missing you,
horseleg swastikas, send in the clouds, buckingham rabbit.
one of the best pure writers of any kind.

― plugz, Monday, 20 September 2004 01:00 (8 years ago) Permalink

I am listening to them now.

― adam. (nordicskilla), Monday, 20 September 2004 01:04 (8 years ago) Permalink

ian, my favorites are starlite walker and american water. if my stuff is ever delivered, i can burn something for you.

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 20 September 2004 01:12 (8 years ago) Permalink

'american water' is a classic, one of the best opening lines to an album ever

'in 1984 i was hospitalized for approaching perfection /
slowly screwing my way across europe, they had to make a correction

― 6335, Monday, 20 September 2004 01:39 (8 years ago) Permalink

lauren: my friend joe's got em; it'd probably just be easier for him to burn for me. but thanks for the offer! for some reason they were a band i never got into when i went through my Matador/corny indie phase.

― Ian c=====8 (orion), Monday, 20 September 2004 01:45 (8 years ago) Permalink

Their last album is close to my favorite actually. He's developed his song writing to still have the same surreal observations, but to fit into a story format.

― David Allen (David Allen), Monday, 20 September 2004 02:34 (8 years ago) Permalink

its all about Natural Bridge for me

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Monday, 20 September 2004 04:29 (8 years ago) Permalink

What other artists/bands would you compare the Silver Jews too? I haven't heard them but have been curious. I'm guessing in the territory of neutral milk, mountain goats, microphones. Or is more trad like dylan or cash?

― piers (piers), Monday, 20 September 2004 05:03 (8 years ago) Permalink

Or none of the above...

― piers (piers), Monday, 20 September 2004 05:10 (8 years ago) Permalink

Read James Tate then imagine the music of Smog.

― David Allen (David Allen), Monday, 20 September 2004 05:14 (8 years ago) Permalink

If Pavement were alt country and had better lyrics

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Monday, 20 September 2004 05:46 (8 years ago) Permalink

OK - sounds pretty damn good.

― piers (piers), Monday, 20 September 2004 05:53 (8 years ago) Permalink

brilliant, heavy, warm, charming.

1.American Water
2. Natural Bridge
3.Bright Flight
4. Starlite Walker

― james, Monday, 20 September 2004 16:44 (8 years ago) Permalink

What happened to the reissue that was supposedly coming out on Drag City - the early singles + EPs...? I know it's discussed on another Silver Jews thread somewhere.
I just heard the cover of "Cocksucker Blues" from one of the rare Silver Jews live shows - it was on a Rolling Stones tribute CD that came with an issue of Uncut, and on a 7".... anyway, it's fantastic.

― Taxi Dancing in the Soft Prison (Ben Boyer), Monday, 20 September 2004 16:59 (8 years ago) Permalink

What happened to the reissue that was supposedly coming out on Drag City - the early singles + EPs...? I know it's discussed on another Silver Jews thread somewhere.

According to gygax, it is still coming out. I hope so, because I Ebayed my copy of The Arizona Record when I was broke and hungry and now I miss it. :(

― adam. (nordicskilla), Monday, 20 September 2004 17:01 (8 years ago) Permalink

According to gygax, it is still coming out.

when smog was on tour last year, i asked dan k. about it and he said it was coming out. as expose sang many moons ago: "seasons change, people change..."

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 20 September 2004 17:05 (8 years ago) Permalink

Skipping 73 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Had a feeling this was coming. I'm glad you've made a decision you're happy with DCB. Hope you get to punch your dad in the face some day.

― mumps (iiiijjjj), Saturday, 24 January 2009 01:36 (4 years ago) Permalink

When I saw his note I wanted to say - the joy that his music and writing have brought me outweighs any harm his father may have caused me. Because it's true, though I suppose in the scheme of things I'm probably a special case. I haven't had a minimum wage job since before 1997. All you can hope for is that he finds some peace and happiness in whatever he does next I guess.

― Mark, Saturday, 24 January 2009 01:43 (4 years ago) Permalink

his father harmed you?

― BIGrack HOOSein Obama (k3vin k.), Saturday, 24 January 2009 02:31 (4 years ago) Permalink

maybe try reading the post?

― Women can be captains too, you know? (jim), Saturday, 24 January 2009 02:35 (4 years ago) Permalink

― BIGrack HOOSein Obama (k3vin k.), Saturday, 24 January 2009 02:39 (4 years ago) Permalink

or just the thread in general?

― Women can be captains too, you know? (jim), Saturday, 24 January 2009 02:41 (4 years ago) Permalink

i think im coming off as a dick here so i apologize, but i must have missed something

― BIGrack HOOSein Obama (k3vin k.), Saturday, 24 January 2009 02:44 (4 years ago) Permalink

no, you're not coming off as a dick, but it's just that there are links here to things about Berman's dad being a douche lobbyist behind fronts that oppose union rights, minimum wage laws, obesity awareness etc. so dude is saying that David has had more of a positive impact than his douchey dad's possible impact. There's not much more to get there?

― Women can be captains too, you know? (jim), Saturday, 24 January 2009 02:48 (4 years ago) Permalink

more of a positive impact to him.

― Women can be captains too, you know? (jim), Saturday, 24 January 2009 02:49 (4 years ago) Permalink

doink. thx

― BIGrack HOOSein Obama (k3vin k.), Saturday, 24 January 2009 02:50 (4 years ago) Permalink

dcb should join the family business.. and then destroy it from the inside.

― now is the time to winterize your manscape (will), Saturday, 24 January 2009 18:47 (4 years ago) Permalink

(glib revenge fantasies aside, i wish him the best)

― now is the time to winterize your manscape (will), Saturday, 24 January 2009 18:50 (4 years ago) Permalink

So, do any of y'all have tickets to this thing in McMinnville, TN?

― roxymuzak, Friday, 30 January 2009 21:54 (4 years ago) Permalink

My friend Rachel's going. I expect she'll be taking pictures.

― Johnny Fever, Friday, 30 January 2009 21:57 (4 years ago) Permalink

This really makes me hate myself for not going to see him when he was in the area.

― circa1916, Friday, 30 January 2009 21:57 (4 years ago) Permalink

I was trying to fenagle an extra ticket for a friend and it's like...tickets just don't exist.

― roxymuzak, Friday, 30 January 2009 21:59 (4 years ago) Permalink

I mean it makes sense, why would someone sell one?

― roxymuzak, Friday, 30 January 2009 21:59 (4 years ago) Permalink

silver jews in a cave last show make an offer

― What a Mess (Gudrun Brangwen), Friday, 30 January 2009 22:16 (4 years ago) Permalink

― roxymuzak, Friday, 30 January 2009 22:24 (4 years ago) Permalink

― Johnny Fever, Sunday, 1 February 2009 02:52 (4 years ago) Permalink

Chandelier in a cave? whoa.

― the maximum value that ZS obtains given its constraint is 8 (Z S), Sunday, 1 February 2009 02:59 (4 years ago) Permalink

ummmm?

― tylerw, Sunday, 1 February 2009 04:11 (4 years ago) Permalink

that looks cool, fuck

― dmr, Sunday, 1 February 2009 04:15 (4 years ago) Permalink

yeah that looks intense. that's the way all concerts should look.

― tylerw, Sunday, 1 February 2009 04:19 (4 years ago) Permalink

did malkmus show up for "wild kindness" or anything?

― kamerad, Sunday, 1 February 2009 04:28 (4 years ago) Permalink

Dude from American Songwriter magazine (who posted the pic) said this on twitter: "Just saw Silver Jews' final show in a deep cave. in crowd: Dan Deacon and Animal Collective fellows, Bradford Cox, S. Malkmus, B. Bare Jr."

― Johnny Fever, Sunday, 1 February 2009 04:41 (4 years ago) Permalink

"uh huh, i was at the final show. the audience was amazing"

― schlump, Sunday, 1 February 2009 05:08 (4 years ago) Permalink

Yeah, that is weird now that I think about it. : /

― Johnny Fever, Sunday, 1 February 2009 05:09 (4 years ago) Permalink

i bet it was super, but they're kind of a weird band to see live i think. what you get from the records isn't at all present from hearing it live. they have that great velvetsy guitar player but it sounds kinda heavy and thick. the dynamics should be like a james brown strings song or something, with his voice big and booming.

― schlump, Sunday, 1 February 2009 05:40 (4 years ago) Permalink

i mean whatever about the crowd. i was just wondering if malkmus jammed with berman one last time. some of both their finest moments are on american water

― kamerad, Sunday, 1 February 2009 05:40 (4 years ago) Permalink

berman's, definitely

― k3vin k., Sunday, 1 February 2009 05:43 (4 years ago) Permalink

Tanglewood Numbers is actually my favorite Joos record, but I'm way in the minority there.

― Johnny Fever, Sunday, 1 February 2009 05:47 (4 years ago) Permalink

sleep on your back
and ash in your shoe

― dmr, Sunday, 1 February 2009 06:01 (4 years ago) Permalink

― mookieproof, Sunday, 1 February 2009 06:03 (4 years ago) Permalink

tanglewood demos > tanglewood. less pounding and intense, more a guitar sound.

― schlump, Sunday, 1 February 2009 06:06 (4 years ago) Permalink

tanglewood demos

Are these easy for anyone to find?

― Peter Andre Test Tube Babies (DJ Mencap), Sunday, 1 February 2009 10:09 (4 years ago) Permalink

first google result yields links

― k3vin k., Sunday, 1 February 2009 10:19 (4 years ago) Permalink

lol indeed it does, thanks

― Peter Andre Test Tube Babies (DJ Mencap), Sunday, 1 February 2009 11:17 (4 years ago) Permalink

np that sounded a little snotty, not my intent, i just didnt wanna post links here ya know

― k3vin k., Sunday, 1 February 2009 11:22 (4 years ago) Permalink

Tanglewood Numbers is actually my favorite Joos record, but I'm way in the minority there.

― Johnny Fever, Sunday, February 1, 2009 12:47 AM (7 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

love this album - less of the sad sack aspect more reveling in absurdity - prob for the hardcore they demand the heavy depressio tho

― ice cr?m, Sunday, 1 February 2009 13:22 (4 years ago) Permalink

Oh my god, I went to Rock City when I was a kid and lived in Lookout Mountain...is that where they did their final show?

― iago g., Sunday, 1 February 2009 18:07 (4 years ago) Permalink

8 months pass...

interesting showdown tonight between rachel maddow and dave's dad

― kamerad, Wednesday, 7 October 2009 02:49 (3 years ago) Permalink

2 years pass...

San Francisco BC is some kind of aweseome epic

― calstars, Monday, 10 October 2011 21:08 (1 year ago) Permalink

Classic for Tanglewood Numbers alone. That's the record, trust me.

― chromecassettes, Monday, 10 October 2011 21:12 (1 year ago) Permalink

San Francisco BC is some kind of aweseome epic

Recently been admiring the rhyme scheme of "Since her dad a local barber had been beaten to death /
She had become a vocal martyr in the vegan press"

― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Monday, 10 October 2011 23:29 (1 year ago) Permalink

What is Berman doing these days?

― Peas, Ants, Pigs & Astronauts (PaulTMA), Monday, 10 October 2011 23:51 (1 year ago) Permalink

http://mentholmountains.blogspot.com/

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Tuesday, 11 October 2011 00:21 (1 year ago) Permalink

Pleased to see he is still active

― calstars, Tuesday, 11 October 2011 00:47 (1 year ago) Permalink

"Lookout Mountain" is probably me favourite these days

― Michael B, Tuesday, 11 October 2011 13:05 (1 year ago) Permalink

10 months pass...

when i was hungover the other day i spent a long time phasing in and out to 'the natural bridge' and i went: huh! i think every song on this album mentions rain! or even: 'the rain!' but i stopped paying attention when i had to go and vomit around track six

― thomp, Friday, 31 August 2012 22:16 (8 months ago) Permalink

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