Silver Jews - Back From The Brink
Originally viewed as an offshoot of Pavement, the reality of it was the Silver Jews were the brainchild and masterwork of one David Berman. The not so steady poet laureate of the downcast and dispossessed ultimately pulled the plug on his musical endeavours back in 2009. Though there have been scattered reappearances, you got the sense that from a musical perspective he had hung it up for good. So it was a pleasant surprise for his fans when his reemergence after more than ten years was announced via an upcoming album under the name Purple Mountains (due out July 12 on Drag City).
For those not in the loop, it's well worthwhile to go back and check out Silver Jews' back catalog of six studio albums. The primarily lo-fi countrified approach serves as the perfect backdrop for Berman's droll observations and lyrical flights of fancy. Ranked here from fans' Discogs ratings, there is no doubt that American Water is Berman's masterpiece, but all of these releases are worth digging into to prep for Berman's return. Click an album below to read a review
