Comparison is hella stupid, but no one would open this thread otherwise.
Anyone going to see them on this tour has a lot to look forward to. Go see at ATP, no matter who they clash with.
About half-and half new and old, Suffering Jukebox and Old SF B.C. were incredible. And we were treated to Tennessee for the first time ever, live. And Punks In The Beerlight was incredible.
Although a bit rusty around the edges... I don't think Mr. Berman entirely enjoys playing live, but he seemed really touched by the audience reaction.
I once had a dream
that I played guitar with David Berman in my living room. Was a good dream.
i love both
but disagree
: )
I saw them in Brighton yesterday. Anything I write will be very glib, but suffice to say it was the best gig of my life and I will be in London for the last night of the UK tour.
do they play the frontier index?
i can't wait.
that's the song
i quoted from in the lyrics quiz a while back! ah wonderful!
i know man
you're the guy who got me into them due to those lyrics.
i'm really glad
The Natural Bridge is the one i think people should always start with if they're interested.
but to answer your question
they didn't play it in Brighton. they're playing about 2 from the last 5 though (+7/8 from the new one) so there's every chance they'll pick that one next.
true fact
saw them at green man a few years ago
dull as fuck. but then again i'm only acquainted with their "tanglewood numbers" stuff, which is duller than dull as fuck. i'm assured by many people that their earlier stuff is excellente. tho obviously not as good as pavement.
hope we get
Tennessee at ATP.
I've been persevering with the new album. Love Suffering Jukebox and Strange Victory, and My Pillow Is The Threshold - not really feeling the rest.
Oh okay you weren't comparing SJ to Pavement, good so I don't have to say that that's silly.
ive only listened to 1 SilverJews record
i think PF gave it 10, and so when i listened to it and it wasn't anywhere near that good it clouded my feelings towards the band.
i think at the time i didnt know pavement either, and i had just heard a malkmus solo song and almost puked.
pavement all the way, altho i think they are also overrated, particularly by pitchfork. but still ace
incidentally, is malkmus a jew? is that why theyre the silver jews? not that i really care but im interested now
Malkmus no
Berman yes
When the band started
I believe Berman was only culturally/ethnically Jewish - some time around 2001 he actually became a practising Jew.
and they're named the Silver Jews
because of a combination of the famous NY band Silver Apples, and the slang term silver Jews for blonde Jewish people.
they're not better than Pavement
but they're one of the few bands ever who are on a par I reckon. Can't wait to see them at ATP and glad they're playing lots of new stuff.
oh man.
I really really doubt I'll here a better record than Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea this year.
Suffering Jukebox is the most gorgeous song in the world.
word
the song of the year so far for me...
NO
and i thought you were cool
pavement > all
i don't want to be cool!
Fox News agree with you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc4klT-ukk8&feature=related
I really like Pavement though so I won't say anymore.
he said of the 90s though.
i mean ever.
and that interviewer is a class A dick. i hate hate hate him.
disagree
i've never really got into silver jews. maybe i should listen more.
Where is your argument to this claim?
Your post rapidly descends into pure drivel
"Although a bit rusty around the edges... I don't think Mr. Berman entirely enjoys playing live"
I don't know what that means?
I saw the Silver Jews live a couple of years back and it was so dull the band had no dynamics and had a very dull performance, compare this to Pavement probably the best band of ther generation.
Give us your reasons please
rapidly descends into pure drivel? :D
Calm down.
I don't think Berman does enjoy playing live, but he still makes it a thoroughly enjoyable experience for the audience.
And he did forget the odd word, and stuff. But that hardly matters.
Sorry for structuring the sentence in such a way that confuses and offends you.
Basically I much prefer Silver Jews because I think Berman is a stronger wordsmith, his voice has more emotional resonance for me, and I suppose the style of music appeals more. Oh, and the Nashville production on the early records makes me shiver with delight :D
Infact, as much as I adore American Water, I'd go as far to say that Silver Jews are at their worst when working with Malkmus.
I agree Malkums didnt contribute much to Silver Jews
but I really think Pavement had more going on in terms of dynamics, melodies, more ideas in songs.
I think the only area Berman wins on is words but Malkmus doesnt't exactly fare badly here (actually Berman also wins on hottest wife).
Also I think you should have had a go at me for my bad grammer.
It's all fun and games
I listened to American Water today
and Stephen Malkmus ruins it. That song Federal Dust where you can literally hear Malkmus trying to steal the spotlight with his embarrassing twiddling and boring jams, not to mention stupid lyrics. And people think this is the best Joos album??? Why?? Cos it sounds like Pavement??? GO HOME & GROW UP.
but it doesn't sound anything like pavement really
Malkmus hogging the singing
and doing those one-take guitar jams on a few tracks does sound a bit like Pavement. Sort of. B-sides or something. I can't think of any other reason why so many people think this is the best Jews album. It's not as though this is Berman at his best (aside from Random Rules and a couple of other tracks), i can only assume the Pavement/Malkmus influence over this record is what gets the kids pumped.
i dunno
I mean, the only Silver Jews albums I've heard are American Water and Tanglewood Numbers, and American Water is so much better it's not even funny. The lyrics are good, the songcraft is tremendous, it's like they're tossing off great alt-folk tunes without even breaking sweat. I didn't even notice Malkmus was on it for the first few listens.
So I guess I should listen to The Natural Bridge or something?
Well
Given there's a good 10 or so years between those records, you'd be hard pushed to find any band outwith a select few who could keep up with the better recieved output from their early years.
Go back in time to Christmas in the 90s and listen to Natural Bridge through headphones on vinyl playing Sega Megadrive. It changed my life.
"Go back in time....Sega Megadrive...changed my life."
:)
I'm sitting in the same room
Only now it's MP3 and 300 quid graphics cards.. same lovely feelings though.
I should be banned from Silver Jews threads.
Not really
I like it because it has some fine Berman lines - particularly the second half.
Every single word that comes out of the guys mouth is gold
Come on, the lyrics are incredible on all the records. American Water is a fantastic album... Random Rules, Smith & Jones and a couple of others are up there with the all-time best, but the record is let down by the Malkmus factor and his hogging the tunes, something that really shouldn't happen on a so-called Best Ever Jews Album.
Yeah
I mean it was the first record I heard of Berman's and so will always be quite special to me - Malkmus didn't bother me when I first heard it, and so the fact it's different to their other records musically just makes it more interesting.
And in reply to OS, I think I like Tanglewood Numbers so much because it seems like he's breaking sweat for the first time in his life on record.
It's a special record for me too
A complete road-trip record if ever there was one. It just annoys me from time to time that it's regarded as their best when it features such stupidity (see my original post) you wouldn't normally associate with Berman at his best.
really?
Punks In The Beerlight is completely amazing, but much of the rest feels pretty throwaway to me, and not in a good way either.
Sometimes A Pony Gets Depressed
Is one of the best songs ever too. K-Hole is tragic and beautiful. Sleeping Is The Only Love kills me.
I find it hard to think of people hearing these songs and not hearing all the others that came before them. Weird.
I don't think I could convince you
but...ah what am I saying, I like every one of their songs : )
Are you trying to convince me
that American Water is their best album? Nah, you wont ;)
Each to their own though, it's all about what record matters most to you more than anything.
Oh I was replying to OS about Tanglewood
I don't think I could pick a favourite - I go to all 6 instinctively at different times.