Silver Jews - Tanglewood Numbers

After the initial shock, i have come around to loving this record. Some of the lyrics are up there with his best, although i do feel slightly sad (in a geeky way) that, like on previous records, the opening line isn't a killer. Oddly enough though, it's the tracks that sound more like older Jews that i don't tend to listen to as much.

I've come around a lot to this record too. It's tough; as a real die-hard SJ fan it's hard not to love everything, but I felt like I was trying to be even-handed in my review. The tracks that sound like older Jews? I would think this is "Sleeping is the Only Love" and "I'm Getting Back..." which I both really like. Essentially, the album had 2 near-duds for me, "The Poor, the Fair, and the Good," and "The Farmer's Hotel;" the former sounds like goopy southern rock and the latter sounds like Malkmus telling a shaggy dog story. Yeah, this record is a tough call, for sure...

Thanks for the review, I've been waiting around all week for this. I picked up my copy like a fetishist last week. It only took a couple spins to get over the jarring-ness, but I'm glad I have. I think the backup vocals are really great. Do you think he'll tour with his newfound showmanship?

He will never tour. I've waited for 10 years. I'm going to start a tribute band though, called Like Like The The The Silver Jews. Hahaha.

Up until now, I just assumed he was saying "I saw the shadow of a squirrel" . . . like some cryptic Punxsutawney Phil shit. Good record.

digitalsnake: I want to be in that band. Can we start it in Glasgow? Honestly, these reviews are edging me closer to buying the record. I was really put off by Bright Flight as much as I love the first 3.

My favorite SJ's line: "Nobody cares/about a dead hooker." Pricelessly placed and unexpectedly evil. That's Dave in a nutshell.

yes, but the following line is "Looking like one, standing for money".

Ok...what's your point?