David Berman (Rant)

[danz]

This has been bothering me recently:

Circa 1995 David Berman, of The Silver Jews, wrote a poem entitled Seft-Portrait at 28.

About ten years later, a quote from the poem was excerpted on the back of Acoustic Cituoca:

Why? I don't have the time or intelligence
to make all the connections
like my friend Gordon
(this is a true story)
who grew up in Braintree Massachusetts
and had never pictured a brain snagged in a tree
until I brought it up.
He'd never broken the name down to its parts.
By then it was too late.
He had moved to Coral Gables.

About five years later, in 2008, in an interview for New York's Village Voice, Berman said :

It's like My Morning Jacket--love the way it sounds, until you have the opposite experience. Until you're on the subway, and you can concentrate on what he's saying, and all of a sudden, you're like 'Oh my God, this guy had no idea what he was doing, and he was just hoping to get this stuff by without anyone really noticing.'

For some reason this has been bothering me.  I might start to feel the same way for The Silver Jews as Berman does for MMJ.
Sorry if it has been discussed.

edit: had my math wrong

[capt. scotty]

Never knew that quote was on the back of AC, but I told myself when I read that quote that Id never listen to Silver Jewbs because of that quote

[Tracy 3000]

This has been bothering me recently:

Circa 1995 David Berman, of The Silver Jews, wrote a poem entitled Seft-Portrait at 28.

About tens years, a quote from the poem was excerpted on the back of Acoustic Cituoca:

Why? I don't have the time or intelligence
to make all the connections
like my friend Gordon
(this is a true story)
who grew up in Braintree Massachusetts
and had never pictured a brain snagged in a tree
until I brought it up.
He'd never broken the name down to its parts.
By then it was too late.
He had moved to Coral Gables.

Over ten years later, in 2008, in an interview for New York's Village Voice, Berman said :

It's like My Morning Jacket--love the way it sounds, until you have the opposite experience. Until you're on the subway, and you can concentrate on what he's saying, and all of a sudden, you're like 'Oh my God, this guy had no idea what he was doing, and he was just hoping to get this stuff by without anyone really noticing.'

For some reason this has been bothering me.  I might start to feel the same way for The Silver Jews as Berman does for MMJ.
Sorry if it has been discussed.

-Why does this bother you?

-I Want to Hold Your Hand is pretty simple and basic > and it's mind blowing.

-Henry Rollins once said (or perahaps he stole it)> Some Poets muddy their waters to make them appear deep.

-Along the same lines, a lot of people love Lady Gaga and I cannot stand her. And, she doesn't bother me nor do I think other's are lame b/c they like her. I sort of dig the fact we're all "different" b/c really we're all more alike than different. You love Lady Gaga and that speaks to you? Awesome!

[danz]

-Why does this bother you?

-Along the same lines, a lot of people love Lady Gaga and I cannot stand her. And, she doesn't bother me nor do I think other's are lame b/c they like her. I sort of dig the fact we're all "different" b/c really we're all more alike than different. You love Lady Gaga and that speaks to you? Awesome!

I feel ya Tracy.  I hate bigotry.  Not that I don't think he should hold back his opinion, I just thought it was a strange coincidence that Jim used a Berman poem excerpt, only to later have Berman publicy denounce MMJ.

[members only jacket]

Appreciating that we are all different is one thing.

"all of a sudden, you're like 'Oh my God, this guy had no idea what he was doing, and he was just hoping to get this stuff by without anyone really noticing."

Calling Jim a sham is another.

[danz]

The other things is, as I think most of us agree(but this is just MY opinion,) Jim knows exactly what he is doing - musically and lyrically.  To say he had "no idea" is total BS.

I don't See how the Beatles song or the Rollins quote have relevance here.

[Tracy 3000]

I don't See how the Beatles song or the Rollins quote have relevance here.

Berman was noting the simplicity of JJ's lyrics. The Beatles have lots of amazing songs with simple lyrics.

Berman is implying that his lyrics are deep. Rollins says that can be a facade.

it fits   :)

[danz]

Rereading the interview....Your right: Berman does mention MMJ during the talk about the instrumental fad.  Guess it didn't strike me that hard cause I don't think JJ lyrics are always simple or superficial.

[el_chode]

There's a second talent in writing lyrics. It's knowing how to make the words fit the song, both in ambiance, meter, and context. Steam Engine wouldn't be Steam Engine without all three of these, and this is also why the Silver Jews are no Pavement.

[Coltrane]

The Silver Jews are great. My Morning Jacket is great.



All the rest....well, that's just stupid.