Description
The Silver Jews’ 1996 recording,The Natural Bridgecontinues the band’s shift from their early, sprawling racket into a smooth foil for David Berman’s laid-back vocals and evocative lyrics. When sessions with originalJewsStephen MalkmusandBob Nastanovichand with members of the Scud Mountain Boys didn’t work out the way Berman hoped, they were scrapped; the final version ofThe Natural Bridgewas recorded in the summer of 1996 at Hartford, CT’s Studio .45, which was originally a gun factory.
New Radiant Storm King’sPeyton PinkertonandMatt Hunter, Drag City producer/sessionmanRian Murphy, and keyboardist Michael Deming joined Berman in this version of the Jews’ lineup, resulting in a more spacious sound than on any of the group’s previous recordings.The Natural Bridgeis also darker than the band’s previous work, with lyrics like “I think we may be losing now/Please guard my bed” from “Pet Politics” and “Burnout tramp/Waits by the ramp/For one more car” from “Ballad of Reverend War Character.” However, this darkness blends and contrasts with the wry, wistful “Dallas” and “Pretty Eyes.” “The Frontier Index” combines jokes and a beautiful, descending guitar line for a really nice mix of ideas and emotion. ThoughThe Natural Bridgelacks some of the immediacy of the Jews’ earlier work, and Berman’s voice slips into a monotone occasionally, this album offers some of the Silver Jews’ finest moments. -All Music Guide
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