Customer Reviews

Bright Flight

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I find this album to be Berman's most accessible album yet (and accessible doesn't mean bad). I'm appalled that people liked American Water so much but hate this album. AW is a great album, but Bright Flight is a throwback to the far superior Natural Bridge. Without Malkmus's Wowee Zowee outtakes all over the album, Berman creates an honest and touching series of songs that grab you right away. I'm shocked that people would say this album dragged -- I found this album more exciting than The Natural Bridge, although the lyrics on Bright Flight are simpler and the melodies mellower. I find the lyrics on Bright Flight to be better than those on any of his previous albums, ESPECIALLY American Water.
This album is one of the very few five-star albums of 2001. Who can resist the sadness of "I Remember Me," or the timeless sing-along of "Friday Night Fever"? The guitars on this album complement Berman's songs more so than Malkmus's showy noodlings did on AW. I can't imagine people listening to the honkey-tonk piano in "Let's not and Say We Did" without wanting to ride down the ridge to the military bridge (or see a fireplace that burns backwards). Great Record.

So our man Greg Press thinks Bright Flight ain't a patch on "American Water", saying, " This album seems a result of Virginia boredom." Not to pick bones or nits, but Berman was actually living in Tennessee when this record was made. And I agree with another reviewer that "American Water" was marred a bit by Malkmus' "Wowee Zowee" outtakes. In fact, though I think Malkmus is an interesting guy; somebody I'd be down to have beers with, I don't really like his music, which is why I made the criminal mistake of ignoring the Jews until a girl I was dating played me "Random Rules" a few years ago. Pure genius. "American Water" is a fantastic album, in spite of (and occasionally because of) Malkmus' semi-inappropriate Mark E. Smith aspirations, but I think "Bright Flight" tops it. So, admittedly, no song on the record is quite as brilliant as "Random Rules"--which stands up to just about anyting ever written--but "Bright Flight" is a more consistent, casual record. It finds a poet about as relaxed as he can be and be at the top of his game. There's a back-porch kind of lonliness that recalls the subject of the Blasters' "Marie, Marie". Berman *knows* why she sings so sad, starts at that point and then fragments and simultaneously refines the narrative until everything shines perfectly clear. "The Natural Bridge" is a great disc, but sounds palpably forced beside this one. Simply put, "Bright Flight" finds Berman in a comfortable place, and that's truly not a bad thing. Mr. Press also said that "BF" sounds like the hangover from "AW", and I'd agree with that as well, though for me, it's a postive point. Every so often, the hangover's the best part of the whole experience. "Bright Flight" captures that oft-neglected phenomenon better than just about anything I've ever heard or read.

I just picked this one up and think DB has found a great niche. In fact I was pleased to notice that Malkmus wasn't around to muddle this one up with his annoying overdubs and lackluster vocals. Lyrics are the cornerstone to the Silver Jew construction co. and Berman pulls out some original beauties to expand on his already wonderful repetoire. All in all I think the Silver Jews are moving in a great direction.

ok, so first off, it is immediately obvious that stephen malkmus had nothing to do with this record. excepting perhaps silver jews' first album, the splendid starlite walker, this is berman's most countrified offering yet. and i like it...lots. countrified and shambling, yes, but not amateurish as the debut certainly sounds. no, the playing here is exceptional, and if it weren't for scoping out the liner notes, i'd believe that berman picked himself up a new band. there are solos throughout--guitars, piano--and they all sound wonderful. the lyrics are top-notch as always...hats off to the poet laureate of indie rock (i think he's published two volumes of poetry so far). another thing i noticed is the story-teller quality, more dominant on this record than any before it. very low-key verses with maybe some guitar strums and that's it, definitely highlighting the vocals and lyrics. which is just as well. it's a shuffling, rowdy album, but rowdy in a comfortable fashion. i get clear images of front porches and cows and cowgirls and smokey mountains. "tennessee" and "let's not and say we did" are friggin' stupendous. if you're a fan of the starlite walker end of the silver jews spectrum, this is highly recommended. if you aren't, it's still recommended, just prepare yourself for a country/western record.

in retrospect, the real treasure of this album is the ballad, "i remember me". i can say frankly and without fear of hyperbole, this is the saddest, most poignant song i've ever heard in my life. simply devastating, simply beautiful.

What a great record. Listen to it in the bath with a beer when it's raining outside. 'Tennessee' is far and away my favourite track. The female vocals are just wonderful.

There's quite a bit of (non)debate as to whether 1996's "The Natural Bridge" or 1998's "American Water" is the best Silver Jews album. There is virtually no disagreement whatsoever as to this being their third-best.

The formula for Bright Flight is as follows: Berman keeps going on the alt-country trajectory that dominated The Natural Bridge before receding a bit on American Water, but he sticks to the production sound of the latter. He sticks to the same songwriting patterns, too, and in Malkmus' absence that means that the sad, tired half of the vocals are now the only half. With the gorgeous exception of the (rather trepidatious-sounding) first two tracks, and his "Tennessee" duet with his soon-to-be wife, this is a crushing record. It's in bad shape when it begins, and it doesn't get better. I'm seldom in the mood to sit for the length of its descent, but you'd better believe I love it anyway.

I've been a silver jews fan since i heard american water. I think american water is probably their best record, the natural bridge is very good too, its much simpler musically but very pure. Starlite walker is a classic low-fi album as well. Bright FLight seems to be David Berman and his backing jews, minus malkmus, trying to play more complicated (slightly more pop) melodies. But there ofcourse are exceptions like the second track which gets pretty strange instrumentally. The whole album is definetly different, probably slightly more accesable, but its still David Bermans incredible poetry which has not suffered at all. THe one glaring flaw in this album is in the song TEnnesee, the whole song is very good until it turns into (...) when this lady with an awful voice starts singing' Mister missus Tenesee, and that happens more than once in the song. Its one of those strange mistakes that you wish you could just edit out. Its interesting to hear Berman put a bit more effort into singing. This album will probably mostly please Silver Jews fans but for a first buy you should go with american water or natural bridge.

Prominent Hydrologists Max Cufflink said it best: "Berman knows what real water can do to move you around the bases." Mr. Berman is at his absolute best. Getting to know his songs is not quite getting to know the man, but with Berman, their is an intimacy in the way the songs are delivered that cuts across his work (the more clearly without sometime collaborator SM).
Their is the excellent collision of glowing domestic mystery in the most everyday affairs animating the ground for the many figures of living waters, and souring towns that represent the moribund reasons for escaping to places and pining for people to come to these places. There is so much more...please listen to this album now, and take a bath with your lover!

From Diamond rain persuasion engorging the Silver Jew fan with a new lease on promising sadness, back to the bathroom bar toilet paper you wrap around an imaginary military wounded hand trying to get some middle age woman to kiss your lips...you will be trapped in these songs.

You can leave when you want, its said, if you can find in this soaring, and friendly swooping record, the common thread of Abe Lincoln trees, and the mirrors sucked in the interior corners of forlorn houses. No, you can leave whenever of course, hunting for questions as usual, with David's bright, and four Star led scorpion band.

I've been a fan since the Dime Map of the Reef 7". Way back. I don't need to tell you how important these records are. I believe their best record is THE NATURAL BRIDGE, with THE ARIZONA RECORD and STARLITE WALKER coming in close second (tied). AMERICAN WATER was very good, but didn't reach those moments of startling beauty and melancholy that mark Berman's best work. I like how a previous reviewer put it: Malkmus's Wowee Zowee outtakes get in the way. BRIGHT FLIGHT finds Berman back in the territory of THE NATURAL BRIDGE without simply doin' the same old thing. He's developed as a songwriter and the musicianship on this record is wonderful. I can't yet say if my nostalgic attachment to THE NATURAL BRIDGE holds me to my conviction that it is the superior album, but for now THE BRIGHT FLIGHT has usurped the Joos' earlier work as a very close second to that 1996 masterpiece. It is simply glorious!

I've been a silver jews fan since i heard american water. I think american water is probably their best record, the natural bridge is very good too, its much simpler musically but very pure. Starlite walker is a classic low-fi album as well. Bright FLight seems to be David Berman and his backing jews, minus malkmus, trying to play more complicated (slightly more pop) melodies. But there ofcourse are exceptions like the second track which gets pretty strange instrumentally. The whole album is definetly different, probably slightly more accesable, but its still David Bermans incredible poetry which has not suffered at all. THe one glaring flaw in this album is in the song TEnnesee, the whole song is good very good and then it turns into (...) when this lady with an awful voice starts singing' Mister missus Tenesee, and that happens more than once in the song. Its one of those strange mistakes that you wish you could just edit out. Its interesting to hear Berman put a bit more effort into singing. This album will probably mostly please Silver Jews fans but for a first buy you should go with american water.