Tanglewood Numbers

Silver Jews | Format: Vinyl

Product Details

• Vinyl
• Label: Drag City
• ASIN: B001500DQU
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #618,064 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Released by Drag City on October 18, 2005, this album has been LONG out of print on vinyl. features 'punks in the beerlight,' 'animal shapes,' 'sleeping is the only love,' and 'the farmer's hotel.'

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Putting the flannel back in Indie!!!!, October 18, 2005

By 

Range41 (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tanglewood Numbers (Audio CD)

Mr. Berman is back!!! And Mr. Malkmus is with him again!!! American Water is probably one of my favorite albums of all time, so I was eager for this latest from the Jews. No dissapointment here. "Punks in the Beerlight" is a great dirty rocker, but the second track ("Sometimes a Pony Gets Depressed")is where it becomes obvious that the magic is back. If track four - "Animal Shapes" doesnt get you reaching to turn up the volume you are probably dead. There are great, lazy weird strummers - like all Silver Jew records - as well. The final track, about Dave Bermans attempted suicide, is amazing and manages to be uplifting. All in all, one of the best of 2005 so far. With My Morning Jacket going all "Wilco-ey" - Silver Jews may the last refuge for good southern tinged country rock.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Welcome back, old friend., December 21, 2005

By 

Greg Locke "Grrrr" (Fort Wayne, IN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tanglewood Numbers (Audio CD)

It's difficult to believe that at one time, David Berman was known as little more than Stephen Malkmus' fluky college roommate. Now an accomplished writer with a collection of poetry (Actual Air) headed quickly towards cult status, and five acclaimed albums on the highly credible Drag City imprint, Berman seems to finally be getting his dues as an artist. In the time since his career-best album, Bright Flight, Berman settled down into life in Nashville, domesticated himself alongside his new wife Cassie, presumably drank 20,000 (more) beers, became addicted to some hardcore substances, and alas, attempted to take his life. A true poet indeed. Luckily, Berman lived to write another album, the results being the recently released Tanglewood Numbers.
Once recovered, Berman began spending his days at home, collecting modest royalty checks-living off of less than $25,000 per year, a ridiculously low amount, considering his 1998 album, American Water, was regarded by many critics to be the year's best release. In time, Berman got the writing bug like he never had before, eventually calling on his all-star cast of friends and past band members to help him record what was to become his fifth full-length album in the spring of 2005. Along for the ride on one of the years most anticipated indie releases was Bob Nastanovich (Pavement), Will Oldham (Bonnie `Prince' Billy/Palace), his wife Cassie (Linda to his Richard Thompson), Steve West (Pavement), Bobby Bare, Jr., Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle), Mike Fellows, and on again-off again Joo, Stephen Malkmus.
As far as album formats go, aside from the absence of his customary instrumental composition, Berman's auteuristic habits continue to be a key element on Tanglewood. Yes, as has been the case with each of his works to date, Berman's vocal quality has once again changed. Album one saw a new artist that really wanted to sing showing youthful conviction, then there was the clever whip of a bearded Berman who seemed to secretly love country music on album number two. Album three saw Berman and Malkmus often sharing vocal duties to indie-friendly results while 2001's Bright Flight saw D.C. transformed into a raspy country singer with all the answers. Truth be told, if you were to listen to TN alongside any other Jews album, you might forget it's the same band. Sounding old and beaten, campy and funny, Berman finally seems to be just singing; not over-thinking or calculating, Tanglewood might be the first true account of what David Berman really sounds like.
Musically, TN takes a slight step away from the Americana sound of recent releases with oftentimes poppy art-rock compositions. The songs are strange yet immediate as Berman takes the role of a modern day Shel Silverstein. Some songs, such as "Sometimes a Pony Gets Depressed" and "Animal Shapes" seem to be borderline kids songs in the vein of the Silverstein-penned "A Boy Named Sue." A good portion of the remaining tracks are, more or less, children's songs for adults; check the titles alone, "How Can I Love You if You Wont Lie Down," "I'm Getting Back Into Getting Back Into You," and "Sleeping is the Only Love." Berman's lyrical quality, while clearly strange, is still very multifaceted and rewarding, most significantly the open account of his suicide attempt on "There is a Place." Also of note is the return of Berman's great storytelling ability on the seven minute, word heavy-epic, "The Farmer's Motel," which is co-written by Stephen Malkmus.
Since the release of his second album, The Natural Bridge in 1996, Berman has been the songwriter to watch, delivering the indie classic American Water, as well as the Americana gem, Bright Flight. While the writing on TN can't stand up to such past masterworks as "I Remember" and "Random Rules," Berman has no doubt released another poignant collection that's sure to keep all his songwriter chums in check.
Everyone has a different Jews album of choice, and while Tanglewood Numbers might be his first release not to outdo it's predecessor, it still stands as a reflective, solid piece of work for Berman; and given the circumstances surrounding it, maybe the most important of his career. If you "get it," TN will leave you laughing, crying, and searching for the "repeat all" function. How many people really "saw God's shadow on this world?" Berman has, and as he sings "there was a place past the blues I never want to see again," on the closing track-you know he'll be back soon with more stories, jokes and coy insight.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Love it to the Max!, May 16, 2006

By 

Arch Stanton (Bondurant, WY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tanglewood Numbers (Audio CD)

If any of my frivolous nuisance lawsuits against Fortune 500 companies ever bear financial fruit, I would take some of my proceeds and hire David Berman to be "artist-in-residence" at my garlic farm / spiritual retreat. This is a tremendous record, noisy and accessible, with poetic lyrics and crisp production. The Eggleston photo of Martin, Bobby, and John on the front cover does an excellent job of getting this record started. Highly recommended and the perfect length for a recording - in and out in 35 minutes!