Tanglewood Numbers

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  2005

  James

  David Berman loosens the band’s sound considerably here, letting country-rock warmth and ragged humor soften some of the darkness running through his writing. Songs like “Punks in the Beerlight” and “There Is a Place” feel communal and open in ways earlier Silver Jews records rarely attempted. Beneath the looseness, though, Berman’s lyrics remain full of loneliness, self-awareness, and strange flashes of wisdom. The album has an almost accidental charm, as though the songs are stumbling into emotional truth rather than carefully presenting it. Cassie Berman’s backing vocals add warmth without sanding away the rough edges. It’s one of the most immediately lovable records in the Silver Jews catalog.