Purple Mountains // Purple Mountains

4.25

Drag City

Purple Mountains self-titled debut album is earnest, strangely funny, and may sound slightly familiar. This record is David Berman's first recording in over a decade, the songwriter known for his long-running project The Silver Jews. In 2009, Berman publicly announced his withdrawal from the music industry, noting that he wished to undo the work of his father, Richard Berman, a controversial lobbyist. Berman, while living in Virginia in the '90s, played with Stephen Malkmus, who recorded the landmark indie rock album Slanted and Enchanted — a title based on a cartoon by Berman — with his band Pavement. The Silver Jews released six studio albums between 1994 and 2008, as the lo-fi genre grew around them. Purple Mountains is a return to form for the acclaimed artist, who now resides in Nashville. A twice-published author, Berman embraced sobriety, Judaism, and academia during his hiatus. With a minimalist lo-fi folk sound, he hasn't missed a beat, his new work nearly perfecting a literate, story-song approach, with heartfelt tracks like "I Loved Being My Mother's Son," and the borderline absurdity of "'Margaritas at the Mall." — Nick Warren