With apologies to Editors Jenkins and Ivey, I missed last week's deadline. I will try to do better. Well, the last note set off an interesting firestorm, well actually more like a small campfire over the viability of live albums. Glad I could get some people talking. This week I thought about throwing a title out there that would be out of left field like " The Cool" by Lupe Fiasco or anything by the band Can, but this selection while somewhat popular, brings me back to it over and over: American Water by Silver Jews. Frontman David Berman's wordplay is well reknowned on all SJ albums, causing you to pay attention to lyrics possibly more than any artist. And while other SJ albums have great songs, namely Black and Brown Shoes from The Natural Bridge, American Water seems to be the most complete album.An album that starts out with: "In 1984, I was hospitalized for approaching perfection" only sets the table for good things to come. I maybe sucker for Berman's country poetry with its protestant thighs, digital deer and honkytonk psychiatrists, but listening to it this week made it seem just as fresh as ever. The best line of the album may be "I am the trick, my mother played on the world" from Send In the Clouds, a line that easily could have shown up in anything from Eminem to Slayer.
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