Mount Eerie With Julie Doiron & Fred Squire - Lost Wisdom (Album Review)

 

Mount Eerie with Julie Doiron & Fred Squire - Lost Wisdom

(2008)


My copy: 45 RPM reissue on white vinyl by P.W. Elverum & Sun.


Lost Wisdom is an interlude of sorts in the Mount Eerie canon that was quickly recorded with Julie Doiron and Fred Squire while the two were passing through Phil Elverum’s home town on tour. Completed in a barren room with “mostly one microphone” and two guitars, Lost Wisdom relies heavily on the harmonic interplay between Doiron and Elverum’s voices to fill out the relatively sparse instrumentals. 

  The titular “Lost Wisdom” begins with hooky acoustic chord changes that are complemented by Squire’s gentle but bright electric leads. Doiron and Elverum have fantastic vocal chemistry, and the lyrics are the focus with Elverum’s writing being just as thoughtful and conceptual as ever. “Voice In Headphones” builds a spectral wall of hanging choral voices (some of this is from a Bjork sample) while Squire’s sharp guitar pokes its way through holes in the melodies. 

There are introspective and lamented moments and then there are poppy and lovely moments but usually the songs dabble in mournful tones as “You Swan, Go On” chronicles a difficult breakup after a sickly sweet beginning. “Who?” closes the A-side with jutting acoustic arpeggios as Julie’s voice takes the lead. The second half is a rapid fire of intimate interlude tracks, with only “O, My Heart” reaching beyond three minutes. 

Unfortunately, the album never reaches the peak of “Voice In Headphones” again, but for fans of clever lyricism, the album is still worthwhile beyond this point. “If We Knew” is a romantic serenade with Julie’s detached performance contrasting the chords. “O, My Heart” is a borderline shanty that draws comparisons to alt-country groups like The Magnolia Electric Co. The album comes full circle with “Grave Robbers.” On “Lost Wisdom,” Elverum speaks conceptually of the title as he aimlessly searches for answers; “Grave Robbers” has Elverum imparting this lost wisdom upon the audience in the form of stern warnings that are issued with all the meditative energy of a village elder.

Lost Wisdom is a special album in Elverum’s catalog, and one that would even prompt a sequel in 2019. Elverum is the heart and Doiron is the soul in this vocal duo, and this album is sure to impress those who love folksy, lyrically dense albums. It would hold much more lasting power if more of the songs went in the direction of “Voice In Headphones” but Lost Wisdom was a hastily recorded treat of an album that deserves a listen either way. 

As with all Phil Elverum albums, you should check out his website before turning to second hand sellers.


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