Mount Eerie With Julie Doiron - Lost Wisdom Pt. 2 (Album Review)

 

Mount Eerie With Julie Doiron - Lost Wisdom Pt. 2

(2019)


My copy: 2019 press by P.W. Elverum & Suns.


Lost Wisdom Pt. 2 is a sequel to Phil Elevrum’s 2008 collaboration with Julie Doiron and Fred Squire (though the latter is absent here). It is preceded by two of Elverum’s most personal and lyrically harrowing records, which focus on the loss of his wife to cancer. Lost Wisdom Pt. 2 continues Elverum’s musical grieving process, now including his short-lived marriage to actress Michelle Williams.

Moody chords are wrung from a classical guitar, though there are uplifting shifts in the progression on “Belief.” Elverum and Doiron have a natural vocal chemistry, and their duet on the first and longest track builds a layer of support for the fragile lyrics.The piano melodies and broadened instrumental range are proof that Elverum is more composed here. The words of Joanne Kyger are recited via Doiron and synth floods in, creating an exonerating tidal wave of emotion, as these instruments temporarily free Elverum from his burdens. “When I Walked Out Of The Museum” is gentler with Doiron leading the stripped tune into Vashti Bunyon territory. Stream of consciousness techniques are still employed, with dense lyrical content though a bit more focused and with tighter melodies. 

“Enduring The Waves” cleverly has Elverum and Doiron conversing with different sets of lyrics, coming together for specific lines then retreating again into their own characters. It is an existential piece of tasteful musical theater that resolves warmly with piano. “Love Without Possession” was the early single, in which Elverum reflects on his new legacy in the media given his short relationship with Michelle Willaims. The guitar picks up, and the track becomes more uplifting as Elverum repeats mantras of love, sending both his deceased wife and Willaims off with reverence. “Real Lost Wisdom” mourns the conversations his wife will never get to have with their child, and Elverum stores his own advice in the song as if it were a time capsule. 

There is a return to form with the erratic drums and distortion on “Widows” through it is clear that Elverum’s penchant for noise is only at a fraction of its original size. Instead Elverum is more concerned with his poetry, which is generally beautiful at the cost of experimentation. “Pink Light” is a simple and brief transmission before the album’s finale. Brushed drums pick up immediately on “Belief Pt. 2”  with deep resonating piano where the most heartfelt lullaby melodies dare you not to feel any emotion. If you are reading along, Elverum’s messages are most poignant here, where his mourning is finally released in a bittersweet monument to love. 

As I’ve written before, this series of records by Elverum are more a testament to his poetry than his aptitude for diverse arrangements. While the instrumentals are mostly just serviceable, Lost Wisdom Pt. 2 makes further attempts to widen the emotional impact with additional instruments. At times these additions merely feel tacked on, but when it all falls into place, Elverum and Doiron’s sentiments are elevated two-fold.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Makes an Album Great

Image
            Great albums should leave lasting impressions, not only on those who listen as non-musicians, but also on the realm of music these albums occupy. In other words, a musical project should seek to leave some distinct mark on it's genre, to lay claim to some form of unique personality; this can often come in many forms, ranging from broad sound choices to subtle production techniques. This method for evaluating music seeks to make complacency the enemy, and forward movement the desired goal. This is not to say that all derivative albums are necessarily bad, as of course, outliers will always exist. Rather, the goal of an artist should, intrinsically, be to leave some reflection of their own condition, regardless of how relatable those emotions may or may not be. In music, this can be achieved in multiple ways, however I will focus on three aspects that I find particularly important when listening to music.      When co...
Read more

Oneohtrix Point Never - Again (Album Review)

Image
  Oneohtrix Point Never - Again (2023) My copy: 2023 limited press on orange transparent vinyl by Warp Records. Having built a strong reputation across a multitude of electronic projects, Daniel Lopatin now cashes in on his modern influence to compile what is likely his most ambitious project yet. Spanning over an hour, Again picks up where 2017’s Garden Of Delete left off, for better and for worse. Even with lush string arrangements and big-name features, Lopatin is unable to prevent Again from falling victim to some serious bloat. Anxiety immediately unravels in the orchestral “Elseware” though this introductory track quickly straightens out into a beguiling arrangement that is unlike any “typical” Oneohtrix track. The ritual “Again” then dives headfirst into Lopatin’s usual world of chittering robots and droning vocal mimicry. Things begin more explorative - descending into the depths of some synthesized hell before fading and restarting. Acoustic flourishes fester alongside...
Read more

Part Chimp - I Am Come (Album Review)

Image
  Part Chimp - I Am Come (2005) My copy: 2005 press by Rock Action Records As the millennium turned, rock music trends began to shift. In the U.S. a band called Lightning Bolt were establishing themselves as forerunners of modern noise-rock by pushing the music in increasingly weird directions. Across the pond, Mclusky were fighting the good fight with the 2002 Albini-produced Do Dallas, that wove dry, intelligent humor in between bursts of electrifying instrumental poundings. But over in London, another set of noise-crazed rockers got their start around the same time.  Part Chimp’s humor is a touch more on the nose; see album title Chart Pimp, or song title “Hitler and Jews” from the same 2002 debut. But directness is just where a band calling themselves “Part Chimp” excels. As rock began softening and going the way of the Strokes real quick, Chart Pimp offered a bastion of sludge-y rock ferocity that mostly suffered from being less able to fully capture the sheer volume ...
Read more