Track Listing

1. Slow Education
2. Room Games and Diamond Rain
3. Time Will Break the World
4. I Remember Me
5. Horseleg Swatikas
6. Transylvania Blues
7. Let's Not and Say We Did
8. Tennessee
9. Friday Night Fever
10. Death of an Heir of Sorrows

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #41002 in Music
• Released on: 2005-06-15
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Album Description
Their 4th album contains all the Silver Jews traditions - vague country-rock, solid silver tunes, David Berman's moan & yowl, way out lyrics of human tragedy...From Drag City Records.

Customer Reviews

Freedom of the Press to Disagree...
So our man Greg Press thinks Bright Flight ain't a patch on "American Water", saying, " This album seems a result of Virginia boredom." Not to pick bones or nits, but Berman was actually living in Tennessee when this record was made. And I agree with another reviewer that "American Water" was marred a bit by Malkmus' "Wowee Zowee" outtakes. In fact, though I think Malkmus is an interesting guy; somebody I'd be down to have beers with, I don't really like his music, which is why I made the criminal mistake of ignoring the Jews until a girl I was dating played me "Random Rules" a few years ago. Pure genius. "American Water" is a fantastic album, in spite of (and occasionally because of) Malkmus' semi-inappropriate Mark E. Smith aspirations, but I think "Bright Flight" tops it. So, admittedly, no song on the record is quite as brilliant as "Random Rules"--which stands up to just about anyting ever written--but "Bright Flight" is a more consistent, casual record. It finds a poet about as relaxed as he can be and be at the top of his game. There's a back-porch kind of lonliness that recalls the subject of the Blasters' "Marie, Marie". Berman *knows* why she sings so sad, starts at that point and then fragments and simultaneously refines the narrative until everything shines perfectly clear. "The Natural Bridge" is a great disc, but sounds palpably forced beside this one. Simply put, "Bright Flight" finds Berman in a comfortable place, and that's truly not a bad thing. Mr. Press also said that "BF" sounds like the hangover from "AW", and I'd agree with that as well, though for me, it's a postive point. Every so often, the hangover's the best part of the whole experience. "Bright Flight" captures that oft-neglected phenomenon better than just about anything I've ever heard or read.

Joy Joy
What a great record. Listen to it in the bath with a beer when it's raining outside. 'Tennessee' is far and away my favourite track. The female vocals are just wonderful.

nearly their best
I've been a fan since the Dime Map of the Reef 7". Way back. I don't need to tell you how important these records are. I believe their best record is THE NATURAL BRIDGE, with THE ARIZONA RECORD and STARLITE WALKER coming in close second (tied). AMERICAN WATER was very good, but didn't reach those moments of startling beauty and melancholy that mark Berman's best work. I like how a previous reviewer put it: Malkmus's Wowee Zowee outtakes get in the way. BRIGHT FLIGHT finds Berman back in the territory of THE NATURAL BRIDGE without simply doin' the same old thing. He's developed as a songwriter and the musicianship on this record is wonderful. I can't yet say if my nostalgic attachment to THE NATURAL BRIDGE holds me to my conviction that it is the superior album, but for now THE BRIGHT FLIGHT has usurped the Joos' earlier work as a very close second to that 1996 masterpiece. It is simply glorious!