Onstage, the
Silver Jews need more luster
The Silver Jews/New Radiant Storm King/Ketman
March 19, 2006
by Marc Hirsh
originally published in
The Boston Globe, March 21, 2006
The Silver Jews don’t tour. That’s an accepted fact within the indie community. And yet, 15 years into a career limited to the fitful release of albums like the new Tanglewood Numbers, there they were on the Middle East stage Sunday night in front of a sold-out crowd. “This is only our eighth show ever,” announced singer/guitarist David Berman, promising a return visit next year.
It’s hard to tell what the response will be if he makes good on that promise. The rarity of the visit allowed the Silver Jews to get away with what might have otherwise been considered a lazy performance. There was a ramshackle charm to their music, as three guitars washed into one another in a blurry reflection of laid-back 1970s California country-rock. But Berman was never able to snap it into focus.
Not much of a singer, his voice was a flat, conversational monotone, and the music stand in front of him isolated him in two distinct ways, pulling his attention away from the audience while literally putting a barrier in front of him. Berman compounded this by turning his back on the crowd whenever he could get away with it, and he left the stage in the middle of their closing cover of T. G. Shepherd’s “I Loved ’Em Every One,” just as guitarist Peyton Pinkerton began his show-ending solo.
The fans didn’t seem disappointed, though,
greeting the performances
with enthusiasm. A few songs merited such a response, including the
country psychedelia
of bassist Cassie Berman’s “The Poor, The Fair And The Good” and “There
Is A
Place,” in which the simple, repeated “I saw God’s shadow on this
world” lyric
fueled the steadily building energy. But if the Silver Jews do indeed
plan on reinventing
themselves as a regular touring act, they’ll eventually have to do more
to earn
applause than simply show up.
Opening act Ketman performed a high-energy but aimless set of moody indie noise jams. They were followed by New Radiant Storm King, whose edgy two-guitar attack gave its indie pop a strong enough foundation for them to play extended solos without seeming indulgent.