Hop On Pop
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8/8/2019 7:32:09 AM
RIP David Berman (Silver Jews)
I only just discovered his music, through his brand new album with his first solo project—Purple Mountains. And the music has really struck deep with me.
Yesterday, he took his own life.
RIP, Mr. Berman. And thank you for all the music, most of which I still have to discover.
I expect that the rest of it will be as much of a gift as this new album.
Friends are warmer than gold when you're old
And keeping them is harder than you might suppose
Lately, I tend to make strangers wherever I go
Some of them were once people I was happy to know
Mounting mileage on the dash
Double darkness falling fast
I keep stressing, pressing on
Way deep down at some substratum
Feels like something really wrong has happened
And I confess I'm barely hanging on
All my happiness is gone
All my happiness is gone
It's all gone somewhere beyond
All my happiness is gone
Ten thousand afternoons ago
All my happiness just overflowed
That was life at first and goal to go
Me and you and us and them
And all those people way back when
All our hardships were just yardsticks then, you know
You know
Not the purple hills
It's not the silver lake
It's not the snowcloud shadowed interstates
It's not the icy bike chain rain of Portland, Oregon
Where nothing's wrong and no one's asking
But the fear's so strong it leaves you gasping
No way to last out here like this for long
'Cause everywhere I go, I know
Everywhere I go, I know
All my happiness is gone
All my happiness is gone
It's all gone somewhere beyond
All my happiness is gone
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Mike Lance
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8/8/2019 7:48:50 AM
Yeah, this came as a gut punch, even though I've only heard one of his albums in full (that being American Water.) I am very familiar with the singles he released from Purple Mountains, but haven't heard the entite thing yet... Seems a bit daunting now. It's a real shame because he was just getting his career back together. R.I.P.
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Hop On Pop
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8/9/2019 11:29:27 AM
Nobody else a fan?
Wow.
Thought this was an indie site. Figured folks around here would be familiar with him.
Anyway, it's a tragic loss. One of the best lyricists in the game, and he just released one of the best albums of the year.
Do yourselves a favor and go familiarize yourselves with his music right now. And then weep for the loss.
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Mike Lance
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8/9/2019 2:50:22 PM
I feel many might find his deadpan vocals to be offputting at first, but they should stick with him for the lyrics if nothing else. I have been digging deeper the past few days since I never devoted enough attention to an artist whose brilliance I've recognized for a long time. I have had American Water in my collection for about 8 years and never expanded on it. Rectifying that now.
David's suicide has reminded me of the loss of Scott Hutchison last year, which was the most difficult musician passing for me to process. Still not over that one.
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