Silver Jews are not a bridge too far

Spencer Patterson

Friday, Aug. 12, 2005 | 8:14 a.m.

I don't wear my Silver Jews T-shirt very often.

Or I should say, I don't wear it out of the house very often.

On the few occasions when I have, I've gotten the most peculiar glances from strangers. Some appear as though they want to punch me; others look scared.

So in the drawer it stays, until the occasional lazy Saturday when I'll put it on to work in the backyard or the garage.

But really, there's nothing particularly scary or controversial -- apart from the unusual name and the occasional lyrical expletive -- about the Silver Jews.

The band, often mistaken for a side project of 1990s indie-rock stalwarts Pavement because two of that band's members played on some of the Jews' recordings, is better described as leader David Berman and a rotating cast of support characters.

Like so many other fans, I got into the Silver Jews because of the Pavement connection. So it's a bit ironic that my most treasured Jews' disc is one of just two that doesn't feature ex-Pave frontman Stephen Malkmus.

Actually, I recall being disappointed upon initially hearing 1996's "The Natural Bridge." Minus Malkmus' jagged guitar leads, it just didn't rock enough for me.

But over time, the album's unhurried pace appealed to me more and more. And before long, I began yearning for the beautiful melancholy of "The Natural Bridge" during late-night listening sessions and long highway drives.

With few hooks present among the folky, twangy music, Berman's distinctive baritone voice and unconventional lyrical constructions are front and center. A few of the CD's best phrasings:

" 'Cause I'm a man who has a wife who has a mother / Who married one but she loves another / You're a tower without the bells / You're a negative wishing well." ("How to Rent a Room").

"When I go downtown / I always wear a corduroy suit / 'Cause it's made of a hundred gutters / That the rain can run right though." ("Black and Brown Blues").

"Once you taste the geometry of a church in a cul-de-sac / You're gonna wanna sit with the bad kids in the back." ("Dallas").

"Boy wants a car from his dad / Dad says, first you gotta cut that hair / Boy says, hey dad, Jesus had long hair / And dad says, that's right son, but Jesus walked everywhere." ("The Frontier Index").

In October, Berman and his latest Jews incarnation are slated to release a new album, titled "Tanglewood Numbers." The disc, which is already making the rounds online, is a decidedly more rocked-out affair than "The Natural Bridge," though quite good in its own right.

I suppose it's possible the catchier "Tanglewood Numbers" will propel the Jews to a bit of mainstream recognition, and I'll finally be able to wear my T-shirt in public.

That's not likely to happen, though, so I can't really recommend owning a Silver Jews shirt the same way I can wholeheartedly recommend checking out their music.

Artist: Silver Jews.

Title: "The Natural Bridge."

Year of release: 1996 (Drag City Records).

Tracklisting: "How to Rent a Room," "Pet Politics," "Black and Brown Blues," "Ballad of Reverend War Character," "The Right to Remain Silent," "Dallas," "Inside the Golden Days of Missing You," "Albemarle Station," "The Frontier Index," "Pretty Eyes."