Burd Early may not be David Berman, but he's doing the best he can. Vocally, that is.
Early doesn't infringe upon
the Silver Jews' frontman's trademarked sense of humor and quirky nature, but he does resemble Berman's musical stylings of rootsy Americana intermixed with firm storytelling.
Magnet Mountain is composed of 11 songs by this one-man band, with a feel quite appropriate for its label, Western Vinyl. That Western, cowboy feel is there with the use of country guitar, piano, and brush strokes on the snare. An occasional memorable line here or there is reinforced by
Early's pale, hushed voice. While not necessarily lacking in many areas, it also does nothing to compel the listener to throw their enthusiastic weight behind the project, either. Although the label calls this "bedroom pop," perhaps some change-ups in structure and some experimentation within that pop spectrum could cause
Early to not only utilize his strong points (vocals, simplicity), but also find some strengths by which to stand out more than the average pop act. ~ Kurt Morris