When I miss people and places, I listen to Phil Elverum’s musical project Mount Eerie.
The shuddering of the nylon strings that breathe life into air organs reminds me of the grounding and cool, crisp Alaskan wind. The deep sounding analog recording equipment reminds me of my favorite vinyl and coffee shop. In Elverum’s pleading and gentle vocals, I am reminded of the worn hands and warm smiles of my loved ones.
Perhaps this is because Elverum’s soul is interwoven with the music he creates, or the meticulous structure of each song, pinpointing the parts of me that are most vulnerable. Maybe it’s simply good music that leaves much-needed space for meditation.
To new listeners wanting an introduction to Elverum’s discography, “Night Palace,” released on Nov. 1, is a beautiful album to start with. Full of twisting prose and demanding chord progressions, it is a philosophically relevant album that invites the listener to be fully present in today’s uncertainty.
The album opens with a deep, prolonged vocal hum replicating a flat bass note, accompanied by a jittery, electronic synth and occasional percussion. The song sounds as if Elverum is waiting for a big, mighty storm to pass over the world — an image I find myself looking back to throughout the album.
The first 13 songs of “Night Palace” are equally familiar and unfamiliar. An unreleased demo I’ve loved for years, “Huge Fire,” was put on this album. “Broom of Wind” and “I Walk” were also released as singles before “Night Palace.”
The natural sounds of his hometown’s elements – river water running, rain pouring and ocean waves crashing – being incorporated into every song is one of the reasons I love “Night Palace” so much. Each lyric referencing the correlation between memory, environment and history touches me deeply. Even in the prolonged, ambient rain in songs like “I Heard Whales (I think),” there is meaning to be dissected and savored.
“Night Palace” confirms that Elverum is truly a lyrical genius. Songs such as “Non-Metaphorical Decolonization” left me hanging onto every word. While symbolic poetry is powerful, what the world needs now is literal and direct language. The lyric “allegiance to nothing but the present moment. I show the kid how to give up everything” is the message behind his entire discography.
Despite all the good, I found myself unsure about whether I loved the structure of the album. Elverum’s albums usually follow an unfolding and fluid story, like in “The Glow pt.2;” however, “Night Palace” doesn’t. The album felt as if each song fought the next. For example, the gut-wrenching and intense “Swallowed Alive,” inspired by death metal drumming and screaming, comes right before the gentle and acoustic “My Canopy.” This is a metaphor for the chaos of the modern day, which I respect, but Elverum failed to make that clear, making certain songs feel out of place based on first listen.
Nevertheless, Mount Eerie’s “Night Palace” is an amazing, creative and vivid album. Taking inspiration from black metal and the sound of his early music -– it’s beautiful, transformative and powerful.
