A Crow Looked at Me
A Crow Looked at Me is the eighth studio album by Mount Eerie, a solo project by American musician Phil Elverum. It was released on March 24, 2017, on Elverum's own label, P.W. Elverum & Sun. It is a concept album about the death of Elverum's wife, the Canadian cartoonist and musician Geneviève Castrée. The album was written and produced entirely by Elverum, who recorded it, using mostly Castrée's instruments and notes he had compiled about Castrée, in the room in which she died.
A Crow Looked at Me | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | March 24, 2017 | |||
Recorded | August 31 – December 6, 2016 | |||
Studio | Home recording, Anacortes, Washington | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 41:30 | |||
Label | P.W. Elverum & Sun Ltd. | |||
Producer | Phil Elverum | |||
Mount Eerie chronology | ||||
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Mount Eerie studio album chronology | ||||
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Singles from A Crow Looked at Me | ||||
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A departure from Elverum's previous more complicated and experimental works and more in line with albums like Lost Wisdom, A Crow Looked at Me features minimal production, sparse instrumentation, slow winding melodies and intimate lyrics that tell of Castrée's illness and death, Elverum's ensuing grief, his relationship to nature after her death and their recently born child. Initially, Elverum conceived of a small scale release, possibly under a different name; both were dismissed. To promote the album he performed a small concert in a record store, released two singles, "Real Death" on January 18, 2017, and "Ravens" on February 15, 2017, and embarked on critically acclaimed North American/European tours. A select show was released as the 2018 live album (after).
A Crow Looked at Me was an immediate and widespread critical success, being one of the most acclaimed albums of 2017. It appeared on numerous year-end lists. In the years following its release, it has appeared on multiple decade-end lists and has been viewed as an important album of the 2010s and Elverum's career at large. Some critics found because of the album's personal nature, reviewing was difficult and felt disrespectful. Elverum's subsequent albums Now Only (2018) and Lost Wisdom Pt. 2 (2019) serve as continuations, with Castrée's illness and death being central to both.
Background and composition
In 2015, four months after the birth of their first child, Phil Elverum's wife, Canadian cartoonist and musician Geneviève Castrée, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She died at their home in Anacortes, Washington, on July 9, 2016.[2][3] Taking inspiration from the Gary Snyder poem "Go Now",[4] Elverum realised that he did not have to find meaning in Castrée's death but could write songs that described the experience.[5] He found inspiration in the work of Canadian singer-songwriter Julie Doiron, American poet Joanne Kyger, American rock band Sun Kil Moon, Norwegian author Karl Ove Knausgård and American singer-songwriter Will Oldham whose 1996 album Arise Therefore influenced the album's sound, in particular its sparse production.[6][7][8][9] Elverum felt compelled to make the album as he found that the art he treasured was ineffective in helping him cope.[10]
After Castree's death, Elverum considered retiring from music and becoming a full-time father, but a trip to Haida Gwaii inspired him to write notes, along with those he had written during Castrée's illness and treatment, which would become the album.[11][12] Elverum recorded the album between August 31 and December 6, 2016, at his house in Anacortes, Washington.[3][13] He wrote the songs over a six-week period[9] beginning in September 2016.[11] The album was overall created in only 98 days.[14]
Elverum wrote the lyrics longhand on Castrée's notepaper,[15] and recorded the songs in the art studio of his house where she died.[16] He had previously abandoned the room, opened its window and allowed nature to take it over.[17] Elverum credits recording in her room for the album's "immediacy,," and "bluntness."[18] In an interview with KUOW, Elverum explained why he recorded the album in the room:
I didn't want the room to feel haunted...I wanted to live in there and make new life and positivity in that room where I had vivid memories of her final day. I didn't want those final days to be sealed up and define that room or define the house.[16]
He originally intended to record the album with a live band in a studio. He found that the songs were too personal to have others contribute to them, so he opted to play them himself.[9] Elverum used an acoustic guitar, one microphone and a laptop computer[11] along with some of Castrée's own instruments.[19] He used Castrée's instruments mostly out of convenience; applying little symbolic significance.[1] Elverum wanted to release the album quickly, so he used minimal production.[20] This was his first album to be produced entirely on a computer.[21] Since he had become the primary carer for his daughter, Elverum could typically only spend forty-five minutes a day on songwriting and he would record the songs at night while his daughter was asleep[lower-alpha 1] or during times when she was visiting friends.[11][23] He described his process as writing down the songs first on paper, then practising them rigorously until the point when he knew where each chord was in sequence—a first for him.[24] In an interview Elverum talked about how he would choose to record over self-care, saying he could either shower or write down ideas "bursting," in his head.[25]
The best thing about the past
is that it's over
when you die.
you wake up
from the dream
that's your life.
Then you grow up
and get to be post human
in a past that keeps happening
ahead of you
Joanne Kyger
Elverum said that the songs "poured out quickly in the fall, watching the days grey over and watching the neighbors across the alley tear down and rebuild their house," as he filled the pages of his notebook with a "formless, no-rhythm, no-meter, no-melody blob of words."[26][27] The conception of the record was a result of habit, "just doing what I usually do. Which [is] to distill all the mass of words in my head into something a little more poetic and musical."[28]
He completed and released the record to "[open] up all the way," make the intensity of his love for Castrée known and to draw a distinction between art and the "experience of life."[10][16][27] Elverum intended that the songs have a "hyper-intimate," and unrestrained quality. He wanted them to be philosophical[29] but devoid of symbolism and distinct from the more existential themes of his earlier work.[30][31]
During its creation the working title was "Death is Real". Elverum chose to not go with said title as he felt it wasn't indicative of what he intended for the album to be about it.[22] While writing the album Elverum was unsure if anyone beside him would hear it.[16] Elverum stated that he had no goal in mind while creating the album just that he was in an "unpremeditated way going with the flow."[10] He has also said that he does not view the album as a tribute to, or being about, Castrée. He believed if he were to make a tribute it would be ineffective in capturing who Castrée was. He viewed the album instead, detached from Castrée, as a frank documentation of his grief, without concern for listener's reaction or feelings.[10][22][26] Elverum found the album's overall creation positive, saying it was "therapeutic," and felt as if he was "hanging out," with Castrée, believing that by the end he had healed.[24][32]
Music and lyrics
The lyrics are delivered in a speaking and singing manner.[34] They concern Castrée's illness and death,[35] Elverum's ensuing grief[36] and the idea that there is nothing to learn or gain from death[37] Alongside the central theme of Castrée's illness and death, themes of impermanence,[11] emptiness,[35] and disorientation are present in the album as well.[38] Its exploration of death has had it compared to similar albums like Sufjan Stevens’ Carrie & Lowell, Nick Cave’s Skeleton Tree and Panda Bear’s Young Prayer.[39][40]
Many of the lyrics reference nature.[35] One reviewer noted that "tragedy hasn't stopped [Elverum] from noticing the world; if anything, it seems to have pried his eyes open for good."[40] Elverum returns to lyrical motifs such as those concerning the minutiae details of his life as well as his house; in particular, the room where Castrée died, throughout the album.[19][41] The lyrics also feature references to his past work. He intended the album to "correct" his previous works which used death as a theme but saw Elverum detached from the reality of it.[31] They're delivered in a literal poetic manner, although a sense of mysticism is present.[42]
The words take the form of a diary. Elverum intended that each song reflect a time in his grieving and include references to specific events and dates. He said that "each song is anchored to a very specific moment."[1] Thomas Britt of PopMatters highlighted this element for comment, musing about it showcases the impact death has on daily life.[35] Each song, besides the final song "Crow" which is addressed prominently to their daughter whose role in the album is almost that of a second protagonist, refers to Castrée.[41][42] Elverum frequently uses pronouns such as "our" when referring to Castrée despite her absence.[15] At times dark humor is utilised.[43]
The album's lyrics have been said to combine "emotional intimacy and tonal frankness to a degree rarely heard in contemporary music."[44] While the songwriting has been said to "[break] the fourth wall," though the term itself does not align with the style of the material. It is "too precise," because the lines are blurred "between singing, speaking and raw emotional data dump."[36][45]
Musically, the album is reminiscent of his 2008 albums Dawn and Lost Wisdom[3][46] with the songs that avoid standard musical structures and feature sparse instrumentation,[47] a drum machine producing a hiss like sound,[48] acoustic guitar, chord changes,[49] no choruses, unorthodox verse structure[47] and "barely any melodies."[50][51] The melodies that are featured on the album are slow and expand as the songs go on.[52] The songs typically end abruptly, avoiding codas or fade outs.[53] They also include unresolved notes and chords such as the ending of "Seaweed" which hangs on a half-step descent, major chord.[54][49]
The simplistic nature reflects Elverum's wish to move away from his earlier, more "artistically challenging" work, which was characterised by "harsh tones" and "complicated chords."[26] Jayson Greene of Pitchfork compared A Crow Looked at Me's unique pressence in Elverum's discography to "the difference between charting a voyage around the earth and undertaking it."[11] The sparse nature of the album led Elverum to refer to it as "barely music."[40] The album is less musically dark to the rest of the Mount Eerie discography.[37]
Tracks 1–7
The opening track "Real Death" features monotone spoken-word vocals said in a basic rhyming pattern with piano, electric guitar and drum accompaniment, producing a hiss like sound.[52][55][56][57][58] The song describes the weeks following Castrée's death.[59] It features the opening lyrics, "death is real," a phrase that continues throughout the record.[36][48] The song also introduces the theme that the album is not an artistic statement with the lyrics, "it's [death] not for singing about/It's not for making into art". Elverum clarified that although the album is art, the line is about "the difference between the idea of a thing and the actual lived experience of it."[57]
Elverum discusses scattering Castrée's ashes, the trip to Haida Gwaii he and his daughter went on a month after Castrée's death,[60] and the fear of forgetting of the small details of Castrée's life on "Seaweed".[55][61] He also comments on the significance of a group of Canada geese he saw on a beach as well as foxgloves and whether or not Castrée liked them.[62] Elverum revealed in an interview that the first version of the song was created on a hike with his daughter and he recorded the bare bones of the song into his phone.[24] The song is composed of guitar plucking, dissonant piano and bass.[52][56] Nature is displayed as a "place of solace and refuge."[63] It also introduces the themes of Castrée's "spiritual omnipresence," Castrée "surviving," through their daughter and Elverum remembering her beyond the physical, choosing to immortalize her as the sunset, instead of as ashes.[lower-alpha 2][48][64]
"Ravens" describes Elverum giving away Castrée's clothes and her final days, when Elverum was splitting wood and witnessed two "big black birds", understanding them to be an omen but unsure of what.[36][55][65] Elverum has expressed regret over having to repeatedly describe and sing Castrée's final days.[66] The song was inspired by Elverum's trip to Hadai Gwaii, his illness during the trip and the presence of ravens throughout the area.[67] "Ravens" and "Soria Moria" stand apart from the other songs in that they feature multiple tempo changes.[56] "Ravens" has been described as the centrepiece of the album, featuring acoustic guitar, piano, and percussion accompaniment.[68][69] It is structured in a manner more akin to a letter rather than a traditional song and features a sound resembling that of an Oxygen concentrator.[70]
The track "Forest Fire" describes Elverum's feelings about death, decay, and absurdity in relation to the world around him.[71] He apologizes to Castrée for attempting to move on, and going through her things.[37][72] He also mentions a moment in which he closed the windows of his house he had left open in the hope that Castrée would somehow return through them[58] as well as the refineries near where he lives which were a common motif in Castrée's art.[22][71] The fire represents a sort of "cleansing", although of what is unclear.[19] In the song, Elverum proclaims that he "rejects nature."[62] Elverum clarified that the line represents an acknowledgement of the natural process of death but nonetheless protesting it; rather than outright rejection.[24]
"Swims" details Elverum's experiences with grief counselling and the sudden death of his counsellor.[46] It was described by one reviewer as "one of the most heart wrenching songs created".[73] It features raw singing, minimal guitars, simple piano chords and bass guitar.[56][46]
"My Chasm" demonstrates Elverum's isolation from his friends[74] and difficulty in talking about his loss in public.[27] The song was inspired by a dinner Elverum had at a friend's house.[22] It features electronic instrumentation with piano accompaniment.[56] Elverum's vocal performance was described as having "identifiable pain," which is almost palpable.[56] It concludes with the repeated phrase: "death is real".[75] "When I Take the Garbage Out At Night" invokes mundane imagery with one writer drawing comparisons to Sun Kil Moon's Benji.[34] It sees Elverum reconnecting with the universe at large, accepting that Castrée must live somewhere in it.[76]
Tracks 8–12
"Emptiness pt. 2" deals with the idea of "conceptual emptiness".[3] The phrase "conceptual emptiness" is a reference to his song entitled "Emptiness" from his 2015 album Sauna.[45] At one point in the song Elverum sings the lyrics "Your absence is a scream." The word scream is deliberately drawn out. Greene found this moment, from a listener's perspective, comparable to self-harm.[11] Britt wrote that the song's introspection made previous dark and brooding notions in Elverum's work seem enjoyable by comparison.[35]
Elverum discusses the fading familiar memories of Castrée and how items such as toothbrushes, trashcans, and photographs are taking their place in "Toothbrush/Trash".[58][77] Elverums also ponders if a fly in his room could be Castrée; reincarnate.[58] Musically it features a sudden sound cue of a door closing, recorded by Elverum by means of drum kit as well as piano, acoustic guitar and a slow drum machine.[42][58][78]
"Soria Moria" takes its name from the eponymous painting by Theodor Kittelsen, incorporates elements of black metal[48] and details Elverum's relationship with Castrée before her death. It also references his time in a Norwegian cabin where he wrote Dawn.[79] Its lyrics detail the aforementioned painting with Elverum finding solidatry in the figure overlooking the chasm as well as Elverum and his daughter moving on with their lives.[58][28] "Soria Moria" is the only song on the album to have anything that resembles a refrain.[46] Musically it's reminsent of his 2009 album Wind's Poem.[46] Britt described the song and its use of natural imagery as "one of the most vivid illustrations of Walter Benjamin's concept of 'aura'."[35][lower-alpha 3] A live version of the song was used as the lead single for his 2018 live album (after).[81]
The final song "Crow" is addressed to his daughter. Elverum details a hiking trip in the Pacific Northwest where a crow was following them.[36][24] "Crow" was the final song to be written and was originally not going to be included on the album. Elverum decided to include the song to reflect the events of the world at the time. It is the only song that refers to events beyond Elverum's life. He describes the world as "[s]moldering and fascist", comments inspired by the 2016 United States presidential election.[24] The titular crow is used in the song as a symbol of death's encompassing grasp as well as a personification of Castrée.[73][82] The thematic throughlines of the album are concluded in the final lyrics "And there she was."[46][76]
Release and promotion
Elverum had considered not releasing the album at all, or changing his band's name but did neither.[1] He had originally planned for a small-scale release of the record on his website, but as the album took shape he felt that it was good and wanted it to reach a wider audience.[83] He found releasing the album and promoting it to be "gross and weird from a lot of perspectives".[1] On January 6, 2017, he announced that he would go on tour and release a new album.[84] The next day, he played his first concert since September 2014 at a record store in Anacortes, Washington, called The Business.[85] The concert lasted 45 minutes and he played the album in its entirety.[86] He had to ask fans to stay away because the response was "overwhelming" and the store held only 50 people.[87] Elverum performed the show with his eyes closed in the corner of the room, leaving immediately afterwards.[85][88] The show was noticeably sparse, featuring no mic or amplification with Elverum using only his acoustic guitar.[85] Music critic Eric Grandy described the show as "heavy and awkward and weird," but also that it "felt supportive and cathartic and necessary" taking into account the crowd's emotional reaction.[85]
The first song to be released was "Crow" on a charity album entitled "Is There Another Language?" on January 20, 2017.[89] The first single from A Crow Looked at Me, "Real Death", was released on SoundCloud, January 25, 2017,[6] to widespread acclaim, netting the "Best New Track" distinction from Pitchfork[90] and appearing on The Fader's list of "13 Songs You Need In Your Life This Week"[91] and Stereogum's list of the 5 best song of the week.[92] Complex and Pitchfork both included it on their lists of the best songs of the month (January 2017).[93][94] The A.V. Club included it on their list entitled "The A.V. Club’s songs of the summer 2017 for indoor kids".[95]
The second single, "Ravens", was released on February 15, 2017, along with a music video uploaded to Mount Eerie's official YouTube account.[96] The video consists of old camcorder recordings of natural landscapes[97] and Elverum and Castrée.[96] It once again earned the "Best New Track" distinction from Pitchfork[98] and appeared on their list of the best songs of the month (February 2017).[99] It was ranked number 1 on Stereogum's list of the 5 best song of the week.[100] Elverum also did several interviews[lower-alpha 4] which he found to be "mentally draining." He did admit that he treated them as pseudo-therapy sessions, noting they were different from a typical PR campaign.[66]
Tour and live performances
Following the release of the album, Elverum embarked on a short North American tour in April 2017.[96] This was followed by another North American tour in September 2017, playing solo shows accompanied only by his acoustic guitar in intimate venues that included "concert halls, churches, and theaters".[101] The tour was extended to include Europe in November 2017.[102] While performing at Jacobikerk as part of Le Guess Who? festival in Utrecht, a sound engineer recorded Elverum's set without his knowledge. Elverum liked the recording so much that it was subsequently released as the live album (after) in 2018.[103] On September 12, 2017, Elverum performed "Ravens," "When I Take Out The Garbage At Night," and "Soria Moria" in the New York office of Stereogum.[104]
The April and September to November tour received critical acclaim. Critics praised the unique, intimate nature, with some describing it as of one of the most meaningful and memorable concerts they had seen.[105] Pitchfork writer Quinn Moreland named the show, performed at Christ Church Cathedral, as her favourite of 2017. Describing the concert as "a wake—a spiritual sensation that was amplified by the venue, a temple."[106] Elverum's Le Guess Who? performance was selected as one of the best by Consequence of Sound.[107] His show at Thalia Hall was highlighted for consideration by Chicago.[108] NPR selected the concert at Hollywood Forever Cemetery as an "essential" one of the first half of 2017.[109]
Elverum found that because of the personal nature of the songs touring was difficult, viewing it as "re-enacting a trauma and charging people money for it" and criticising the sense of voyeurism the audience part took in.[26] He did admit though that he would probably partake in a similar show done by a different artist, saying "It's hard to look away from a car accident."[38]
Packaging
The album cover features a photograph of the poem "Night Palace" by Castrée's close friend Joanne Kyger.[lower-alpha 5] Castrée had pinned above her desk.[29] When he was cleaning out her room after she died Elverum realised the poem encapsulated the album's theme.[9] Castrée's copy of Hergé's Tintin in Tibet can be seen in the background.[9] Physical copies of the album come with notes that explain, each song's conception as well as an double-sided art poster and another that goes into detail about the literary references featured on the album.[9][1][111]
Reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 8.8/10[112] |
Metacritic | 93/100[113] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
The A.V. Club | A−[114] |
Consequence of Sound | A−[19] |
Exclaim! | 9/10[82] |
Mojo | |
Paste | 9.2/10[116] |
Pitchfork | 9.0/10[40] |
PopMatters | 10/10[35] |
Uncut | 9/10[117] |
Vice (Expert Witness) | A[118] |
A Crow Looked at Me received widespread critical acclaim upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from music critics, the album received an average score of 93, indicating "universal acclaim", based on 18 reviews.[113] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave A Crow Looked At Me 8.8 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[112] A Crow Looked at Me received more attention than any previous Mount Eerie or Microphones album (including his 2001 cult classic The Glow Pt. 2) and earned some of the best reviews of Elverum's career.[4][119] It has since been viewed as a critical breakthrough.[120] It was overall one of the most critically acclaimed albums of 2017.[121] Elverum found the album's reception "reaffirming" but was frustrated by those who viewed it as a tribute to his wife and felt uneasy about the album being public at all,[5][10] once commenting at a live show; "This is kind of fucked up, isn't it? I mean, I'm here telling you Death is real and you're applauding."[105]
Heather Phares from AllMusic called the album "remarkably powerful and pure."[48] Consequence of Sound's David Sackllah said that it was "overwhelming and humbling," "a remarkable example of the restorative power of music, an intimate display of love, daring both in concept and execution."[19] Zack Fenech of Exclaim! praised the album's introspective influence on listeners, describing it as "a grim memento of the grand injustice of losing those most precious to us."[82]
Ben Malkin of GIGsoup described the album as "art in its most pure, human form."[75] In his review for Spectrum Culture John Paul praised Elverum's intimate handling of death which "ultimately proves highly affecting."[34] Sarah Greene writing for Now Toronto applauded the delicate instrumentation. She concluded that despite it being an uncomfortable and harrowing listen, it was also a "tribute to an amazing 13-year love story."[3] Sean Nelson of The Stranger called A Crow Looked at Me "an astonishing artistic and human achievement."[122]
Brian Roesler of Treblezine enjoyed the record considerably but demanded that readers, "Don't call it art. Don't call it music even. Call it a documentation of suffering and loss as an experience, and treat it as such."[56][lower-alpha 6] In an essay written for The Spinoff, Murdoch Stephens compared A Crow Looked At Me to the poetry of Auschwitz survivor Primo Levi and pondered how the listener should interact with a piece of art of such a visceral nature. The article called Elverum "the saddest musician in the world."[123] A title which Elverum denounced, calling it absurd, and saying he sought to inject beauty into the record.[5]
Some reviewers wrote it was difficult to review the album. Aaron Badgley of Spill Magazine and Jochan Embley of The Independent found it so, believing that it was strange to praise an album which earnestly details someone's grieving process.[74][124] Multiple reviewers chose not to rate the album, with one saying that doing so would be "reductive."[70][125][126] Marvin Lin from Tiny Mix Tapes did score the album but said that his rating meant "absolutely nothing."[15] Britt called the album a "masterpiece" but noted that it went beyond "the limits of conventional music criticism."[35] Paste's Matt Fink shared similar sentiments.[116] Lucas Koprowski from Atwood Magazine believed that analysis of the album, was not only disrespectful, but forced the reader to agree with his interpations; which he objected to.[127]
Alongside critical acclaim, fellow creatives have praised the album. American rapper Danny Brown called the album his favourite of 2017.[128] Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast fame chose A Crow Looked at Me as one of the five albums that changed her life and noting how it helped her cope with the death of her mother.[129] Gilles Demolder of black metal band Oathbreaker praised the album, looking to it for inspiration and crediting it with helping him see that "acoustic guitar and words can be so much heavier than anything I've heard before."[130] Ben Walsh of Tigers Jaw described the album as an "completely unique addition," to Elverum's diverse discography.[131]
English writer, Max Porter called it "immaculately beautiful," and stated that "There could not have been a better pairing [with Grief Is The Thing With Feathers.]"[132] American comic book and television writer Brian K. Vaughan also praised the album and would listen to the album while writing scripts.[133]
Accolades
A Crow Looked at Me appeared on numerous year-end top lists by several publications.[134] Such as AllMusic,[135] The Atlantic,[136] BrooklynVegan,[137] Clash,[138] Consequence of Sound,[139][lower-alpha 7] Complex,[141] The Daily Beast,[142] Digital Trends,[143] Earbuddy,[144][lower-alpha 8] Exclaim!,[146][lower-alpha 9] Fact,[148] The Guardian,[149] Los Angeles Times,[150] musicOMH,[151] The New York Times,[152] No Depression,[47] Noisey,[153] No Ripcord,[154] Now,[155] NPR,[156] The Oklahoman,[157] Paste,[158] Pigeons & Planes,[159] Pitchfork,[160] Popmatters,[161] Portland Mercury,[162] The Skinny,[163] Slate,[164] Spectrum Culture,[165] Spin,[166][lower-alpha 10] Sputnikmusic,[168] Stereogum,[169][lower-alpha 11] The Stranger,[171] Thrillist,[172] Tiny Mix Tapes,[173] Treblezine,[174] Uproxx,[175] Uncut,[176] Under the Radar,[177][lower-alpha 12] The Village Voice,[179] and Vulture.[180] Brainwashed, NPR and Pitchfork's reader polls also featured the album.[181][182][183]
It was also ranked one of the best albums of the decade by several publications.[184] Such as 411Mania,[185] All Things Loud,[186] BrooklynVegan,[187] Consequence Of Sound,[188] Mwdwn,[189] Noisey,[190] Pitchfork,[191] Portland Mercury,[192] Spin,[193] Stereogum,[194] Tiny Mix Tapes,[195] Treblezine[196] and Vice.[197] Robert Christgau also included on his list.[198] AllMusic and The Wall Street Journal mentioned it in their decade retrospectives.[199][200] It was featured (ironically) on The Onion's list of the best albums of the decade, calling it "The perfect soundtrack for those warm summer nights when you're grappling with the recent, tragic death of your wife."[201] According to the Seattle Metropolitan, A Crow Looked At Me was the "Seattle Album" to make the most national best-of-the-decade lists.[202]
The lead single "Real Death" also appeared on numerous year and decade-end lists by several publications. Such as All Things Loud,[203] Pitchfork,[204] NME,[205] Spin,[206] Stereogum,[207] and Treblezine.[208][209] "Ravens" and "Soria Moria" were included on Tiny Mix Tapes' list of their favourite songs of 2017 and the decade, respectively.[210][211] "Ravens" and "When I Take Out the Garbage at Night" also appeared on mxdwn and Spectrum Culture's list of the best songs of 2017, respectively.[212][213] Pitchfork's reader poll included both "Real Death" and "Ravens".[183]
Metacritic, which collates reviews of music albums, named it the second best-reviewed album of 2017,[134] the seventh best-reviewed album of the decade[184][lower-alpha 13] and the sixteenth best-reviewed album of all time.[214][lower-alpha 14] According to Acclaimed Music, the album is the eleventh most critically acclaimed album of 2017.[216][lower-alpha 15] The album is the eleventh highest-rated album on AnyDecentMusic?.[218] According to Album of the Year, A Crow Looked Me is the third highest rated album of 2017 and the twelfth most frequently ranked album in top ten lists of that year's best albums.[219][220]
In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, Elverum discussed how he found it "absurd" that the album "was on all these critics' lists compared and ranked next to other people's albums about other things." Describing it as "off in its own universe."[38]
Legacy
In the years following its release, it has been subject to retrospective praise. Adam Nizum of Paste described the album as "Historic."[221] Leah B. Levinson writing in Exclaim! called it "career-defining."[222] Ben Hansen viewed it as the culmination of the Mount Eerie project.[223] Frank Falisi cited it as an album of the 2010s which "[redefined]" the understanding of popular music.[224] Thomas Britt of Popmatters called A Crow Looked at Me "one of the most remarkable folk albums ever produced."[225] David Connolly of Odyssey wrote that "no other [album] really captures loss of a loved one in quite the same manner."[226] Matt Matasci proclaimed the album to be "one of the greatest albums of mourning to ever be released."[189] While Jacopo Sanna of Arena claimed that A Crow Looked at Me is "probably the most important album about death and loss ever recorded."[227]
Music critic Brendan Frank called the album a "must-listen," "for anyone who was ever remotely interested in Mount Eerie or The Microphones."[228] Jacob Nierenberg writing for Treblezine listed the album as one the of "10 Essential Home-Recorded Albums".[229] The album was included on Discogs' list of the "Most Miserably Sad Albums Of All Time" and their list of the "35 Saddest Albums Of All Time".[230][231] The opener "Real Death" was included on Paste's "50 Saddest Songs of the 21st Century" (as of 2020).[232] Donovan Farley of Willamette Week chose "Real Death" as one of Elverum's "essential" songs; Morgan Enos chose "Swims" in his ranking of Elverum's essential songs for Billboard.[233][234] Ian Gromley of Exclaim! chose A Crow Looked At Me as one of Elverum's essential albums.[4]
Elverum's subsequent albums Now Only (2018) and Lost Wisdom Pt. 2 (2019) serve as continuations to A Crow Looked at Me, forming an overall trilogy, centered around the birth of his daughter and death of Castrée.[235]
Track listing
All tracks are written and produced by Phil Elverum.[125][236]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Real Death" | 2:27 |
2. | "Seaweed" | 3:01 |
3. | "Ravens" | 6:39 |
4. | "Forest Fire" | 4:15 |
5. | "Swims" | 4:07 |
6. | "My Chasm" | 2:22 |
7. | "When I Take Out the Garbage at Night" | 2:25 |
8. | "Emptiness pt. 2" | 3:28 |
9. | "Toothbrush/Trash" | 3:52 |
10. | "Soria Moria" | 6:33 |
11. | "Crow" | 2:21 |
Total length: | 41:30 |
Personnel
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes and Cult MLT.[10][237]
- Phil Elverum – songwriting – vocals – production – acoustic guitar – electric guitar – drum machine – bass – piano – accordion
- John Golden – Mastering, Lacquer Cut
- Other [Poem By] – Joanne Kyger
Release history
Region | Label | Format | Category | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | P. W. Elverum & Sun, Ltd. | Double LP, Digital Download | ELV040 | [111] |
Japan | P. W. Elverum & Sun, Ltd. | CD | EPCD101 |
Notes
- Elverum recorded some of the songs with her sleeping 10 feet away.[22]
- Elverum also remembers her as a foxglove in Haida Gwaii and a fly in his house.[37]
- Used in his 1936 essay The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. The Aura, as defined by the Tate institute is "a quality integral to an artwork that cannot be communicated through mechanical reproduction techniques – such as photography".[80]
- Elverum once gave five interviews in one day.[66]
- Kyger died of lung cancer two days before the album's release.[29][110]
- A sentiment echoed by Elverum himself.[40]
- It was also included on their list of the best albums of 2017 from January-June.[140]
- It was also ranked as the best album of March.[145]
- It was also included on their list of the best albums of 2017 from January-June.[147]
- It was also included on their list of the best albums of 2017 from January-June.[167]
- It was also included on their list of the best albums of 2017 from January-June.[170]
- It was also included on their list of the best albums of 2017 from January-July.[178]
- Its appearance on the list made it the highest rated folk album of the decade.[184]
- When including reissues the number becomes one hundred.[215]
- The tenth-highest ranking for an indie folk album.[217]
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External links
- A Crow Looked at Me at Discogs (list of releases)