Mount Eerie - I Walk and Broom of Wind track review
Happy Halloween! Hope everyone had fun celebrating a classic fall holiday! Given Mount Eerie’s album “Night Palace” came out a few minutes ago, I wanted to review two of the singles as a sneak peek at what seems to be a pretty strong album.
Mount Eerie is a musical outfit lead by Phil Elverum. The band started in 2003 and has released countless EPs and full-length albums since then, many to critical claim. Most of Mount Eerie’s projects generally fall into the realm of indie-folk/rock, or lo-fi, with some experimental rock. Both the singles discussed and not talked about in this article follow a similar theme sonically.
“I Walk”, takes us on a thoughtful exploration of healing and resolving trauma that comes from tragedy. Elverum’s lyrics tell a compelling story with how candid they are. Referencing something as mundane as “Discarded clothing on the ground” carries a powerful sense of realness. In this moment we are right there with Mount Eerie, and we are there ourselves, recounting these experiences from our own lives.
As with most Mount Eerie songs, I really appreciate the storytelling and how nature is portrayed throughout the song. Lines like “Dragging through stone // Pilled alive with associations,” really exemplify this, deftly portraying the weight of the tragedy you carry, and the grief that comes with it. Setting the story as this long journey one embarks on alone feels like another meaningful characterization of what it’s like to deal with tragedy. Friends and others support you along the way, but it is something that rests solely on your shoulders at the end of the day.
The instrumentals also really elevate the meaning and overall cohesiveness of the song. One example is the distortion within the production. The way the percussion is delivered really enhances the trudging and struggle that comes with navigating those feelings. I also really appreciate the repetition, which I think stands for both the passage of time and the cyclical nature of healing, how some days feel like large steps forwards while others make you feel like you’re running in circles.
“Broom of Wind” is another single that was released the same day as “I Walk.” It’s much shorter, but carries a similar emotional depth and weight.
I found the metaphor of the sweeping broom interesting because of how it relates to the overall themes of healing and the passage of time. We get a glimpse of Elverum’s headspace as he recounts, “Sweeping with an old broom // Whose straw keeps chunking off // For me to sweep up,” using the broom to illustrate the passing of time, as well as the memories he carries and is processing. For him to end the song on “Only the occurrence of a person,” seems to reference the passing of his wife, something covered at length in his 2017 project “A Crow Looked at Me.” Like “I Walk,” this song feels genuine in how it describes picking up the pieces of your life after suffering something devastating. Sweeping up old memories as a part of moving on acts as a metaphor for time passing and the actions one takes internally to process something, a persisting theme throughout Mount Eerie songs.
As with “I Walk,” the instrumental once again raises the cohesiveness of the song. The guitar riffs that play through the entire song carries the vibe of sweeping with its short and repetitive rhythms. The solo in the second half echoes and almost howls like wind, sonically tying the song to nature. This section of the song also depicts this picture of the Elverum sweeping up their memories, reflecting on them, and mourning.
Overall, I genuinely enjoyed listening to these two singles. The way they are sonically and lyrically tied to nature is nuanced and well done. How the two singles tease the idea of living through and past trauma feels genuine and an important signpost for what I expect to be an overarching theme on the album. “Night Palace” is shaping up to be a musical kingdom of dreams.
Mount Eerie is a musical outfit lead by Phil Elverum. The band started in 2003 and has released countless EPs and full-length albums since then, many to critical claim. Most of Mount Eerie’s projects generally fall into the realm of indie-folk/rock, or lo-fi, with some experimental rock. Both the singles discussed and not talked about in this article follow a similar theme sonically.
 |
| I Walk |
As with most Mount Eerie songs, I really appreciate the storytelling and how nature is portrayed throughout the song. Lines like “Dragging through stone // Pilled alive with associations,” really exemplify this, deftly portraying the weight of the tragedy you carry, and the grief that comes with it. Setting the story as this long journey one embarks on alone feels like another meaningful characterization of what it’s like to deal with tragedy. Friends and others support you along the way, but it is something that rests solely on your shoulders at the end of the day.
The instrumentals also really elevate the meaning and overall cohesiveness of the song. One example is the distortion within the production. The way the percussion is delivered really enhances the trudging and struggle that comes with navigating those feelings. I also really appreciate the repetition, which I think stands for both the passage of time and the cyclical nature of healing, how some days feel like large steps forwards while others make you feel like you’re running in circles.
 |
| Broom of Wind |
I found the metaphor of the sweeping broom interesting because of how it relates to the overall themes of healing and the passage of time. We get a glimpse of Elverum’s headspace as he recounts, “Sweeping with an old broom // Whose straw keeps chunking off // For me to sweep up,” using the broom to illustrate the passing of time, as well as the memories he carries and is processing. For him to end the song on “Only the occurrence of a person,” seems to reference the passing of his wife, something covered at length in his 2017 project “A Crow Looked at Me.” Like “I Walk,” this song feels genuine in how it describes picking up the pieces of your life after suffering something devastating. Sweeping up old memories as a part of moving on acts as a metaphor for time passing and the actions one takes internally to process something, a persisting theme throughout Mount Eerie songs.
As with “I Walk,” the instrumental once again raises the cohesiveness of the song. The guitar riffs that play through the entire song carries the vibe of sweeping with its short and repetitive rhythms. The solo in the second half echoes and almost howls like wind, sonically tying the song to nature. This section of the song also depicts this picture of the Elverum sweeping up their memories, reflecting on them, and mourning.
Overall, I genuinely enjoyed listening to these two singles. The way they are sonically and lyrically tied to nature is nuanced and well done. How the two singles tease the idea of living through and past trauma feels genuine and an important signpost for what I expect to be an overarching theme on the album. “Night Palace” is shaping up to be a musical kingdom of dreams.
How do you think the singles will be with the rest of the album?
How would you describe your past experiences listening to Mount Eerie?
Comment Below
-J
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