Two New Releases from Mount Eerie

After already being set to release Dawn, a collection of old songs written and recorded during Elvrum’s sojourn in Norway, Mount Eerie has two new recent releases under the moniker.

With a supposedly epic album entitled Wind’s Poem due sometime next year, as well as another EP, Mount Eerie/Microphone fans will have plenty of new material to add to his already extensive collection.

Black Wooden Ceiling Opening

The first of the two new releases, Black Wooden Ceiling Opening, finds Elvrum exploring a genre he calls "black wooden", an attempt at creating a more organic, lo-fi version of black metal. The result is merely a record that finds Elvrum relying more heavily on his fuzzed out guitar tones that he’s utilized previously on “The Moan” from No Flashlight or the title track from The Glow, pt. 2.

Re-worked Songs

Not only is the sound nothing Mount Eerie fans haven’t heard before, but three of the songs, “Don’t Smoke,” “Blue Light on the Floor,” and “Stop Singing,” have been released on previous albums in different versions as well.

This is not to say that Elvrum didn’t take the time to make them worth a new release, but one has to wonder why he would release a record with nearly half of its content a re-make when he has so much new or unreleased material coming out this year. The record does work very well on its own, though, and its brief playtime might seem as a relief when considering some of Elvrum’s nearly twenty song album cycles.

"Don't Smoke" is probably the most interesting track on the EP, the harsh music and Elvrum's fragile voice creating a dichotomy that supports lyrics pondering reasons why people smoke: "the rebellion against the adults hasn't ended yet."

Lost Wisdom

Julie Doiron, as a member of Elvrum’s inspiration for playing music Eric’s Trip, was basically a dream come true for Elvrum. Again, many of the songs on Lost Wisdom have appeared in different versions, but hearing Doiron with her enchanting voice singing along side Elvrum alone makes the release worth while.

This album, in sharp contrast to Black Wooden Ceiling Opening, finds Elvrum at his most serene and laid-back. The album is lacking in many of the adornments and overdubs typical of Mount Eerie/Microphones releases, but this allows for Doiron to take center stage. Considering the album runs a brisk twenty-three minutes, the lack of diversity never becomes a problem.

What Does Mount Eerie Mean?

While perhaps not most representative of Elvrum’s usual albums or the best introduction to Mount Eerie/Microphones, these releases are essential for long-time fans.

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