Explain Phil Elverum with mbryant52 - TTL Zine
From TTL Zine #13: In our continuing series about understanding the fandoms that we don’t fully comprehend, we tapped mbryant52 who we found on r/philelverum. he has hosted a Phil-themed music club, took Phil’s songwriting class and found Buddhism per his music!
I've tried to get into Phil's catalog, but it's very daunting... almost like a long, intense book that you have to spend some time on. If you were writing a foreword, what would it mention?
Your reaction is fair - depending on how you count, Phil has some 15+ full-length albums and at least as many other projects, across an interwoven multitude of genres. However, I would argue that all of these offerings are united in their central questions - who are we? what is this life? how should we live? what is true? So my foreward might be something short and sweet like: "An earnest man wrestles with existential questions and reflects on Buddhist teachings, his word whispered over a vast landscape of sound, asking for attention and patience as he peels back layers from the onion of wisdom. Will we take the time to listen?"
Judging by people's connection, Phil's music seems to make a deep impact/connection. How has Phil's music manifested itself in your life?
In many ways I would consider Phil one of my teachers. I took his songwriting class through School of Song, in which he served in a formal(ish) teacher role, but informally his music has introduced me to many ideas I hadn't considered previously - for me his songs were an introduction into some of the central questions and teachings of Buddhism, which have enriched my own reflective life immeasurably. Also (strangely), in his earnest lyrics and self-reflection I feel as if I know this man - whom I've interacted with but certainly share no closeness - as if I've been witness to his learning, his reflections, his challenges, his becoming. His art is so honest that it feels impossible to encounter it with sincerity and to not feel some degree of connection.
5 songs to get a best sense of Phil's music for the complete newbie?
When we're talking about 30 musical projects, picking 5 songs feels impossible, but here's a go:
- I Want Wind to Blow (The Glow Pt. 2)
- The Glow Pt.2 (The Glow Pt. 2)
- O My Heart (Lost WIsdom)
- Through the Trees Pt. 2 (Clear Moon)
- I Spoke With a Fish (Night Palace)
Though worth noting that this list doesn't really capture the heavier end of Phil's spectrum, which is my preferred end, and for that I'd like to recommend "In Moonlight" from Black Wooden Ceiling Opening, which happens to be my very favorite Phil song. I would be remiss if I didn't also note that Wind's Poem is my favorite of Phil's albums, his so-called "black metal" opus, which is indeed heavy while still staying soft in distinct ways, and is for me his most consistent and complete album.
For someone who wants to go deeper, is there any album order they should go?
I've enjoyed experiencing Phil's discography chronologically to see the evolution of his experimentation and reflections, but for a quick overview I'd suggest:
- It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water
- The Glow Pt. 2
- Dawn
- Clear Moon
- Ocean Roar
- Wind's Poem
- Sauna
- Night Palace
Those 8 albums I think capture 80% of his sound and ideas in relatively approachable shapes.
Anything else you'd like to say?
So much, but I'll try to be brief. First, I'll say that Phil mostly rejects conventional song structures, so those seeking predictability will be confused by his music. But for those who are curious and determined, there are so many pearls of wisdom in his songs. Second I'll say that Phil mixes his vocals low, which some listeners find objectionable, but my theory is that this is intentional to ensure listeners are maintaining a proper volume (to appreciate the production texture of the sound) and to require their attention - sometimes it's a strain to understand his lyrics over the distortion, but isn't that what it's like to try to understand another human being? I believe Phil's music is best as an immersive experience to which one can offer their full attention, and I think there are valuable lessons to learn there around attention, listening, and patience. Third I'll say that Phil has a few different eras reflected in his offerings, and that one of those is an era of grief, and that his grief records (A Crow Looked at Me and Now Only) are both incredibly compelling and incredibly harrowing, and I don't recommend listening to those for entertainment. As art, those albums require reverence. Finally, I think Phil's most recent album, Night Palace, is a fantastic record with an excellent sampling of his sounds and ideas, so for anyone who's looking to start by listening to one album, that's a great place to begin.
