Founded in 1996 in Olympia, Washington by the then 18 year old Phil Elverum, over the years The Microphones have been a revolving door of at least a dozen or so local musicians from the Olympia music scene with Elverum as the prime songwriter and producer. After their fourth album, 2003’s Mount Eerie, named after a mountain on Fidalgo Island in Skagit County, Washington, Elverum announced he would no longer be recording under the Microphones name. Performing as Mount Eerie from 2003 Elverum has recorded ten albums since the name change. In June of 2020 he announced the impending release of the first new Microphones record in seventeen years.
Microphones In 2020 is a daring record to say the least. In an era of shorter and shorter attention spans with singles taking precedent over full length albums, Elverum has gone in the complete opposite direction with his new record. Comprised of mostly two acoustic guitar chords Microphones In 2020 is one long track lasting forty four minutes and forty four seconds. The hypnotic beauty of these droning chords instantly draws the listener in to the epic stream of consciousness tale the 42 year old Elverum spins of personal milestones and sign posts of his youth (which is why, perhaps, he chose to release the album under the name of the band he began 24 years ago as a teenager).
An acoustic symphony of sorts, Microphones In 2020, despite being one long tone poem, is comprised of numerous movements which weave in and out of each other with ease. In a world with rapidly advancing technology getting faster and faster with each passing day Elverum, by choosing the one track format, invites the listener to sit down for the full 45 minutes to get acquainted with the story. Slow down and stay awhile, it’s worth every passing moment.
8.5/10
Bi-Weekly Record Review 17/26