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Microphones in 2020
A photograph of Elverum standing in front of a cabin at night with the photo reflected at the bottom featuring him in the day
Studio album by
the Microphones
ReleasedAugust 7, 2020 (2020-08-07)
RecordedMay 2019 – May 2020
Genre
Length44:44
LabelP. W. Elverum & Sun, Ltd.
The Microphones chronology
Mount Eerie
(2003) 		Microphones in 2020
(2020)

Microphones in 2020 is the fifth and final[1] studio album by American indie folk and indie rock band the Microphones. It is a concept album consisting of one 44-minute song about frontman Phil Elverum's life and musical career. Elverum began the Microphones in 1996, releasing four studio albums before retiring the moniker in 2003. He instead opted to release his music under Mount Eerie as he felt the themes had changed. After performing a show under the Microphones name in 2019, the attention it received motivated Elverum to return to the project.

Microphones in 2020 was recorded between May 2019 and May 2020, and released on August 7, 2020, on Elverum's record label P.W. Elverum & Sun. Solely written and performed by Elverum, it is the Microphones' first release in 17 years. Critics described the album as indie folk, indie rock, and avant-folk, and prominent lyrical themes include nostalgia, meaning, and change. Its release was accompanied by a short film consisting of 761 printed photos taken by Elverum, which he described as "lyric video...a slideshow, a PowerPoint presentation, a flip book and a documentary".

The album received widespread critical acclaim, and was given a score of 87/100 from review aggregator Metacritic based on seven critic reviews. The album reached #88 on the Top 100 Australian Albums (ARIA) chart and was placed on many year-end lists from music publications.

Background and inspiration

[edit]

"The point of this song was sort of: Here I am right now in 2020. I am currently all of those things. I am still that embarrassing stuff and the good stuff and everything has happened...I really tried to paint a picture of what ingredients made up...the Microphones period".[2]

Phil Elverum

The American musician Phil Elverum began the Microphones in 1996, acting as the frontman and principal songwriter. The band released four studio albums between 1996 and 2003,[3] including Don't Wake Me Up (1999), which gave the band a small following,[4] and The Glow Pt. 2 (2001), which went on to become a critically acclaimed cult classic.[5][6] After the release of 2003's Mount Eerie, Elverum ended the Microphones and opted to release his music under the name Mount Eerie instead, as the themes of his music had changed.[7][8]

In 2018, Elverum spent nine months in Brooklyn, United States, where he didn't write any music except for the two-chord guitar ostinato that would later serve as the basis of Microphones in 2020.[2] After performing a show under the Microphones name in 2019, the attention it received led him to question his past identity, giving him inspiration to return to the project.[9][10] Microphones in 2020 was conceived with Elverum "walking around with it in [his] head and mumbling to [himself]".[11] He began creating lyrics intending to encapsulate "whoever [he] was during" his past years.[11] After refining the lyrics to only what was necessary, he transcribed them to a notebook.[11] He connected the pages with tape to create a singular scroll, which was about 9 feet (3 m) by the end.[11] The album was recorded between May 2019 and May 2020.[12]

Elverum explained he released the album under his old moniker as a self-imposed writing assignment.[11] He wanted the album to be a "project of demystification" which prodded at the feeling and history of the Microphones, but was long-lasting and not hindered by nostalgia.[3][13] Rather than answer questions, Elverum intended for the project to reflect on his life and simply express what "made [him] who [he] was then".[13]

Music and lyrics

[edit]
Lee smiling
Ang Lee's (pictured in 2013) 2000 film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was referenced in the album as a pivotal moment in Elverum's musical development which transitioned his music into "Something more transcendent".[11]

Microphones in 2020 is a concept album that consists of a single 44-minute song.[3][14] It has been described as indie folk,[15] indie rock,[16] ambient folk,[17] and avant-folk.[16] According to Stereogum's Chris DeVille, the album "defies categorization".[18]

It begins with a seven-minute instrumental section composed of two double-tracked and out of phase chords—D major and F sharp minor[2]—played on an acoustic guitar.[11] This guitar technique was used in earlier works, for example "The Pull" in 2000, and Elverum considers it important to the band's sound.[10][11] Elverum explained that his reasoning for the intro's length was "wanting to push up against the edges, similar to extreme drone music, the way that it wears down at your sense of time and reality and makes you forget yourself", as well as symbolically representing the time between Mount Eerie and Microphones in 2020.[11] After the introduction, more instruments are introduced: speak-singing, minimal drums, bass, organ, electric guitar (which at times appears abruptly),[19][20][21] and piano (which slowly crescendos).[12][22] At times, the guitar ostinato gives way to other textures: distorted instruments and amp hiss.[10] The transition to distortion is placed during the line "I decided I would try to make music that contained this deeper peace / Buried underneath distorted bass".[23] Vocal harmonies are sparsely used, and appear in the last few minutes of the song.[23]

The album is an autobiographical account of Elverum's life and musical career, delving into the multiple past and present versions of himself.[2][24] His autobiographical journey is non-linear and skips around time.[10][25] He discusses many significant moments from his musical career, such as the beginnings of the Microphones, watching the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, viewing performances by Stereolab and Bonnie "Prince" Billy, and listening to "Freezing Moon" by Mayhem.[9][26][11] Another topic is nature, and how it influenced Elverum's youth.[27][28] The album also describes many trivial experiences that were more significant due to Elverum's youth, such as contemplating the moon or doing dishes.[21] There are many self-referential lyrics that point to themes and motifs from Elverum's other works, for example "When I took my shirt off in the yard I meant it, and it’s still off."[11][10]

Themes

[edit]

Critical analysis has distinguished a number of themes in the album. The questions Elverum had from the 2019 show performing after returning to the Microphones name are featured and explored in the album.[10] Meaning and Elverum's search for it are prevalent themes in the album, and appear across Elverum's discography.[10] Elverum compares himself to his youth, observing that he is still unsatisfied in his search for meaning: "I never used to think I'd still be sitting here at 41 / Trying to breathe calmly through the waves..."[23] Observing change is another central theme, with Elverum using nature to demonstrate the passage of time.[23] For example, this is seen in the lyric "It was raining so hard ... I watched the dunes migrate slowly".[23]

Nostalgia is a prominent theme, with the song exploring both Elverum's and his fans' experiences, and questioning whether it is a positive influence.[14] The concepts of mortality and existence are also used—"At any moment we could die"—but they are approached without fear.[23] Other themes include process, form, identity, impermanence, and uncertainty, with the latter two themes, according to Elverum, inspired by "The trauma and mess of the last five or so years of my life".[22][29][28] When it was suggested that the album is a postmodern entity, Elverum stated, "Yeah well I feel it is its own weird thing, I guess. [...] I think of it more as an audiobook or something. It's like this big chunk thing that you can listen to if you want to sit down and devote some time to it."[30]

Release

[edit]

The album was announced on June 16, 2020, and released on August 7.[3] The cover artwork is a 1999 photo, taken by Mirah in New Mexico, United States.[31] The album received interest from fans and music publications due to it being released under "the Microphones" instead of "Mount Eerie", which surprised Elverum, who had expected the song's length to bring attention.[13] The album was intentionally not released on Spotify as a form of protest against its business model.[32]

Short film and book

[edit]

On August 6, a short film was released to correspond with the release of the album. Distinct from traditional music videos, Elverum described it as a "lyric video", as well as "a slideshow, a PowerPoint presentation, a flip book and a documentary". It consists of 761 printed photos which are synchronized to the album's lyrics; at times, the video shows the people, concepts, or places discussed in the lyrics. It took Elverum three weeks to produce.[33][34]

On December 25, Elverum released the photobook Microphones in 2020 Silent Version, composed of images from the short film. He created the book because he wanted the photos to be appreciated in a manner that the video did not allow.[34] Conor Williams of Interview compared the film to Hollis Frampton's Nostalgia. He also commented on Elverum appearing as a "ghost" in the photos (something Elverum deliberately intended).[13] Pitchfork's Sam Sodomsky wrote that the photos added "bittersweet visual cues".[35]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.3/10[37]
Metacritic87/100[36]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[24]
Crack9/10[21]
Exclaim!9/10[38]
Mojo[39]
Our Culture Mag[8]
Paste8.9/10[40]
The Philadelphia Inquirer[41]
Pitchfork8.5/10[10]
PopMatters9/10[16]
Sputnikmusic4.5/5[23]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Microphones in 2020 received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 87 out of 100 from seven critic scores.[36] AnyDecentMusic? summarized the critical consensus as an 8.3 out of 10, aggregating nine reviews.[37]

Chris DeVille of Stereogum praised the album, writing "Microphones in 2020 affirms the value of sifting through the past from time to time, so long as you spring forward. It works so well not because it tears down those old foundations, but because it builds so beautifully upon them." The site listed it as the album of the week.[42] A brief review in Mojo gave it four out of five stars, calling it "intimate" and "absorbing".[39] Matt Bobkin of Exclaim! gave the album nine out of ten.[38] Bobkin contextualized the release in Elverum's career arc as well as the sociopolitical climate in which it was released, summing it up as "Elverum's indelible stamp of style, distilled into a single track that flows like waves in the ocean or hills on the mountainside".[38]

Clare Martin of Paste praised the introspective lyrics and delicate instrumentation, concluding, "an engrossing one-track album is no easy feat, but he draws us in with expertly rich, layered lyricism and immersive production".[40] Quinn Moreland of Pitchfork rated the release 8.5 out of 10, giving it the site's "Best New Music" accolade.[10] Moreland's review highlights the power of the album's lyrics and their ability to evoke mystery and memory.[10] Konstantinos Pappis of Our Culture Mag gave the album four out of five stars, writing about the unique experience of the long song and its ability to evoke memories.[8] Steve Kling of The Philadelphia Inquirer gave the release three out of four stars, comparing it to a good memoir as "it's intensely personal while glimpsing universal truths (and avoiding solipsism)".[41] The album received 4.5 out of 5 points from Sowing of Sputnikmusic, who described it as a "resounding success".[23]

Accolades

[edit]
Microphones in 2020 on year-end lists
Publication List Rank Ref.
AllMusic Top 100 —
[43]
Beats Per Minute Top 50
6
[25]
BrooklynVegan Top 55
34
[44]
Crack Top 50
30
[17]
Exclaim! Top 50
25
[45]
Loud and Quiet Top 40
23
[19]
Magnet Top 25
14
[46]
No Ripcord Top 50
22
[47]
Paste Top 50
26
[27]
Pitchfork Top 50
13
[35]
PopMatters Top 60
37
[48]
Top 20 (Folk)
5
[49]
Slant Top 50
36
[50]
Sputnikmusic Top 50
2
[51]
Stereogum Top 50
31
[18]
Under the Radar Top 100
54
[52]

Track listing

[edit]
  1. "Microphones in 2020" – 44:44

Personnel

[edit]

Adapted from the album's liner notes.[31]

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Microphones in 2020
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[53] 88

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Phil Elverum Details Microphones Vinyl Box Set". Pitchfork (website). Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Ehrlich, Brenna (August 7, 2020). "Phil Elverum Is Looking Back to Move Forward". Rolling Stone. ISSN 0035-791X. Archived from the original on August 13, 2020. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Colburn, Randall (June 16, 2020). "Mount Eerie's Phil Elverum Announces New Microphones Album". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  4. ^ Gormely, Ian (November 5, 2018). "Microphones, Mount Eerie and Melancholy: The Career of Phil Elverum". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  5. ^ Moreland, Quinn (July 31, 2018). "Love Is Real: On Phil Elverum Marrying Michelle Williams". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  6. ^ Stosuy, Brandon (July 1, 2009). "An interview with Phil Elverum". Believer Magazine. Archived from the original on November 14, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  7. ^ Howe, Brian (May 13, 2008). "Microphones". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  8. ^ a b c Pappis, Konstantinos (August 12, 2020). "Album Review: The Microphones, Microphones in 2020". Our Culture Mag. Archived from the original on August 30, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  9. ^ a b Ehrlich, Brenna (June 16, 2020). "Phil Elverum Teases First Microphones Album in 17 Years". Rolling Stone. ISSN 0035-791X. Archived from the original on June 18, 2020. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Moreland, Quinn (August 7, 2020). "The Microphones: The Microphones in 2020 Album Review". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on August 17, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Gotrich, Lars (August 6, 2020). "Phil Elverum Returns to a Refuge as The Microphones". NPR. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  12. ^ a b Anon (December 11, 2020). "Our 50 favourite albums of 2020". The Vinyl Factory. Archived from the original on December 23, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  13. ^ a b c d Williams, Conor (August 7, 2020). "Phil Elverum in 2020". Interview. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  14. ^ a b Power, Ed (December 10, 2020). "'I wanted to blow holes in the wall': How the concept album got inventive". The Independent. Archived from the original on December 16, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  15. ^ Wiggins, Richard (August 18, 2020). "The Microphones - Microphones In 2020 (P.W. Elverum & Sun)". God Is in the TV. Archived from the original on July 1, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  16. ^ a b c Cochrun, Kyle (August 14, 2020). "Phil Elverum Sings His Memoir On 'Microphones In 2020'". Popmatters. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  17. ^ a b Crack Staff. "The Top 50 Albums of 2020". Crack Magazine. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  18. ^ a b Stereogum Staff (December 1, 2020). "The 50 Best Albums Of 2020". Stereogum. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  19. ^ a b Loud And Quiet Staff (December 11, 2020). "The Loud And Quiet best albums of 2020". Loud and Quiet. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  20. ^ Jenkins, Craig (December 9, 2020). "The Best Albums of 2020". Vulture. Archived from the original on May 14, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  21. ^ a b c Garland, Emma (November 8, 2020). "On 'The Microphones in 2020', Phil Elverum looks back to the start". Crack Magazine. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  22. ^ a b Power, Ed (September 1, 2020). "Interview: Phil Elverum on Microphones in 2020". Hotpress. Archived from the original on September 30, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h Sowing (August 8, 2020). "Review: The Microphones - Microphones in 2020". Sputnikmusic. Archived from the original on April 23, 2023. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  24. ^ a b Phares, Heather (n.d.). "Microphones in 2020 – The Microphones". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  25. ^ a b Kohner, Kyle (December 9, 2020). "BPM's Top 50 Albums of 2020". Beats Per Minute. Archived from the original on December 9, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  26. ^ Anon (December 17, 2020). "The 100 best songs of 2020". The Fader. Archived from the original on December 20, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  27. ^ a b Paste Staff (November 30, 2020). "The 50 Best Albums of 2020". Paste Magazine. Archived from the original on July 9, 2023. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  28. ^ a b Gadbois, Drew (September 10, 2020). "Microphones in 2020: History as a means of understanding". The Michigan Daily. Archived from the original on August 22, 2024. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  29. ^ Pearce, Sheldon (December 8, 2020). "My Thirty Favorite Albums of 2020". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on December 20, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  30. ^ Rosenthal, Jon (August 7, 2020). "An Interview with Phil Elverum on The Microphones' First Album in 17 years". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  31. ^ a b Elverum, Phil (2020). Microphones in 2020 (CD). 7 e.p. EPCD119. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  32. ^ Hudson, Alex (August 17, 2020). "Mount Eerie's Phil Elverum Suggests Spotify Is Immoral Even Though It "Is Not Illegal Yet"". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on December 18, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  33. ^ Thiessen, Beck (August 6, 2020). "Hear the Microphones' First New Album in Nearly Two Decades". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  34. ^ a b Bloom, Madison (November 12, 2020). "Phil Elverum Announces Microphones in 2020 Photo Book". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  35. ^ a b Pitchfork Staff (December 8, 2020). "The 50 Best Albums of 2020". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  36. ^ a b "Microphones in 2020 by The Microphones". Metacritic. n.d. Archived from the original on August 13, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  37. ^ a b "Microphones in 2020 by The Microphones Reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. n.d. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  38. ^ a b c Bobkin, Matt (August 5, 2020). "Microphones in 2020 Crystallizes Phil Elverum's Lifetime of Soul-Searching". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  39. ^ a b "Filter Albums". Mojo (322): 94. July 21, 2020. ISSN 1351-0193.
  40. ^ a b Martin, Clare (August 6, 2020). "The Microphones Journey Through the Past, Present and Future on New Album". Paste. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  41. ^ a b Kling, Steve (August 7, 2020). "Fontaines D.C. Are the New Rock Heroes That 2020 Needs So Desperately". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  42. ^ DeVille, Chris (August 4, 2020). "Album of the Week: The Microphones Microphones in 2020". Album Of The Week. Stereogum. Archived from the original on August 6, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  43. ^ "AllMusic Best of 2020". AllMusic. n.d. Archived from the original on December 7, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  44. ^ BrooklynVegan Staff (December 21, 2020). "BrooklynVegan's Top 55 Albums of 2020". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on February 7, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  45. ^ Exclaim! Staff (December 1, 2020). "Exclaim!'s 50 Best Albums of 2020". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  46. ^ Magnet Staff (December 23, 2020). "Magnet's Top 25 Albums Of 2020". Magnet Magazine. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  47. ^ No Ripcord Staff (December 16, 2020). "The Best Albums of 2020". No Ripcord. Archived from the original on July 17, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  48. ^ PopMatters Staff (December 7, 2020). "The 60 Best Albums of 2020". PopMatters. p. 3. Archived from the original on December 7, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  49. ^ Frahm, Jonathan; Woronzoff, Elisabeth (December 8, 2020). "The 20 Best Folk Albums of 2020". PopMatters. p. 4. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  50. ^ Slant Staff (December 9, 2020). "The 50 Best Albums of 2020". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on December 9, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  51. ^ Spencer, Trey (December 23, 2020). "Staff's Top 50 Albums of 2020: 10 – 1". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  52. ^ Under the Radar Staff (January 15, 2021). "Under the Radar's Top 100 Albums of 2020". Under the Radar. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  53. ^ "Week Commencing 17 August 2020". The ARIA Report. No. 1589. Australian Recording Industry Association. August 17, 2020.
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