Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout SeaThe Silver Jews' sixth album cover wherein three stuffed Babar toys climb onto a rocky outcrop mysteriously and trickily relates to the record's tales of virtue gone to seed. But in 2008 what are the odds of ever seeing it? Since the likelihood is that most will simply download the best tracks for their mobiles, it's best to forgo theoretical discussion about the gap between speech and song, in favour of an appreciation of the album's country rock

and dancers (members of Chicago youth dance company Move Me Soul)

as Dwyer puts it

they seek out shades of socio-political grey

theåÊCrooked Cop

40 years on

It's difficult to imagine a more perfect expression of their vision than this

Inspired by field recordings of walks through forests wielding finger chimes

you can hear the original right here

bad governance and good dreaming

In the 1980s

right after this tour the band would spend the summer in Brooklyn

From there the band launches into the title track