Silver Jews’ scatterbrained auteur David Berman has always been — despite his music’s dark overtones — one for a laugh. But this album is something new: There’s the tongue-in-cheek lament “Suffering Jukebox,” bouncy perseverance anthem “Strange Victory, Strange Defeat,” even an oddball jam in “Party Barge.” Now in his forties, Berman seems, dare we say, at peace. And it’s to our benefit: Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea is more than a calm, joyous affair — it’s a triumph.
