Mount Eerie
by The Microphones
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 33 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 33
  3. Negative: 2 out of 33

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. poln
    Dec 14, 2004
    10
    this cd is genuine, a very personal work with a lot of deepness.. it takes a while to get into it, but once you do.. you'll be amazed by it's unique beauty
  2. ChairmanMeow99
    Mar 29, 2012
    10
    Maybe I'm biased about this album, with The Microphones/Mount Eerie being my favorite band, but this album is great. While not being for everyone and may be difficult at first, after a few listens its magic begins to show. It begins how The Glow pt. 2 ended and and ends with Elverum discovering the face of the universe. The concept makes it cheesy, but that is what keeps it from becomingMaybe I'm biased about this album, with The Microphones/Mount Eerie being my favorite band, but this album is great. While not being for everyone and may be difficult at first, after a few listens its magic begins to show. It begins how The Glow pt. 2 ended and and ends with Elverum discovering the face of the universe. The concept makes it cheesy, but that is what keeps it from becoming pretentious garbage. Even if it was serious, it would be some of the best pretentious garbage I can have ever listened to. A+… Expand
  3. DomS.
    Aug 8, 2003
    8
    Almost oversteps the line between an artist's indelible experimental outing and a bombastic, beautiful mess. Or maybe it does overstep the line. Regardless, short, tiny moments (like Death's voice or the deep humming beat that begins this record where "the Glow, pt. 2" left off) make this record one of the year's most engaging.
  4. Evan______
    Feb 21, 2003
    10
    Don't listen to the Flak review, they just make fun on things to seem cool. This album is beautiful. What more needs to be said? It's about life and death. OK that's all I can descibe it as.
  5. WhitneyO
    Apr 30, 2004
    10
    I can't believe those bad ratings... There is absolutely no reason for them to say this album is a joke. Phil is one of the most important artists of our time!!! Believe it...
  6. Elliot
    Oct 31, 2003
    8
    It is surely a good album, but it's no The Glow, Part 2. Now THAT is an incredible album. Perhaps the greatest "lo-fi" recording ever? Regardless, The Microphones are immensely talented, but Mt. Eerie just hints at the magic they're capable of.
  7. PhineasP
    Jul 24, 2003
    10
    If you can't connect emotionally to this cd, that's ok. Not everybody does. But you can't reject the massive artistic album Mt. Eerie is, and the fact that it's nothing like you've heard before. if you like music, give this a chance.
  8. ReubenIsAGod
    Sep 13, 2015
    9
    What a beautifully hunting send off for such an incredible band. This is The Microphones Magus Opus, every track is incredibly touching and meaningful. It makes me sad this is the last Microphones record yet as they are reincarnated as Mount Eerie i await with anticipation as to what happens next.
  9. All_ButTrU4
    Nov 29, 2021
    8
    Absolutely fantastic slow burn of epic proportions. Weaving together themes like mortality, the universality of mankind, and the cyclical eternality of life and not having it all come out as a pretentious mess of self-important prognosticating and vaguely simplistic truisms places Elvrum in the rarified air that few outside of Brian Wilson have ever attempted to reach
  10. AutoDeFleur
    Mar 20, 2021
    9
    This album is more of a part 2 for the bands third studio album "The Glow Pt. 2". That said it is a damn good sequel. For any percussionist there is a lot of time and detail and love put into the drums on this album. For most people thought this album is great for a sense of ambience on a lost day when there isn't really much happening. It fills in and surrounds the silence while adding toThis album is more of a part 2 for the bands third studio album "The Glow Pt. 2". That said it is a damn good sequel. For any percussionist there is a lot of time and detail and love put into the drums on this album. For most people thought this album is great for a sense of ambience on a lost day when there isn't really much happening. It fills in and surrounds the silence while adding to it. It is so personal and yet manages to keep people that are here for the climaxes, story, or message entertained. Aside from the intro track 'I. The Sun' being a little longer than most listeners are willing to give a chance it is an amazing sequel and conclusion to one of Indie folks most beloved albums. Aside from the album as a whole ill move on to each track to help. You might not like the whole album, but I promise that there is something in here for most people that are fans of acoustic and folk rock.
    Tracks:
    I. The Sun
    The longest track but opening up with a solid conformation that this is a continuation as we here the heart beat and faint motifs of 'I want wind to blow' we are given the birth of of our protagonist Phil and his drifting in life that eventually sparks him to see the world in the same view as our sun. He is scared and bored and more than anything curious which leads him to embark on his journey.
    II. Solar System
    A smaller ambient track that gives off the atmosphere of Phil's journey to Mount Eerie through the river and forests surrounding.
    III. Universe
    A journey to the peak of the mountain and with a fierce realization of the vastness of the universe
    IV. Mount Eerie
    At the peak of the mountain a swelling and numbing feeling is taken over our protagonist and after either escaping death or being injured fatally or perhaps just mentally dying from the realization of the last song our protagonist gives up only to be scorned by the vultures
    V. Universe
    And at the end of our journey our hero with the inability to cope with the vastness of the universe secludes himself to a cave for the rest of his life.
    With great a narrative and an amazing composition there is no doubt why this has become a cult classic and has been seen as one of Phil Elverum's three cult classics.

    Its genuine, passionate, and raw. It may not be for everyone, but for fans of "the glow pt. 2" and fans of experimental rock and folk I think it'll scratch the perfect place and nest a neat place in your rotation.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

16
#16 Most Shared Album of 2003

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 13
  3. Negative: 2 out of 13
  1. Alternative Press
    100
    Mount Eerie would be a gorgeous record even if the vision behind it didn't fall somewhere between Biblical allegory and Greek myth, but the drama makes it all the more stunning. [Feb 2003, p.70]
  2. Delusions of Adequacy
    90
    Weaving together themes like mortality, the universality of mankind, and the cyclical eternality of life and not having it all come out as a pretentious mess of self-important prognosticating and vaguely simplistic truisms places Elvrum in the rarified air that few outside of Brian Wilson have ever attempted to reach.
    Read full review
  3. Stylus Magazine
    78
    Elvrum’s tightest song cycle yet, truly focusing and clarifying the themes and ideas he’s explored on all his albums.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »