A Crow Looked at Me
Mount Eerie · 2017
41 min · 11 tracks · indie folk
A stark exploration of grief and loss, delivered through haunting melodies and intimate, confessional lyrics.
Top tracks — play these first
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Real Death — Opening with a vulnerable admission of loss, this track sets the tone for the entire album, immersing listeners in the emotional weight of grief.
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Ravens — This track stands out with its contemplative imagery of nature intertwined with themes of absence, capturing the complex interplay between life and death.
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When I Take Out the Garbage at Night — In this song, everyday tasks become infused with poignant memories, illustrating how mundane moments can evoke profound feelings of sorrow and nostalgia.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album's raw emotional honesty and minimalist approach create a powerful listening experience.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a stark, solo vocal and guitar arrangement that sets an intimate tone, which is maintained throughout the record.
- Each track features minimal instrumentation, often relying on sparse arrangements that emphasize the lyrical content.
- Several tracks incorporate ambient sounds and field recordings, creating a sense of place and enhancing the emotional weight of the lyrics.
- Composition 25% of the score
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8/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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8/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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9/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- raw explorations of personal grief
- intimate reflections on loss
- short bursts of poignant emotion
- thoughtful late-night solitude
- haunting melodies for quiet moments
Maybe skip if you
- seekers of upbeat energy
- prefer polished production values
Where this album fits
- Career context
- By the release of A Crow Looked at Me in March 2017, Mount Eerie was established as Phil Elverum's primary project following the dissolution of The Microphones. This album marked a significant moment in his career, presenting deeply personal reflections on mourning after the death of his wife, Geneviève Castrée, and showcasing a raw, minimalist approach that diverged from his previous work.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Phil Elverum· Sufjan Stevens· Iron & Wine
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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Real Death
The opening lines confront the reality of death directly, challenging listeners to engage with the immediacy of loss.
This direct engagement establishes an uncompromising tone that permeates the album, inviting listeners into a space often avoided in music.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Real Death 2:27
- 2 Seaweed 3:01
- 3 Ravens 6:39
- 4 Forest Fire 4:15
- 5 Swims 4:07
- 6 My Chasm 2:22
- 7 When I Take Out the Garbage at Night 2:25
- 8 Emptiness, pt. 2 3:28
- 9 Toothbrush/Trash 3:52
- 10 Soria Moria 6:33
- 11 Crow 2:21
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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