Hearing the Silver Jews have a new album out always leads to a short and dangerous drive to the nearest record shop for me. I can get from work to Avalanche records in Edinburgh in about 40 minutes if I push it: they close at 6...

I thought I had got passed this stuff now. Good God, my 'co-workers' give me funny looks as I try to tell them about David Berman's band - how funny and memorable his words are and how he puts them sleekly in such great tunes.