The Natural Bridge is the second full-length studio album

Studio album

A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...

 by indie-rock group the Silver Jews

Silver Jews

Silver Jews was an indie rock band from New York City, formed in 1989 by David Berman along with Pavement's Stephen Malkmus and Bob Nastanovich. Berman remained throughout and was the only constant member. During the last few albums, Cassie Berman became a regular member of the band...

. Released in 1996 as an LP

Gramophone record

A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...

 and CD on Drag City

Drag City (record label)

Drag City is a Chicago-based independent record label. It was established with a Royal Trux release in 1990 in Chicago, Illinois by Dan Koretzky and Dan Osborn.Drag City specializes in experimental indie rock acts...

 (DC101) in America and Domino (WIG28) in Europe, The Natural Bridge was engineered and mixed by Michael Deming and Thom Monahan and features cover art by Mike Flood. Featured musician

Musician

A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....

s include: David Berman; Matt Hunter; Rian Murphy

Rian Murphy

Rian Murphy is a drummer and producer and for the Chicago record label Drag City, and also acts as the company's sales director.He has worked with Appendix Out, Palace Music, Smog, Royal Trux, the Silver Jews and Edith Frost. In 2000, Murphy released the EP All Most Heaven with Will Oldham.Murphy...

; Peyton Pinkerton; and Michael Deming.

Some tracks on the album were originally recorded using members of the Scud Mountain Boys

Scud Mountain Boys

Scud Mountain Boys was an American alt-country band. Formed in 1991 in Northampton, Massachusetts, it comprised Joe Pernice, Stephen Desaulniers, Bruce Tull and Tom Shea. Stephen Desaulniers left the band and was replaced by Frank Padellaro in Oct. 1996....

 as Berman's backing band, but scrapped. None of these recordings have ever been released, and were rumored to have been destroyed.

Another 1995 session, with Pavement

Pavement (band)

Pavement is an American alternative rock band that formed in Stockton, California in 1989. In their career, they achieved a significant cult following, and they were called the best band of the 1990s by prominent music critics Robert Christgau and Stephen Thomas Erlewine...

 members Stephen Malkmus

Stephen Malkmus

Stephen Joseph Malkmus is an indie rock musician and icon, and a member of the band Pavement. He currently performs with Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks.-Early years:...

, Bob Nastanovich

Bob Nastanovich

Robert "Bob" Nastanovich is a member of the indie rock band, Pavement, as well as former member of 1990s bands Ectoslavia, and Pale Horse Riders...

, and Steve West, was aborted when Berman stormed out of the recording studio. The remaining musicians used the paid studio time to record Pavement's Pacific Trim

Pacific Trim

Pacific Trim is an EP released by indie rock group Pavement on January 23, 1996 . It was recorded on short notice to coincide with the band's Australian tour...

EP.

Track listing

All tracks composed by David Berman

1. "How to Rent a Room"
2. "Pet Politics"
3. "Black and Brown Blues"
4. "Ballad of Reverend War Character"
5. "The Right to Remain Silent"
6. "Dallas"
7. "Inside the Golden Days of Missing You"
8. "Albemarle Station"
9. "The Frontier Index"
10. "Pretty Eyes"