an external blocking device on his computer for this very reason. Although he later just considered himself an artist, Berman had been surprised that his songwriting gained more attention than his poetry, thinking of himself as more a poet than a songwriter. He didn't "fully identify as a songwriter" until the time of Tanglewood Numbers' release. Others perceived him as an earnest poet; Rothband considered Berman "synonymous with what he created". In music and poetry, Berman felt his peers saw him as "moonlighting". He once expressed interest in remaining "a stranger" in both fields. Berman was seen as a "cult hero" due in part to his aversion to promotion, and his initial refusal to tour generated a sense of mystique. As of 2005, Silver Jews had only purchased one advertisement in Alternative Press in 1994, for The Arizona Record. He reportedly refused to let Drag City promote his music. Berman relied upon word of mouth and positive reviews, although he dismissed the notion of being critically acclaimed—he felt disregarded by critics; he resented and ruminated upon some who reviewed his work, vexed by reviewers preoccupied with his struggles, and hoped to sabotage their careers. He expressed ambivalence toward his inability to reach a larger audience. Eric Clark of The Gazette and Berman recognized the band's sound as the source of their relative obscurity; Berman further credited his singing and was motivated by such a status. Timothy Michalik of Under The Radar said Berman had a simultaneously lowbrow and highbrow persona to which fans could relate; by 2006, Berman, according to Leon Neyfakh, was "increasingly well-known as an eccentric outsider artist". He had amassed a reputation as "perhaps the finest lyricist of his generation" with his diligence being a frequent point of discussion. Berman's return to music prompted a jovial and personal response from major publications, with concern for Berman having been identified as instrumental to his fervent fanbase. "David Berman was a friend to many, even if we never met him in person", wrote Jesse Locke for Now. Reception of Purple Mountains was significantly altered following Berman's suicide: critics wrote "it [is] impossible to hear this album in any other context", and instead of worrying, you mourn". Posthumous tributes Many artists paid tribute to Berman following his suicide. Malkmus and Nastanovich both commented on his death and performed shows in his honor. Drag City released a tribute cover of "The