Rock-and-roll poet David Berman is a master at turning over new leaves, but his latest moves are especially gratifying to longtime fans who have closely followed the indie hero throughout his 16-year, genre-busting career. This spring, they can finally catch him live with his act, the Silver Jews. And for members of the tribe, he's also recently tuned into an appreciation of his Judaic roots.

On Sunday, Berman played at the Middle East in Cambridge--a national tour that is heading onto London, Edinburgh and Glasgow. This group is hot. Berman and his wife, Cassie, cohosted an MTV2 video show on March 12; an article and video clip appear in the current Time Out Tel Aviv (www. digital.timeout.co.il).

Berman and the Silver Jews have long been a highly regarded enigma among discriminating legions of music aficionados. Whether their sound is labeled lofi, indie, punk, country rock or folksy pop, Berman's verses...