David Berman, one of the most incisive and raw voices in indie rock, who brought the acuity of poetry to his songs, took his own life earlier this month. He was 52.

Berman left a flock of devoted listeners. The albums he released under the Silver Jews moniker were wry, scarred, hyperliterate and deeply comedic. This year, he put out his first album under a new recording alias, Purple Mountains, and at the time of his death, was just a few days away from going out on the road.

On this week’s Popcast, a series of conversations with those who understood what made Berman tick about the directness of his songwriting, his struggles with addiction and mental health and his uncommon sweetness to those who knew him well, and even not that well.

On the Popcast: