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The Mark Kozelek/Sun Kil Moon/Red House Painters thread


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Just read this from a UK indie store... Made me laugh, in a depressing sort of way.

 

"...on the week that an astonished world heard that Sleeper had reformed and that Sun Kil Moon had streamed the Worst Album Ever™ we have loads of great releases in that have taken a terrible toll on our reviewing fingers..."

 

Sad, but very true.

Edited by SE7EN
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Mark is the one who broke me of my collecting OCD. I have at least one copy of everything he has done up to and including Benji. I have come to terms with knowing it will never be complete, because I just can't do the new stuff.  

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8 hours ago, Tommy said:

Seriously, fuck this guy. I only post in here hoping he will eventually read this thread while searching for album reviews, as he sits alone in his hotel bathtub

Perfect laugh after a day at work. thank you sir!

 

8 hours ago, shamrocks said:

I think AFP is the weakest traditional album, and have to admit that Universal Themes didnt do much for me, but Benji is excellent, and i like both collaborations (Perils and Jesu/SKM).

 

I suppose it boils down to what you think about ATL and Perils with regards to what direction hes gone, as those were clearly changes in style...

I totally agree with the top highlighted portions with you for sure. AFP is solid as a musical work, but I cannot listen to it very much as it all seems to blend together a bit. Universal Themes managed to get me to buy it based on one song, but that was a very obvious mistake once I tried listening to the entire work. The bottom portion is the part that is most true to me. ATL was the very first Kozelek work to come out that I wasn't in a break neck pace to pre order or even pick up once it was out. At least he still sang the silly lyrics in harmony instead of this aging 50's rap poet shit he's doing now. I really don't care what kind of music he releases, just CALL IT SOMETHING ELSE so I can stop buying  albums based on false hope that the contained material will be a return to form....

 

5 hours ago, lastvaultboy said:

Haven't had a chance to stream this yet. Will try and get on it tomorrow. 

@GreatGreenOne77 a real shame if this has moved you to sell the collection!

I really am at a cross roads where I find myself wondering if I continue to fill in the blank spots from his past catalog and just ignore the future releases, or do I just part with everything from his newer era & move on to giving my money to someone who is putting obvious effort into their art. Real head scratcher there...

 

5 hours ago, Holo said:

99.9999% he was not serious

99.99999% sure the right $ amount could take all my stuff from ATL on minus a few releases I could count on one hand....lol

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Listened to this today (in two sittings) and it's a mixed bag for me.   Some songs I liked, some were duds and some were odd (Vague Rock Song).   Trimming this down to one CD would have helped a lot.  The trend of him singing about his mail and what he watched on TV is pretty tiresome by this point.  Too many songs tread to close to material on Universal Themes or the Jesu record (I enjoy both for what it's worth).  I think it's cool that he's doing what he wants and just going for it, but I don't think I'll get as much mileage out of this one.  I don't feel like he's too bitter on this one, although I find his bitterness entertaining and might not notice it anymore.

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4 minutes ago, jonrawks said:

Listened to this today (in two sittings) and it's a mixed bag for me.   Some songs I liked, some were duds and some were odd (Vague Rock Song).   Trimming this down to one CD would have helped a lot.  The trend of him singing about his mail and what he watched on TV is pretty tiresome by this point.  Too many songs tread to close to material on Universal Themes or the Jesu record (I enjoy both for what it's worth).  I think it's cool that he's doing what he wants and just going for it, but I don't think I'll get as much mileage out of this one.  I don't feel like he's too bitter on this one, although I find his bitterness entertaining and might not notice it anymore.

out of the loop but what is he so angry about now? Life in general or does he have some grand platform/soapbox or what?

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1 hour ago, Holo said:

out of the loop but what is he so angry about now? Life in general or does he have some grand platform/soapbox or what?

Just kind of a general bitterness to some of his last releases and songs, makes him come off as a cranky old man.  The War On Drugs Can Suck My Cock is probably the peak.

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On 16/02/2017 at 3:35 PM, shamrocks said:

 

I suppose it boils down to what you think about ATL and Perils with regards to what direction hes gone, as those were clearly changes in style but didnt people like Benji?

People raved about Benji at the time and for many that was the drop off. Most people here seem to have stepped off the hype train a few stations earlier.

 

I liked AFP but beyond that he lost me. Benji was just too on the nose and in general his work has lost its relatable appeal with the inclusion of such specific personal references. There are ways of dealing with the subject of mortality without literally saying Richard Ramirez Died Of Natural Causes. 

 

Also the tours in support of Benji marked the start of his public meltdowns/hissy fits stage which undoubtedly sours peoples take on the album.

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10 hours ago, Tommy said:

Alright, i'm back. This time to talk about how goddamn lazy his album covers are.

 

Have a look at this one, he literally snapped it with his iPhone 6 out his non-scenic hotel window. In the reflection you can see the hotel curtains. That is all

 

sunkilmoon_2.jpg

 

 

 

SAD

Jandek!!!! :lol:

image.jpg

Edited by Plarocks
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I had pretty much loved every rhp/mk/skm release until ATL, which I loved a couple songs off of (young love, black kite) . When benji came out I gave it a try, and it just didn't click. I hated the new style. Then a few years later I revisted it, and it clicked. Still some forgettable songs/lyrics on there, but it was focused. 

Now his stuff is not focused.  The stream of counciousness stuff isn't working. I think that's my main issue. 

I would hold on to his records, though. I've heard him say a few times that he will not repress any of the Caldo Verde stuff as he "doesn't want them to be in thrift stores someday". Of course that could change, but it's a risk with him being such an old stubborn man now.

Edited by untiliwakeup
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I'm on my first listen (gonna get through as much in one sitting as I can) and I actually mouthed "what the fuck" to myself when, towards the beginning of "Philadelphia Cop", the song stopped and briefly became a skit.

 

"Hold on a second, Sufjan Stevens is texting me right now"

 

O_o

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19 hours ago, Tommy said:

Alright, i'm back. This time to talk about how goddamn lazy his album covers are.

 

Have a look at this one, he literally snapped it with his iPhone 6 out his non-scenic hotel window. In the reflection you can see the hotel curtains. That is all

 

sunkilmoon_2.jpg

 

 

 

SAD

The photo is from the hotel he mentions in one of the songs on the album... I think it's Hotel Cecil in LA, where Richard Ramirez stayed and where they found an Asian tourists body in those water towers back in 2013. 

 

Not a great covery shot, but it isn't entirely random.

Edited by magnumtaurus
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