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Sun Kil Moon "Admiral Fell Promises"

Another high recommendation for the forum. This is the new release from Mark Kozelek aka Sun Kil Moon, and quite a beauty. All acoustic (nylon), haunting, hypnotic, and unique... You could hear splashes back in the Red House Painter days but on "Ghosts of the Great Highways" he really came into his own. "April", the last record, was where the real magic happened, already a classic and one of my go to records at all hours. With this new piece you can hear a quiet confidence. There is more guitar work/range but it is overall much mellower. There is a subtle Latin flair to it also...True musical beauty. High quality sonics for us geeks too.

Highly recommended folks!
richard_stacy
notec
407 posts
 
Sadly, Caldo Verde Records didn't think to release on vinyl. Broke down and picked up a used copy on amazon...
notec
407 posts
 
A used CD that is...
loomisjohnson
1,903 posts
 
caught kozolek live in chicago last weekend at lincoln hall a very nice, new 400 or so capacity venue. very weird show. he stuck exclusively to his nylon string spanish guitar and played brilliantly--the expected mix of new and red house painter stuff + barely recognizable covers of ac/dc, cars and modest mouse tunes. he's prodigiously talented, but one of the most unabashedly self-absorbed, anti-social performers I've seen. Despite the 90 degree heat, he insisted on turning off the air conditioning, then proceeded to either ignore or insult the very polite, reverential fans who kept trying to engage him and kept hoping he was just kidding. he has presence, and he can be funny, but in an uncomfortable, mean-spirited way. "i'm an awkward personality" he said at one point, "and i make other people feel awkward"
none of this makes for bad art, of course--by most accounts mozart, or miles davis were jackholes, too. it's strange, however, to hear music of such incredible fragility and beauty come from such a quirky tool--sorta shatters one's illusions. buy the records anyway.
martykl
3,578 posts
 
Okay, you got me. Somehow, I've missed this guy (and Red Housepainters and Sun Kil Moon) entirely (though I've heard OF both these bands, I've never heard either of the bands' music). Would you guys kindly start me off with the best one or two recommendations to get a sense of what they (he) do(es) at both ends of the stylistic range you mention above?

Thanks in advance.

Marty
richard_stacy OP
686 posts
 
Marty my favorite by far is April, under the Sun Kil Moon name. If you can find the one with the bonus tracks it's worth it. Not that big on his early RHP stuff. Admiral Fell Promises is beautiful and well worth owning too.

I have heard he can come off as a dick. I have a soundboard recording from a show in Portland and he proceeds to tell the audience that their city is basically boring...in the first song. Of course he went on to play a gorgeous set.
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