In early Sun Kil Moon days he was saying his lyrics had become more ambiguous as opposed to RHP's diary style but that seems to have reversed in an extreme fashion.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Monday, 27 February 2017 20:31 (seven years ago) link
Exhaustion after putting all of his virtuosic try-hard into AFP
Yeah there's just no way in hell he's putting in anywhere near as much time and effort these days as he did on the first three SKM records, why bother when he can get plenty of attention without bothering to actually compose
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Monday, 27 February 2017 20:36 (seven years ago) link
I mean, we run the risk of pretending that art is measured strictly by a show of objective proficiency in composition and execution, but there are plenty of context clues on a overall timeline to indicate that in his case he is probably killing 2 or 3 birds by taking the easy route AND satisfying some of those other points/theories I listed at once.
― Evan, Monday, 27 February 2017 21:12 (seven years ago) link
yeah I almost added for clarity that "effort" is obviously not a good yardstick of quality generally, I just think it's instructive/useful in this case
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Monday, 27 February 2017 21:13 (seven years ago) link
I wonder what he's 'working through'? He feels like a late Roth creation at times, stubbornly raging against the dying of the light. And, like Roth, sometimes maybe it just needs an editor to stand up and say 'edit, ffs'.
― The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums (Chinaski), Monday, 27 February 2017 21:21 (seven years ago) link
In short I think it's that he's sick of being a musician but is enjoying the newness of being a beat poet instead.
― Evan, Monday, 27 February 2017 21:35 (seven years ago) link
> Just listened to I Love Portugal which wasn't very good at all.
I dunno, the first three and a half minutes or so reminded me of mid-period Red House Painters, which I'm alright with. Wish it faded out after four minutes or so.
― john. a resident of chicago., Monday, 27 February 2017 23:37 (seven years ago) link
> I wonder what he's 'working through'?
Maybe he's working through making a living. He's putting these out himself, right? I wonder what his profit margin and sales are on something like this. Geez, he's also got an EP coming out in April and another Jesu collaboration in May.
― john. a resident of chicago., Monday, 27 February 2017 23:41 (seven years ago) link
this album is like someone took a bunch of Marc Maron's podcast intros, slowed them down and strumming a guitar over them.
― duped and used by my worst Miss U (President Keyes), Tuesday, 28 February 2017 13:59 (seven years ago) link
This is one weird record.
― kornrulez6969, Wednesday, 1 March 2017 16:37 (seven years ago) link
To my horror, this is the most I've ever liked Mark Kozelek. It helps to really not listen to the lyrics, and just take it as weird repetitive synth-loops.
― Frederik B, Wednesday, 1 March 2017 16:45 (seven years ago) link
David J’s Impressionistic Take on Sun Kil Moon’s Sprawling New Record
― john. a resident of chicago., Sunday, 26 March 2017 14:22 (seven years ago) link
Jesu / Sun Kil Moon "30 Seconds to the Decline of Planet Earth" now streaming here: http://www.sunkilmoon.com/30seconds/
Hoping he's grown tired of reading fan letters out mid song!
― Steve Reich In The Afternoon (Against The 80s), Tuesday, 25 April 2017 17:57 (seven years ago) link
Quite enjoyed much of that.
― djh, Tuesday, 25 April 2017 20:06 (seven years ago) link
anyone who gets through all of "wheat bread" deserves a medal imo
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Tuesday, 25 April 2017 23:56 (seven years ago) link
I gave up 4 (5?) songs in, when he started bragging about his humility and how many mates he's got. He may have been in character or just taking the piss, I'd lost track by then.
― Steve Reich In The Afternoon (Against The 80s), Wednesday, 26 April 2017 06:23 (seven years ago) link
Weird. Played this last night, listening while ironing, and genuinely enjoyed it (to the point of pre-ordering it) but playing it again ... my god, there are some awful bits alongside the beautiful bits. He reads another fan letter.
― djh, Wednesday, 26 April 2017 22:12 (seven years ago) link
Apparently, he's about to release his 4th album this year.
― djh, Monday, 11 September 2017 22:44 (seven years ago) link
must have received more mail
― President Keyes, Tuesday, 12 September 2017 13:55 (seven years ago) link
That "Ben's My Friend" track was all right. Sports bar shiiiittt...
― yesca, Tuesday, 12 September 2017 14:29 (seven years ago) link
http://www.markkozelek.com/img/november10_2017_2.jpg
11/10/2017
― Evan, Tuesday, 5 December 2017 21:13 (six years ago) link
Koz has, by my estimation, released 334 minutes of music this year.
― Simon H., Tuesday, 5 December 2017 21:15 (six years ago) link
Is that rodney bingenheimer
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 5 December 2017 21:19 (six years ago) link
ha
met and spoke with nels a few times
hes a cool guy
― infinity (∞), Tuesday, 5 December 2017 21:32 (six years ago) link
http://www.sunkilmoon.com/
he's almost singing again
― Dinsdale, Thursday, 1 February 2018 21:32 (six years ago) link
got to "I had dim sum this morning" and had to turn it off
― Dat Login was the dname u doofus (Sufjan Grafton), Thursday, 1 February 2018 21:35 (six years ago) link
lol
― Dinsdale, Thursday, 1 February 2018 21:35 (six years ago) link
wait is the new SKM album really titled "Mark Kozelek"?
― akm, Saturday, 3 February 2018 23:23 (six years ago) link
Sun Kil Moon ended in 2014 with an interesting, confessional album. Wonder what he's been up to since then.
― Evan, Sunday, 4 February 2018 06:58 (six years ago) link
it also has a track named 'The Mark Kozelek Museum'
― Dinsdale, Sunday, 4 February 2018 07:38 (six years ago) link
well, this is thoroughly depressing
it really puts meta on things, though, doesn't it?
too much. there's too much fucking meta
― mookieproof, Sunday, 4 February 2018 07:43 (six years ago) link
not sure if someone mentioned elsewhere already but ghosts of the great highway is on spotify now
― lowercase (eric), Tuesday, 3 July 2018 16:02 (six years ago) link
There's another Sun Kil Moon album. Apparently it includes a song about the singer from Kings of Convenience. "Music can't get any worse," (or something like that) say Norman Records.
― djh, Friday, 9 November 2018 07:31 (six years ago) link
haha, that's a bit harsh
interesting that the related artists on Norman Records site are "provided by the Spotify Web API"
― niels, Friday, 9 November 2018 09:59 (six years ago) link
Tried my usual attempt to make it through a single listen of the latest SKM/Kozelek release. Bailed when he started the Pazuzu impressions on 'Linda Blair' ...
― Steve Reich In The Afternoon (Against The 80s), Friday, 9 November 2018 10:15 (six years ago) link
I've been hearing a lot about this moment on "Linda Blair" that is the low point of the new one. Though I don't have any desire to check it out!
― Evan, Friday, 9 November 2018 12:55 (six years ago) link
I tapped out several albums ago but these reactions brought a perverse curiosity that nudged me to check it out. And wow, it's quite the accomplishment, so triumphantly unlistenable.
― doug watson, Friday, 9 November 2018 14:32 (six years ago) link
Was watching Austin City Limits the other day, a split show between The War on Drugs and TV on the Radio. "Under the Pressure" by TWoD was so impressive, brought back to mind Grumpy Koz's live complaints a few years back, and the widening gap between the quality of their output. The last MK album was the worst yet, hope the upcoming SKM is better.
― the body of a spider... (scampering alpaca), Friday, 9 November 2018 15:00 (six years ago) link
SKM used to be the all-time favourite band of a friend of mine, but not anymore - I think since Among The Leaves, I remember how he cited the lyrics of Sunshine In Chicago as a major example of Kozelek's decline.Coupled with various bits I heard of both music & reports of Kozelek madness, I've followed my friend's advice to stick to the earlier records. 'April' remains absolutely stunning.
― Valentijn, Friday, 9 November 2018 15:18 (six years ago) link
is this an SKM album or the new "Mark Kozelek" album (s/t)? because I started listening to this yesterday and I actually liked the first song, which is the first thing I've liked since Among the Leaves.
― akm, Friday, 9 November 2018 15:37 (six years ago) link
oh I guess there is an SKM album ('this is my dinner'). I know a few people who are really into these albums, they find them immensely interesting. I find them mind-numbingly dull. i don't know what he's thinking.
― akm, Friday, 9 November 2018 15:38 (six years ago) link
I gave it another go, skipping 'Linda Blair' this time. Some of the music's not too bad, better than the last few records. I even quite enjoyed 'Candles'. And there's nothing here quite as obnoxious as him corpsing while reading out earnest fan letters in the middle of a song.
No desire to listen to it ever again though.
― Steve Reich In The Afternoon (Against The 80s), Friday, 9 November 2018 16:20 (six years ago) link
"SKM used to be the all-time favourite band of a friend of mine, but not anymore - I think since Among The Leaves"
Mark would have made things much easier if he had retired the Sun Kil Moon moniker after that album came out. It's annoying to have to bookend any discussion/recommendation with a big loud disclaimer given half of his releases are the antithesis of the other half under SKM.
― Evan, Friday, 9 November 2018 16:53 (six years ago) link
Benji is the kind of album you can only make once. I don't really know what to do with most of the stuff he's released since, and also his frequent pissiness is kind of insufferable.
― Fedora Dostoyevsky (man alive), Friday, 9 November 2018 17:38 (six years ago) link
lol what the fuck is this
― for i, sock in enumerate (Sufjan Grafton), Friday, 9 November 2018 17:52 (six years ago) link
Has it been established whether he's actually ill or not? Fucking weird behaviour, if not.
― Have the Rams stopped screaming yet, Lloris? (Chinaski), Friday, 9 November 2018 17:57 (six years ago) link
Is it possible that J.D. Salinger wrote my favorite novel?Yes, this is possible
― for i, sock in enumerate (Sufjan Grafton), Friday, 9 November 2018 18:02 (six years ago) link
one of the worst musicians in the world atm
― imago, Friday, 9 November 2018 18:02 (six years ago) link
He needs an editor. A fucking brutal one. And a friend.
― djh, Friday, 9 November 2018 18:06 (six years ago) link
Exactly my point. AFP showed that at the time he was arguably among one of the best.
Xp
― Evan, Friday, 9 November 2018 18:19 (six years ago) link