Late Night Tunes with Sun Kil Moon
I'm always behind on his projects but I always love just about any release by Mark Kozelek. For me it started with 1999's Songs For A Blue Guitar by his band The Red House Painters. It has continued through some solo Kozelek albums and Sun Kil Moon.
Tonight it's the excellent 2008 album April.
All of Kozelek's best qualities are covered. Whether it is the velvet growl of his warmly crunching electric, or the nimble picking of a nylon string classical, the guitars are always the vehicle to take you on your trip while sad angels with sweet, broken voices channel themselves through Kozelek's mournful lullubies.
I hear this vibe and influence in some Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes but it never quite grabs me like the familiar and strangely nostalgic, yet mournfully current Sun Kil Moon. These songs some how make me miss something I've never had. Timeless folk melodies meet Memphis rock riffs with some classical seasoning. So odd and interesting. Listen to the song Heron Blue and you'll know what I'm talking about. Soul roots running deep in the soil of the heart. From our mothers, and certain sounds, notes, chords, trigger those emotions. Whew... good stuff.
I haven't heard the new album Among The Leaves yet, but I have no doubt Mark will be bringing us to that place of longing where I get a little catch in my throat listening and remembering and projecting. Songs that take you in. And those guitars sound so cool!
Other late night music highlights:
My oldest boy Nick up in Minnesota gives me a call the other night from Duluth, Minnesota where he was at a Trampled By Turtles concert because he wanted me to hear them cover Dylan. Next thing you know I'm hearing a perfectly wonderful live version of Shelter From The Storm from Duluth, over the bluetooth connection in my car, as I'm driving through the hills of Tennessee with lightening flashing in the distance and a storm moving in. Cosmic listening.
Songs To work On For Saturday's Show
Alright, I'm ready to get back at it. I'm introducing some more new songs at my solo Nashville show Saturday night at Casablanca. I've got a few new tunes I'm looking forward to sharing. They're feeling better every day as I continue to work on them and let them evolve as I try them in different environments. Top Of The Hill (Gone Baby I'm Gone) and She Went To Spain, I'm Down In New Orleans are a couple of the titles. I hope you can make it out if you're going to be in town.
Let us know what your late night music experiences have been like lately. Don't worry if they're not really all that late. I'm interested in the music you're listening to or making no matter what time of day it is!
Peace and Love, Jerry O