Susan Forgot to Title Me! Or, Mark Kozelek
Mark Kozelek has to be the most brutally honest, intensely personal singer/songwriter I’ve ever heard.
He’s probably most widely known for being the singer for the Red House Painters, a band allmusic.com lists under both the genre of sadcore and dream pop. He’s also done a side project called Sun Kil Moon and a couple solo albums. One of his solo albums is a collection of AC/DC covers. His next album, Tiny Cities, due out next week, is a collection of Modest Mouse covers.
But it’s his sad and brutally candid songs that I love the most.
With lines like,
I still feel the sting in my hand from when I hit you
("Down Through")
and
Tomorrow she comes, the one who I’ve sworn and broke loyalty
To take your place in the bed next to me
("Things Mean a Lot at the Time")
this is a guy who is not afraid to lay himself bare. And that’s what I find so compelling about him.
From his bio under Red House Painters at allmusic.com:
Kozelek laid his soul bare on record, conjuring harrowingly acute tales of pain, despair, and loss; unlike Eitzel, Nick Drake, and other poets of decay, Kozelek’s autobiographical songs walked their tightrope without a net — forsaking the safety offered by metaphor and allegory, he faced his demons in the first person, creating a singularly haunting body of work unparalleled in its vulnerability and honesty.
(To give you an idea of some of the things he’s gone through, he was addicted to drugs at age 10 and entered rehab a few years later.)
Some of his songs I like best are ones that are really sad and depressing, but after all the verses, the music changes and becomes more upbeat. And you realize the music of the song had that potential for happiness lying dormant in it all along.
I’m posting two such songs to the radio.blog, "Katy Song" by the Red House Painters and "Glenn Tipton" by Sun Kil Moon. (Glenn Tipton, for those who don’t know, is the guitarist who replaced KK Downing, the original guitarist for Judas Priest.) "Glenn Tipton" is a little bit more upbeat throughout the song, but the lyrics are so sad, I don’t really notice it until the ending kicks in. "Katy Song" is much slower and sad throughout, and then at the end turns into something almost….cheerful.
I think you’re right about the lyrics. I only know the two self-titled Red House Painters albums that I got from you, but I do like them. The production does bother me a bit, though–I’m not sure exactly what it is that sticks out.
Comment by Pris — October 28, 2005 @ 2:45 pm
Although, now that I listen to it again, it might just be the conventions of a genre that I don’t have strong feelings for.
And the cover of Kiss’ “Shock Me” is pretty great.
Comment by Pris — October 28, 2005 @ 3:29 pm
It took me a good long time to get into Red House Painters. Not exactly accessible - but that’s the kind of music that reaps greatest reward. Speaking of Eitzel, I was like that with Eitzel’s solo stuff too and I really like Eitzel a lot now. That brings to mind … American Music Club’s latest called Love Songs for Patriots which has kind of slipped under the radar for ‘05 releases. Don’t own it, but have heard much of it and it’s a really good album.
Comment by Dallin I — October 28, 2005 @ 3:47 pm
Eitzel’s a big influence on Kozelek, I’ve got AMC’s album San Francisco but haven’t invested the time in it to appreciate it. It’s on my list of stuff I need to spend time on.
Comment by Susan M — October 28, 2005 @ 5:21 pm
“Katy Song” reminds me quite a bit of “Golden Lights” by the Smiths. I like it, though I haven’t paid all that much attention to what the singer is actually saying.
Comment by danithew — October 28, 2005 @ 10:00 pm
Susan, Thanks for the post on the songs on the radioblog.
I do have to take issue with your Judas Priest info, though. KK Downing and Glenn Tipton are both lead guitarists for JP, and have both been there from the beginning. I saw these guys in the 80s and, like Kozelek, I like them both.
Comment by Greg — October 30, 2005 @ 2:30 pm
I knew I’d get that wrong. Thanks Greg.
I’m pretty sure Sonny Liston is the guy who was world champ before Cassius Clay/Ali knocked him off the throne.
Comment by Susan M — October 30, 2005 @ 5:37 pm
Susan,
What do you know about Kozelek’s project with Alan Sparhawk, The Retribution Gospel Choir?
Comment by Tom — November 16, 2005 @ 3:46 pm
Very little. Except that I think they played here recently and I missed it. I just try not to think about it. Too painful.
Also, I’m not positive but I think it includes some band members from another of Alan’s side project bands.
Comment by Susan M — November 16, 2005 @ 4:19 pm