The Rock Blogger

Mark Kozelek. Little Drummer Boy Live . 2006. 4.5 stars .

Yes, I do realize I’ve reviewed two Sun Kil Moon albums on my blog already, but since Mark Kozelek’s blend of folk and slowcore styles is so exquisite and moving, I feel he deserves all the praise he can get, so the mentions continue. What drew me to this double disc set is the inclusion of not only songs from Kozelek’s Sun Kil Moon period (also featuring early incarnations of pieces from 2008’s April ), but also the acoustic renditions of some Red House Painters material had that sparked his songwriting career.

Among the highlights is the haunting "Katy Song" and the slow burning "Cruiser" which find their way into his sets (compiled from shows across North America and Finland), with heart-wrenching vigor. In performances such as these, it feels as if Mark Kozelek is not just pouring his heart out to the crowd, but to every piercing moment that has touched his life. Love and distance, fading faces, cascading light and oceanic mystery are part of his aesthetic language, all spoken with a distinctive, reverberating voice that rings with unflinching emotional clarity.

As a compilation, Little Drummer Boy Live is a stunning illustration of Kozelek’s detailed, poetic lyricism, his quiet but honest guitar playing and the unshakable sadness of his vocals. There are some notable surprises as well, including a cover of Neil Young’s "Rock ‘n’ Roll Singer" and the surprisingly powerful version of "Little Drummer Boy", the classic Christmas song. The collection is not without its faults though, as many of these songs do sound barren, desolate and overlong without any backing instrumentation. The album’s incredible length, in addition to the melancholic air that hangs over it all, is simply intimidating. If you are new to Kozelek’s music, I would recommend picking up this year’s April , which features a full band to flesh out the songs. If you are a seasoned fan however, then Little Drummer is essential and captivating. Even with just a slight introduction to the source material, as I received this summer, the work of Mark Kozelek leaves a lasting impression, and these performances reinforces it all the more.

Mark Kozelek - Cruiser [live]

This entry was posted on Monday, August 25th, 2008 at 8:48 pm and is filed under Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.