The Rock Blogger

Sun Kil Moon. April. 2008. 5 stars.

In a perfect world, Sun Kil Moon’s Mark Kozelek would be just as well known as Neil Young and Eddie Vedder, capturing the imagination of the rock world with his chilling baritone voice and remarkably descriptive songwriting. Until that happens, Kozelek will remain an unsung icon of the indie universe, as he produces heartbreakingly beautiful folk-rock masterpieces like April, an early contender for album of the year. With Sun Kil Moon, Kozelek has lived up to and extended the legacy he built for himself with the shoegaze/rock band Red House Painters in the 90s, further developing the slow, brooding sound that once made them so endearing.

In April, Kozelek remains in a deeply reflective mood, drawing the listener into his dark pools of memory, vividly illustrating scenes of dusty city streets, night skies and small towns where love had once blossomed. While I won’t go into too much detail here about the lyrics, as my descriptions can’t possibly capture the alluring spirit that hides within them, but I can tell you that they are indeed moving and will be sure to stir romantic visions of long lost muses, moments and longings.

The pleasant sounds that wrap around these tales are slow and soothing, with gentle acoustic guitar work moving most of these songs into haunted personal spaces. The structures themselves may seem simple from the first listen, fitting within comfortable folk conventions, but they slowly unfurl into dynamic and rollicking jams complete with warm electric riffs and entrancing rhythms. On tracks like “Moorestown”, you can hear more elaborate elements being introduced, like strings and accompanying vocals, fleshing out the cathartic drives within the songwriting. The result is immediately effective, luring you into the band’s perfectly nostalgic and stoned daze.

While individual songs feature little variation between guitar patterns and pacing, they serve as a calm backdrop for Kolezek’s stirring vocals. While they remain deep and sad, almost droning on like another instrument, they rise up at just the right moments to showcase the man’s undeniable passion for his craft and lyrical content. You feel as if his entire life is here, encased within these 11 tracks.

While some may take issue with the extended length of these songs, as several of them stretch over 7 minutes, I believe these moments require the time to carefully reveal themselves, fully immersing you into Kolezek’s melancholic state. Its actually quite amazing to hear just how effortlessly these songs become full fledged epics, without delving in exaggerated progressions or symphonic excess. Aspiring songwriters should take note of Sun Kil Moon’s balance of restraint and release as they push their meditative sound to surprising heights with brevity.

While I could get personal here and explain how April stirs my emotions, and try to describe the distant images it carefully sears into my brain, I feel embellishing here will only distract you from forming your own impressions as you hear Kolezek’s graceful narratives. If you are searching for an album to connect with, to explore over time and to dream to, April is as honest and comforting as they come.

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 27th, 2008 at 11:50 am 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.