Red House Painters :: Songs For A Blue Guitar

 Songs For A Blue Guitar

Muzzle of Bees recently tipped us off that Mark Kozelek’s Sun Kil Moon are set to release their next LP, April 1st, via the artist’s own caldo verde records. Appropriately entitled April, you can stream the first single “Moorestown,” off the LP, here. This is welcome news, as Kozelek’s brand of bummed out neo-folk music has long been a mainstay around these parts. It’s worth noting his last Sun Kil Moon LP, Tiny Cities, comprised entirely of acoustic Modest Mouse reinterpretations, was one of our favorite albums of 2005.

Fortuitous news indeed, as I had just recently reacquainted myself with the Red House Painters LP Songs For A Blue Guitar, after featuring several of the tracks on our radio shows. A Mark Kozelek solo album in all but the name, it was released in 1996 (reportedly after being dropped by longtime label 4AD after Kozelek refused to whittle down the 12+ minute track “Make Like Paper”) and served (along with What’s Next To The Moon) as my introduction to both Kozelek’s music, as well as his flair for covering other artists material in completely new, and sometimes unrecognizable formats. In this case, Paul McCartney’s bouncy Silly Love Songsmorphs from well, a silly ditty, into an extended eleven minute jam of crunchy, Crazy Horse-styled, guitars.

It was soon after hearing this LP I realized I was buying whatever Kozelek was selling. While Sun Kil Moon’s Ghosts of the Great Highway may be the most fully realized document of Kozelek’s muse, Songs For A Blue Guitar remains a close second and personal favorite.

Note: The first track below, “Have You Forgotten,” is the original album version, not to be confused with the re-recording Kozelek did for his friend, filmmaker, Cameron Crowe’s Vanilla Sky soundtrack. It too is most definitely worth seeking out.

Previously: Ghosts of the Great Highway :: 2007 Reissue

Download:
MP3: Red House Painters :: Have You Forgotten
MP3: Red House Painters :: Make Like Paper
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Amazon: Red House Painters – Songs For A Blue Guitar

www.sunkilmoon.com ++ www.myspace.com/sunkilmoon ++ caldo verde records

+ Download Sun Kil Moon via eMusic’s 25 free MP3 no risk trial offer
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9 thoughts on “Red House Painters :: Songs For A Blue Guitar

  1. A friend turned me on to “Songs for a Blue Guitar” – I think it was because he knew I loved Buffalo Tom. Always nice to see a band like that get a little extra exposure!

  2. I love that album. I just blogged about a couple months back when I got Ocean Beach — another great album. But I agree — the two you mentioned Sun Kil Moon’s Ghosts and Blue Guitar are Kozelek’s best. And the guy knows how to do a cover song.

  3. That’s a great album. Great pick on “Have you Forgotten”. Pretty amazing song.

    Interesting piece of trivia, the almost title track “Song for a Blue Guitar” was featured in the teen flick “The Girl Next Door” for about 15 seconds. Okay, that piece of trivia was not actually all that interesting.

    I really like Old Ramon too, but I think my favorite Kozelek recordings have to be his solo EP Rock n Roll Singer and SKM’s Ghosts of Great Highway.

  4. Hey, thanks for putting these tracks up– definitely my 2 favorites from the album (with the cars cover “all mixed up” coming in a close 3rd). I actually went back and reviewed my mark kozelek collection as well, and I see why people liked the old painters stuff, but his solo work really speaks to me so much more– much more melodic. if you ever have the chance, see him live. one of the most interesting concerts i’ve seen – no pictures, no recording, no talking. cant wait for the new album!

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