 | Tracklist:
1. Ålesund
2. Half Moon Bay
3. Sam Wong Hotel
4. Third and Seneca
5. You Are My Sun
6. Admiral Fell Promises
7. The Leaning Tree
8. Australian Winter
9. Church of the Pines
10. Bay of Skulls
Release Date: 2010 | |
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On 39 Lists
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| Summary: Not quite another album for the fall season that we had hoped it would be |
I believe that Mark Kozelek is a man born for the autumn season, so much so that I think his prior 2008 outing with Sun Kil Moon, April, would have had much more success, critically and financially, if it had been released in the chilled oscillating temperature months of September through November, instead of in the spring. Somber, broken, and reminiscing – these are all adjectives to describe Kozelek’s vocal delivery, as well his niche in songwriting. His career has proven that with time he’s only gotten better, going from an innocent yet wisdom-beyond-his-years appeal in the 90s to a vocal delivery in the present day that’s tired and weary, as if having fully experienced all of the tales that he sang of well over a decade ago. The switch in the cohesion of his material between the final Red House Painters’ outing, 2001’s Old Ramon, and Sun Kil Moon’s 2003 debut masterpiece, Ghosts of the Great Highway, was the sound of a songwriter fully coming into his own, finally able to justify the five-plus-minute tracks that had so often brooded and burned out without direction under the Red House Painters moniker.
The premise to this year’s Admiral Fell Promises is perhaps the answer to any adamant Kozelek fan’s prayer: the Ohio-born songwriter without any backup band and just his acoustic guitar songs, with each being wholly new and original. Initial listens are pleasing, seemingly revealing a collection of long-winded tracks, each averaging around seven minutes, which, knowing Kozelek and his past work, many would think would grow on them with repeated listens. His knowledge of scales is put on display here more so than any project he’s done in the past, as the songwriter chooses to use stark changes in chord direction to justify many of the track’s lengths, instead of relying on a strong melody or memorable vocal hook, as those heard in classic opener “Alesund” or pre-released album cut “Australian Winter”. This is certainly disappointing, as Kozelek more often than not sounds as if he’s trying to validate his skill as a guitar player, instead of giving us what we’ve always come to him for with each album: tear-jerkers of songs that make our pasts so much harder to bear, yet we always return for more.
Not every track seemingly chases scales without purpose, though. “You Are My Sun” is perhaps the most heart-wrenching ballad that Kozelek has written since Ghosts of the Great Highway’s “Duk Koo Kim,” sending chills up your spine once the songwriter surprisingly changes chords near the end of the track and stretches the symbols of the name “Leona” whilst singing a heartfelt melody. The title cut is a rather strong song as well for a flurry of guitar plucks that come with a staple reminiscing Kozelek chorus: “A thousand days have passed in this house she and I have shared / And I hate myself for it / But I stopped caring.” However, by Sun Kil Moon and Red House Painters’ standards, many of Admiral Fell Promises’s highlights are subpar; you won’t find anything as anthemic as the final distorted chord sequence of April’s epic “Lost Verses” or any moment as emotionally aching as the resonating piano chords to the second version of “Mistress” on Red House Painters’ classic album, Rollercoaster. Guitar playing aside, Kozelek’s songwriting sounds largely uninspired without many notable highlights this time out; which, as any fan would agree, is highly unusual for any of the songwriter’s work and, as a result, is very disappointing.
When held up against prior Sun Kil Moon efforts, Ghosts of the Great Highway and April, Admiral Fell Promises can’t help but come across as a disappointment. The premise for the album is a dream come true for fans in many aspects, but unfortunately Kozelek just isn’t able to give us a great collection of songs. It's clear here that his skill as a guitar player has gotten better over the years, but unlike the finer balance of guitar playing with excellent songwriting to be found on 2003’s Ghosts of the Great Highway, too much emphasis is placed here on his knowledge of the fretboard instead of stronger melodies. It’s the closest that the songwriter has come to guitar wankery, in a sense, and though his playing does help diversify the longer tracks of the album, it almost seems like it’s just a compensation for his inability to write stronger melodies or to pen very many memorable lines this time out. It’s too close to being an average album than any fan of Kozelek would like, and though I still have faith in the songwriter for his next outing, I think Admiral Fell Promises is a pretty strong indicator that Kozelek needs a backup band, and preferably an autumn release date, to help him get back on the somber, broken, and reminiscing track of quality that he's always been known for.
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Probably my biggest disappointment of the year, some good songs though
stream:
http://www.myspace.com/sunkilmoon
Digging: Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself Digging: Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself
| | | Album Rating: 3
aww.. I was excited for this, hope I'll like this abit more
good review, though, so pos'd
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Thanks Doubt Gin, i haven't been feeling too confident about my reviews lately so im glad you liked it
tracks 1,5,6, and 8 are worth checking out for sure
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Didn't I read you were retiring?
Digging: John Talabot - Fin Digging: John Talabot - Fin
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i spoke too soon, though ill try not to be on here as much. i have little reason to quit it all, for now anyway
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Cool. I'll take your contrib status.
Nah, seriously, sounds more like you've just gone through a slump in writing. Everyone gets it. Sometimes a break can help.
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you're one of the users id give it too easily, actually. Not sure why you're not one
thanks though, and yeah i agree
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Wow I generally love Red House Painters but I never even knew this was Kozelek's project. I guess Ghosts of the Great Highway should be high on my to-get list?
Also great review, I'd say this is one of your better ones
| | | Album Rating: 4
Yeah definetly get it right away Romulus. You'll love it if you love Red House Painters, the two bands have a very similar sound.
I might check this out although I didn't find April too impressive. Is this album about the length of April or shorter?
Digging: Animal Collective - Honeycomb/Gotham Digging: Animal Collective - Honeycomb/Gotham | | |
great review, but i hate you and you can't be right =(
Digging: toe - The Book About My Idle Plot on a Vague Anxiety
| | | Album Rating: 3
"Is this album about the length of April or shorter?"
this ones about an hour long so its shorter.. didnt know an EP will be released the same day as the album
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ugh how have i not heard this yet
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Wow I generally love Red House Painters but I never even knew this was Kozelek's project. I guess Ghosts of the Great Highway should be high on my to-get list?
Yeah, its a definite 5 for me, though it didn't start that way. Let that one and April grow on you, which some prefer over Ghosts. "Lost Verses" from April is probably one of my favorite songs of all time.
Yeah, this one is shorter than April, but it's harder to get through imo.
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I need to listen to this as soon as possible.
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nice review Jared, but what is this "retiring" thing I'm reading here all about?
Digging: Rosetta - The Galilean Satellites Digging: Rosetta - The Galilean Satellites
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Definately would be the second attempt at retiring lol.
Digging: Candlemass - Psalms For The Dead Digging: Candlemass - Psalms For The Dead | | |
Genocide's right, but I'm not going to. May take a break though
Thanks Styles
| | | Album Rating: 4
album is awesome
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Ugh, I really hope you're wrong about this
Digging: Between the Buried and Me - Colors
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i think my kozelek fanboyism will prevail and i'll like this regardless of anything
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