Review Summary: Nothing said here could do this album the justice it deserves.
2014’s
Benji was a tough act to follow. Filled with emotional and sincere acoustic pieces with sparse but intricate drumming, the record was universally acclaimed and widely loved by previous fans and newcomers alike. June 2, 2015 unleashes Mark Kozelek’s follow-up,
Universal Themes.
Rather than writing an updated
Benji, Kozelek writes eight epics, most weighing in between six and eight minutes, with a couple stretching to almost ten. Where
Benji and most of his previous work consists of lyrics mainly responding to world events with some introspective moments,
Universal Themes’ material focuses on Kozelek and his life experiences.
“The Possum” is a strange opener. Drifting in an out of spoken storytelling and connected by seemingly unrelated parts, the song tells the story of a possum fighting a cat while Kozelek and his friend Caroline watch. Later in the track, stories of late night movies and watching Godflesh in concert are told while periodically reporting on the possum’s progress until its death. “The Possum” might be the only grower on this album. While the other seven songs seem to click immediately, this track requires a couple listens to appreciate. “Birds Of Flims” opens with a flamenco-style riff on Kozelek’s famed nylon string guitar, backed by a slow snare and kick drum beat. After a quick interlude, distant strings fill the background, coupled with a heavy vocal reverb, giving some distance and ambience. The song rolls on, comforting the listener for nine minutes, until a rough, fuzzy guitar breaks the silence.
Reminiscent of
Rust Never Sleeps era Neil Young, “With A Sort Of Grace I Walked To The Bathroom To Cry” pummels the listener with Kozelek’s straining half-yell vocals and screeching electric guitar. Comparisons have been drawn with
Benji’s “Dogs”, however “With A Sort Of Grace I Walked To The Bathroom To Cry” is a completely different animal. Rougher, louder, longer, and harsher, this is one of the most exciting and interesting songs in Sun Kil Moon’s history. Breaking down towards the middle, the song leaves space for more spoken word, a highlight of
Universal Themes. The first half concludes with “Cry Me A River Williamsburg Sleeve Tattoo Blues”, a humorous song about his disappointment with a band’s live performance, the media's tendency to blow small matters out of proportion, and some other stories cause “you know, well, what the fuck”, backed by Kozelek’s take on a traditional blues shuffle interrupted by some phone alerts, making this one of the record’s most enjoyable tracks.
The inclusion of these spoken segments transforms what would just be another near-masterpiece in the Kozelek collection, into a standout, almost movie-like experience. While the sung lyrics encourage their fair share of imagination, the spoken word segments outline each song’s situation with vivid detail, connecting the events to Kozelek’s own thoughts. Most notably, the spoken section that concludes the record, the ending segment of “It’s My First Day And I’m Indian And I Work At A Gas Station”, shares the feelings of Kozelek’s nervousness before performing, meeting Bob Mould of Husker Du, payback for flip-phone shaming, and a morning high riding on the previous night’s good times.
The latter half of the record features four of the more interesting tracks offered on
Universal Themes. Opening with “Little Rascals”, Kozelek warns his listeners “the world don’t owe a shit, I learned that real fuckin’ young and I learned it again. And to make the best of every day and every moment while you can, see the beauty in life cause baby, you don’t know when it’s gonna end.” The first of two ten-minute epics, “Garden Of Lavender” wanders along, adding to the dreamy soundscape with some subtle vocal harmonies and tasteful banjo along the way. “Ali/Spinks 2” tumbles along with some mumbled rhythmic vocals over the same distant, fuzzy guitar offered on “With A Sort Of Grace I Walked To The Bathroom To Cry.” Broken by some high pitch feedback, the song goes almost Godspeed You! Black Emperor briefly before returning to the garage rock shuffle that continues until the song’s conclusion.
Ending the record on a high note, “It’s My First Day And I’m Indian And I Work At A Gas Station” occupies the listener for ten minutes while Kozelek spills his thoughts on a broken tooth, gives a gas station attendant some advice, explains his time in Switzerland, and reflects on an ego-check by one of his friends. Tying in all the storytelling and spoken word showcased on Universal Themes’ previous seven tracks, “It’s My First Day And I’m Indian And I Work At A Gas Station” is the perfect closer, leaving the listener wanting more and eagerly awaiting Sun Kil Moon’s next offering.
2015 continues the introspective songwriting of Red House Painter and Sun Kil Moon songwriter Mark Kozelek. Always willing to experiment and build upon his basic sound,
Universal Themes is the ideal follow up to
Benji, and a standout in a thick and engaging discography.
