I still haven't found the time to explore either backwards or forwards into Koz's catalogue just yet but Benji still slays me on the reg.

Red House Painters' "Songs for a Blue Guitar" is getting a vinyl reissue: http://www.amazon.com/Songs-Blue-Guitar ... lue+guitar

Hopefully "Old Ramon" ain't far behind.

Universal Themes is a very mixed bag to me.

There are some great moments. Love the crunchy guitars on With a Sort of Grace..., but like much of the album it wears out it's welcome. Cry Me a River Williamsburg Sleeve Tattoo Blues is probably my favorite track, the guitar interlude is fucking amazing. I really like the spoken word on Gardens of Lavender, which is a surprise because I generally don't like spoken word.

In general, it just kinda lacks focus and he's repeating himself far too much at this point with his lyrics. "I have this female friend who's sick or dead." "People should stop bitching and just be thankful they're alive." "I thought about this while on a flight." "My band was really really popular in the 90s."

I don't think it's a disaster, but after Benji, Perils from the Sea and Mark Kozelek & Desertshore, it's a letdown for sure.

I have a previous prrssing that is one of the worst sounding records I own despite it obviously being a beautiful album.

I listened to universal themes like once

I liked it, I should do it again sometime.

Mark Kozelek has announced he will release a new EP, Down in the Willow Garden, this fall.

Kozelek will issue the four-song effort under his own name (as opposed to his Sun Kil Moon stage moniker) on Oct. 7 via his own label, Caldo Verde Records. The forthcoming EP will come free of charge with any purchase made at the Caldo Verde website. Check out the EP’s complete tracklist at the bottom of the page.

Kozelek dropped Universal Themes, his most recent album as Sun Kil Moon, earlier this year.

Down in the Willow Garden EP Tracklist
1. “Down in the Willow Garden (Version 1)”
2. “Sick Again”
3. “Chapter 8 of John Connolly’s A Song of Shadows”
4. “Down in the Willow Garden (Version 2)”

I do love "Down in the Willow Garden". The Chieftains version with Justin Vernon is killer.

"Chapter 8 of John Connolly’s A Song of Shadows" sounds interesting.

But I may have reached my burn-out point with Koz.

Benji is a really brilliant album i only ever want to hear once or twice.

I've listened to Benji hundreds of times, probably.

Mark's new diss track would be great if he didn't fucking fall back into calling women whores and such.

Koz has been no stranger to creating a stir and his propensity to be a curmudgeon seems to be on the rise. He was fairly humble and in good spirits (for the most part) the last time I saw him but I felt a shadow cast upon to his Sun Kil Moon gig last night. I have yet to get to Universal Themes but I did read this article over the weekend. I recall being asked in either ethics or logic class the hypothetical of whether knowing an admitted murderer would affect how you appreciate some form of art they had created. The separation of artist and art is always interesting especially given the way social media has opened new windows in to their personalities.

Full stage in a small place with two drum kits, a keyboard and various guitars. I don't know if Koz can emote happy any longer but he quipped with the crowd a bit about the length of the first track with a million lyrics, noting he didn't sell out the 1200 seat venue but the 225 seat one in a town he'd never heard of, etc. Covered Moon River next and I noted a younger woman in the front row with her father enjoying the music. Very subdued crowd with the real only movement being some wiggling in seats to the tunes, fine and dandy; the chick was moving more but seated and just enjoying the music. Next song ends and someone is humming the tune quietly as their instruments fade out, Koz asks who's singing, she replies and said she really liked that music. Clearly she was excited, he was engaging her in quick back and forth and she noted that "this was awesome, like seeing a band in your living room." He laughed and replied "is it."

Part way through the next song she exits and returns, and dances for about a minute in front of her seat before actually sitting down. Koz calls a stagehand over to my right and they go in to the next song. Security shows up mid-song and remove her from the performing area then return to tell her father what is going on, who proceeds to throw a beer at Koz. After noting that he did the crowd a favor he offers up the newly opened seats to some guys that are standing toward the back of the room and fists bumps them as well as a few other guys in the front row.

He fucking what? Was she butt ugly?

What a piece of shit this guy is.

What the fuck?

That's a great article.

Kozelek is a cunt but I really love most of his music.

lol

Stupid.

The guy can be an idiot... But man, Universal Themes is amazing. It has grown during the past months. Wish Pearl Jam could still create something with that attitude.

And... THIS:

http://www.sunkilmoon.com/kozelekdillinger/

AMAZING

http://www.stereogum.com/1845186/less-t ... m_campaign

Lol