Sun Kil Moon - Tiny Cities (a random album review) [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

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Mike That Likes Music
09-20-2006, 05:16 PM
So I 've decided to start writing reviews for albums on this forum because I'm bored and think I have better taste than everyone else:) Here's the first one.

Sun Kil Moon - Tiny Cities

Sun Kil Moon is the name given to the side project of Red House Painters lead singer Mark Kozelek. Tiny Cities is the second album done under the name.
This is quite an interesting album even if you don't care for the music. "Why?" you may be asking. The answer is... the album is a Modest Mouse cover. Every single tune.
The album is all acoustic, and most of the tunes are Kozelek by himself or with minimal accompaniment (sp?). He has a pleasingly plaintive voice, without edging over into annoyingly whiny.
Now, I've never laid claim to being a Modest Mouse superfan. Sure, my friends listened to The Moon And Antarctic[I] and I thought it was kinda cool. But like most people my major MM experience is with [I]Good News For People Who Love Bad News. A fine album in my estimation, but nothing earth-shattering. It still gets played once every few months.
But this album changed my estimation of MM. By minimalising the instrumentals and bringing the vocals to the fore, Kozelek has really emphasized Isaac Brock's lyrical skills. A few examples that really struck me:
"Just got a message said that hell is freezing over. Got a phone call from the lawyer saying "Boy, go get a sweater right now" - Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes
"Started hearing voices sometime in June. Knew she'd go crazy but not that soon." - Space Travel Is Boring
"You're in the backseat and you say to yourself it doesn't matter anyway. Weeds pulling weeds and you're blaming yourself, we're all indifferent in our own way" - Four Fingered Fisherman
And by the time Kozelek gets to the opening lines of the closing tune you're feeling all mellow and a bit melancholy.
"Your body may be gone, I'm gonna carry you in. In my head, in my mouth in my soul" - Ocean Breathes Salty

The album focuses mostly on less popular MM (Ocean Breathes Salty being the only tune from Good News...) and for what it's worth I think he chose his cover tunes wisely. Hearing him sing about sex on the warm red rocks in Arizona and going to Alaska to "Get all scott-****in' free" (Truckers Atlas) is worth the price of the album alone. Happy Listening!

Mike

P.S. - If you're wondering who Mark Kozelek is, just pop that copy of Almost Famous ( you know you have it, it's a great movie about music!) into your DVD player. He's the bassist in Stillwater.

-Jar-
09-21-2006, 03:25 PM
Hey nice job. This site could use more reviews/reviewers... I wish I had the time :(

Thanks!

-jar