Admiral Fell
Sun Kil Moon
Admiral Fell Promises
Okay, I'll admit it: it was a subpar 2005 film called Shopgirl that first hipped my to Mark Kozelek's Sun Kil Moon. I'd heard a few songs and maybe one full album from Kozelek's first band, Red House Painters, but never made a purchase. When SKM's "Carry Me Ohio" played in Shopgirl, I melted. I melted to a cheesy love scene between a 60-year-old Steve Martin and Angela Chase from "My So-Called Life." True story; the music was that moving. Kozelek (who also appears as the Stillwater bassist in Almost Famous) plays a handsome musician in Shopgirl, performing his song "Lily and Parrots" in the film. I was sold on the guy that night ... then went out drinking and forgot about Sun Kil Moon until their debut, Ghosts of the Great Highway, was reissued in early 2007. A classic record that melts me to this day.
So, Shopgirl in mind, I’d like to attempt to use one word to define Sun Kil Moon: melt. And soul. And maybe independent, too. And by independent, I mean that Kozelek does what Kozelek wants - these days, at least. In the past few years, since Ghosts has become a steadily selling classic and the Red House back catalog has found new ears, Kozelek has found ways to become as independent as any major indie artist on the market. He records and releases his records on his own, whenever he wants, however frequently he wants. He has no one telling him to be more accessible or to re-record songs or go on endless tours.
And so we have Admiral Fell Promises, the third proper SKM studio album of originals (in addition to his deep Red House catalog, Kozelek has also issued a huge number of live albums, cover albums and EPs). Ghosts and April, Sun Kil Moon’s 2008 record, while hardly pop records, sound downright accessible when compared to Admiral. Where Kozelek used to create lush, organic compositions that appeal to fans of anything from Jackson Browne and Elliott Smith to Neil Young and American Music Club, he’s here making sparse, low-key recordings that take some getting to know. Nylon string guitar. Voice. Microphone. That’s it. That’s Admiral Fell Promises. The record makes Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s great (and notoriously sparse) Master and Everyone sound like Pet Sounds, that’s how bare the elements are.
This very personal and very subtle sounding record will certainly click for longtime enthusiasts of Kozelek, but don’t expect it to swell the man’s fan base. Don’t even expect most Ghosts and April fans to love it immediately. They might like it, but, let’s face it, this is a record Kozelek wanted to put out for himself, not for his fans. The songs, once you get to know them, are pretty great. They’re incredibly well written and played, and seem to set out to be background music for lovers, as opposed to Kozelek’s usual soundtracks for Youths-In-Epic-Love. So, yeah, I suppose it’d be safe to call Admiral a solid score for the nesting period of a relationship. Put on record, do chores, drink wine, cuddle, fall deeper in love. Or something like that.
Mainly, I’m telling you that this is music for very specific moments - more so for your long, slow bike ride than a night drinking with friends. This is slow, delicate, soulful music, similar to, say, Nick Drake’s records, but even less accessible. This is the record you make when you can make a record for yourself. The vibe is wounded and nostalgic, a man dealing with his lingering memories while he plucks out long, incredibly constructed and sweet backdrops. He’s alone in a room here; we’re lucky that a microphone was turned on. Kozelek’s voice, so sweet and vulnerable, just might convince you to fall even deeper in love with the man. His ability to do exactly what he wants on Admiral, and melt so well, further cements his unique legacy. Not the most exciting or even listenable Sun Kil Moon release, but yes, the most impressive. 8/10
Written by G. William Locke