Jesu/Sun Kil Moon
Jesu/Sun Kil Moon
(Rough Trade)

One may think Sun Kil Moon’s latest record, Jesu/Sun Kil Moon, is a departure from the painful lyrics and doleful persona of the lead singer Mark Kozelek, but after listening to it, one discovers it is a continuation of Kozelek’s identity and an extension of Sun Kil Moon. Although, this is not a solo record for Sun Kil Moon and it is a collaboration between British musician Jesu and Sun Kil Moon, it still remains, at its core, a product from the Bay Area musicians. Rather than stick to one sound, this record explores more of the talent of the musicians and reveals the versatility they possess as they switch effortlessly from despairing folk music to clever and droll lyrics. A great example of this would be the wordy-yet-witty song, “Last Night I Rocked the Room Like Elvis and Had Them Laughing Like Richard Pryor.” This waggish-sounding song explores a genre that has largely been left behind and that is the ballad. With its amusing,-yet-gloomy undertones, it is by far one of the best songs on the record and certainly deserves to be listened to repeatedly. While all of Sun Kil Moon’s songs are intellectual, lyrically and instrumentally, one of the things that makes this band so appealing is the vocals. Lyrics aside, Kozelek’s deep voice paired with the mumbling of his lyrics, which add a sort of distorted beauty to the music, make Sun Kil Moon a band that stands apart from others.