Benji is the sixth album by Sun Kil Moon, released 2014.
Im not going to format this review like all the others because I dont feel like that would be right. I normally listen to these albums 3 or 4 times at least before reviewing them but i'm writing this just after finishing my first listen because I want to write my thoughts about it now. Honestly, last night, I was thinking about ending doing these blog posts, with the reasoning being that forcefeeding myself a new album every week was hampering my ability to make a natural connection to these albums, but now I can see I just hadn't listened to the right album.
I'll say it now that I fucking loved this album. It's the first time in ages, maybe ever, that I've cried at multiple points in the album. The songs are so honest and the subjects are so universally experienced, and Mark Kozelek's breathy, rough, country-ish vocals just deliver it in such a real way, the way the songs are written evoke these crystal clear images of what Mark describes, every person he sings about feels relatable and real.
A big theme of the album is death and loss and how easily people are taken away from us. Mark spends alot of time mourning the loss of family and friends and then worrying about losing his other living family and friends. I think my favourite songs are "I love my dad" and "I can't live without my mother's love", both of which had me in tears. Even the 10 minute "i watched the film the song stays the same" stays emotionally poignant throughout.
The album feels like a memoir with the songs being chapters about various people and times in his life, often with cultural markers from the times that Kozelek hangs onto like fond memories, even if they are of serial killers.
The entire record just feels so open and honest, and Mark really isn't afraid to lay himself open. This album is so fucking good, if I like it this much again on relisten it might become a straight 10/10, and right now I can't think of alot I didn't like about it. Such an absolutely beautiful piece of art.
Comments