Universal Themes
On Universal Themes, Mark Kozelek's songs are longer, the hooks are fewer, and the observations are less profound and less likely to have you reflecting on your own life. It is ultimately a spotty album from a guy who has released a lot of spotty albums.
What are universal themes for Mark Kozelek? To listen to his eight-song follow-up to the critically adored Benji, titled Universal Themes, they are life itself. We all breathe, we all love, we have friends, we fear death, we work, we go from place to place, we remember, we get bored, we survive.
Mark Kozelek's wilful idiosyncrasy is indulgent but incredibly compelling; is he now singing about Ry Cooder film soundtracks on Ali/Spinks 2?
Mark Kozelek seems intent on establishing himself as the cantankerous old man of indie folk: admittedly a niche position that's wide open.
Sun Kil Moon’s Universal Themes is like a diary with pages that are still blank and need to be filled up.
Mumbled splurges of non-rhyming narrative come thick and fast on Mark Kozelek’s latest
Sun Kil Moon - Universal Themes review: I’m gonna tell you a story cos, you know, what the heck.