Enter your email Address

ENTROPY
  • About
    • About
    • Masthead
    • Advertising
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Info on Book Reviews
  • Essays
    • All Introspection
      Creative Nonfiction / Essay

      Side Effects May Include Monstrosity

      February 25, 2021

      Creative Nonfiction / Essay

      WOVEN: Bruises Around the Heart

      February 24, 2021

      Introspection

      Variations on a Theme: Radio Days

      February 23, 2021

      Creative Nonfiction / Essay

      The Birds: The Old and the Flightless

      February 22, 2021

      Introspection

      Variations on a Theme: Radio Days

      February 23, 2021

      Introspection

      Variations on a Theme: Daddy Rocked the Baby, Mother Said Amen

      February 20, 2021

      Introspection

      Variations on a Theme: The End of the World

      February 9, 2021

      Introspection

      Variations on a Theme: I almost lost my calloused skin

      February 2, 2021

  • Fiction
    • Fiction

      BLACKCACKLE: Cain, Knocking

      February 24, 2021

      Fiction

      The Birds: A Bird Heart for Forgiveness

      February 19, 2021

      Fiction

      New Skin

      February 17, 2021

      Fiction

      The Birds: Skittering

      February 17, 2021

      Fiction

      Variations on a Theme: Larger Than Life

      February 6, 2021

  • Reviews
    • All Collaborative Review Video Review
      Review

      Review: To Limn / Lying In by J’Lyn Chapman

      February 25, 2021

      Review

      Review: Nudes by Elle Nash

      February 22, 2021

      Review

      Burials Free of Sharks: Review of Xandria Phillips’ Hull

      February 18, 2021

      Review

      Review: Censorettes by Elizabeth Bales Frank

      February 4, 2021

      Collaborative Review

      Attention to the Real: A Conversation

      September 3, 2020

      Collaborative Review

      A Street Car Named Whatever

      February 22, 2016

      Collaborative Review

      Black Gum: A Conversational Review

      August 7, 2015

      Collaborative Review

      Lords of Waterdeep in Conversation

      February 25, 2015

      Video Review

      Entropy’s Super Mario Level

      September 15, 2015

      Video Review

      Flash Portraits of Link: Part 7 – In Weakness, Find Strength

      January 2, 2015

      Video Review

      Basal Ganglia by Matthew Revert

      March 31, 2014

      Video Review

      The Desert Places by Amber Sparks and Robert Kloss, Illustrated by Matt Kish

      March 21, 2014

  • Small Press
    • Small Press

      OOMPH! Press

      February 24, 2021

      Small Press

      Dynamo Verlag

      February 17, 2021

      Small Press

      Abalone Mountain Press

      February 3, 2021

      Small Press

      Gordon Hill Press

      December 8, 2020

      Small Press

      Evidence House

      November 24, 2020

  • Where to Submit
  • More
    • Poetry
    • Interviews
    • Games
      • All Board Games Video Games
        Creative Nonfiction / Essay

        HOW VIDEO GAMES MADE ME BIOPHILIC

        February 12, 2021

        Creative Nonfiction / Essay

        How Zelda Saved Me: The Inspiration, Feminism, and Empowerment of Hyrule

        November 2, 2020

        Board Games

        Session Report: Victoriana and Optimism

        December 14, 2019

        Games

        Best of 2019: Video Games

        December 13, 2019

        Board Games

        Session Report: Victoriana and Optimism

        December 14, 2019

        Board Games

        Ludic Writing: Lady of the West

        July 27, 2019

        Board Games

        Session Report: Paperback and Anomia

        July 27, 2019

        Board Games

        Ludic Writing: The Real Leeds Part 12 (Once in a Lifetime)

        November 10, 2018

        Video Games

        HOW VIDEO GAMES MADE ME BIOPHILIC

        February 12, 2021

        Video Games

        How Zelda Saved Me: The Inspiration, Feminism, and Empowerment of Hyrule

        November 2, 2020

        Video Games

        Best of 2019: Video Games

        December 13, 2019

        Video Games

        Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the Spirit of Generosity

        December 31, 2018

    • Food
    • Small Press Releases
    • Film
    • Music
    • Paranormal
    • Travel
    • Art
    • Graphic Novels
    • Comics
    • Current Events
    • Astrology
    • Random
  • RESOURCES
  • The Accomplices
    • THE ACCOMPLICES
    • Enclave
    • Trumpwatch

ENTROPY

  • About
    • About
    • Masthead
    • Advertising
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Info on Book Reviews
  • Essays
    • All Introspection
      Creative Nonfiction / Essay

      Side Effects May Include Monstrosity

      February 25, 2021

      Creative Nonfiction / Essay

      WOVEN: Bruises Around the Heart

      February 24, 2021

      Introspection

      Variations on a Theme: Radio Days

      February 23, 2021

      Creative Nonfiction / Essay

      The Birds: The Old and the Flightless

      February 22, 2021

      Introspection

      Variations on a Theme: Radio Days

      February 23, 2021

      Introspection

      Variations on a Theme: Daddy Rocked the Baby, Mother Said Amen

      February 20, 2021

      Introspection

      Variations on a Theme: The End of the World

      February 9, 2021

      Introspection

      Variations on a Theme: I almost lost my calloused skin

      February 2, 2021

  • Fiction
    • Fiction

      BLACKCACKLE: Cain, Knocking

      February 24, 2021

      Fiction

      The Birds: A Bird Heart for Forgiveness

      February 19, 2021

      Fiction

      New Skin

      February 17, 2021

      Fiction

      The Birds: Skittering

      February 17, 2021

      Fiction

      Variations on a Theme: Larger Than Life

      February 6, 2021

  • Reviews
    • All Collaborative Review Video Review
      Review

      Review: To Limn / Lying In by J’Lyn Chapman

      February 25, 2021

      Review

      Review: Nudes by Elle Nash

      February 22, 2021

      Review

      Burials Free of Sharks: Review of Xandria Phillips’ Hull

      February 18, 2021

      Review

      Review: Censorettes by Elizabeth Bales Frank

      February 4, 2021

      Collaborative Review

      Attention to the Real: A Conversation

      September 3, 2020

      Collaborative Review

      A Street Car Named Whatever

      February 22, 2016

      Collaborative Review

      Black Gum: A Conversational Review

      August 7, 2015

      Collaborative Review

      Lords of Waterdeep in Conversation

      February 25, 2015

      Video Review

      Entropy’s Super Mario Level

      September 15, 2015

      Video Review

      Flash Portraits of Link: Part 7 – In Weakness, Find Strength

      January 2, 2015

      Video Review

      Basal Ganglia by Matthew Revert

      March 31, 2014

      Video Review

      The Desert Places by Amber Sparks and Robert Kloss, Illustrated by Matt Kish

      March 21, 2014

  • Small Press
    • Small Press

      OOMPH! Press

      February 24, 2021

      Small Press

      Dynamo Verlag

      February 17, 2021

      Small Press

      Abalone Mountain Press

      February 3, 2021

      Small Press

      Gordon Hill Press

      December 8, 2020

      Small Press

      Evidence House

      November 24, 2020

  • Where to Submit
  • More
    • Poetry
    • Interviews
    • Games
      • All Board Games Video Games
        Creative Nonfiction / Essay

        HOW VIDEO GAMES MADE ME BIOPHILIC

        February 12, 2021

        Creative Nonfiction / Essay

        How Zelda Saved Me: The Inspiration, Feminism, and Empowerment of Hyrule

        November 2, 2020

        Board Games

        Session Report: Victoriana and Optimism

        December 14, 2019

        Games

        Best of 2019: Video Games

        December 13, 2019

        Board Games

        Session Report: Victoriana and Optimism

        December 14, 2019

        Board Games

        Ludic Writing: Lady of the West

        July 27, 2019

        Board Games

        Session Report: Paperback and Anomia

        July 27, 2019

        Board Games

        Ludic Writing: The Real Leeds Part 12 (Once in a Lifetime)

        November 10, 2018

        Video Games

        HOW VIDEO GAMES MADE ME BIOPHILIC

        February 12, 2021

        Video Games

        How Zelda Saved Me: The Inspiration, Feminism, and Empowerment of Hyrule

        November 2, 2020

        Video Games

        Best of 2019: Video Games

        December 13, 2019

        Video Games

        Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the Spirit of Generosity

        December 31, 2018

    • Food
    • Small Press Releases
    • Film
    • Music
    • Paranormal
    • Travel
    • Art
    • Graphic Novels
    • Comics
    • Current Events
    • Astrology
    • Random
  • RESOURCES
  • The Accomplices
    • THE ACCOMPLICES
    • Enclave
    • Trumpwatch
Music

Sun Kil Moon – Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood

written by Beach Sloth February 19, 2017

Mark Kozelek ties together so many impulses that it is hard not to be infuriated by him. On one hand, he wants to tap a little into that Michael Hurley 60s optimism but his cynicism prevents him from fully doing so. People are polarized by his work for good reason: wildly inconsistent, picking fights with bands/bloggers/whoever, strange theories about murders, etc. Among all of this, the good and the bad, there’s that honesty that rests in the center of what he does making it feel strangely compelling.

 

Unlike his “Universal Themes” album, Sun Kil Moon’s “Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood” feels more complete and fully realized despite the double-disc status. Themes are visited and revisited with great consistency. His optimism tends to follow that of “teach your children well” for his few unfiltered moments of happiness flows out of his experiences with Sarah Lawrence College students, their good work, how their exploratory ethos is something he can relate to, and what he hopes the next generation will fully embrace. Other happiness comes from the relationships he has with friends and family, many of whom appear as characters throughout the album.

 

The album references his age, oftentimes in self-deprecating ways, mentioning his gut and the size of guts of similarly-aged people when performing in Las Vegas. Within this moment he mentions how he never saw such a thing happening to him. Rather ridiculous is the almost embarrassing name-dropping cool uncle style of “Seventies TV Show Theme Song” at least the opening first half. Over this first half of the piece Mark Kozelek mentions a wide variety of references to 70s TV, 70s stars, and this continues for quite a while. For the latter half of the song things shift dramatically becoming something surreal and beautiful. A conversation with the repairman shows that he can be rather compassionate. Even once he returns to the 70s reference within a dream the dream is quite lovely, in fact one of the highlights of the album.

 

Multiple dreams find their way woven into the album’s DNA. “Chili Lemon Peanuts” too approaches elements that show Mark Kozelek letting Sun Kil Moon represent his own internal fears and worries about the future. All the media mentioned, the way it is all taken in, and the last hurrahs of an old boxer (which seems apropos given Sun Kil Moon’s very name is owed to the name of a boxer). This multi-faceted nature means that to pin down exactly what Mark Kozelek believes, which is frustrating but also earnest. Rather than state he has the answers, he claims to have no answers but admits to be trying to figure things out. Being opinionated (and he certainly is) does not mean the same as knowing, a distinction that helps to better accept some of the more ‘heart in the right place mind’s not’ moments that litter the album along with a few opinions that seem to be very much out of leftfield.

 

Over the course of the album the songs veer dramatically through a wide variety of suites and stylistic choices. Tension looms thanks to the predominance of the bass which rumbles through with a sense of the ominous. Conversely, Mark Kozelek lets the gentlest arrangements help to temper his disappointment, such as his political opinions, opinions on social media (he dislikes it, obviously) and his belief that heavy usage of social media results in a great deal of squandered opportunity, alongside the destruction of his beloved San Francisco. To the former point on social media preventing people from fully utilizing their talents, he does not do it with anger towards those who use it only those who profit by stealing people’s time away. His focus on San Francisco, on the way that it is seeing the history stripped away for a fruit shake, possesses venom towards those indifferent of any sense of the traditions that built the city.

 

Hope, despair, confusion, this reigns supreme. By offering up a stream-of-consciousness approach the album sprawls. The length certainly adds to this seemingly endless usage of imagery, insight, international failures, death, politics, and everything else that Mark Kozelek sees informing his reality. Additionally, it seems interesting that no specific political side seems to be taken, only words for the downtrodden. Thus, it is impossible to tell if his comment about his love of serial killers “It is my right as an American” is sarcastic/serious or something else altogether.

 

What remains the most intriguing is how much is said throughout, the arrangements penned, without knowing Sun Kil Moon’s exact intention. Do they intend on creating music in the vein of folk music that remains truthful, as truthful as is possible in a stream-of-consciousness approach? Does the heavy reliance on bass reflect a tension that rests within the lyrics, of the lingering self-doubt that appears throughout? The only thing that does seem apparent is Sun Kil Moon’s desire to find the good that exists within the world. Perhaps “Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood” shows Sun Kil Moon embracing the universal joys that inform the world, of the natural world and inherent goodness of people. For in a moment where so little seems reassuring, so much is chaotic and unclear, maybe the most comforting thing to hear is a musician trying to figure it out in front of the audience in real time.

Sun Kil Moon – Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood was last modified: February 19th, 2017 by Beach Sloth
Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of BloodSun Kil Moon
2 comments
2
Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest
Avatar
Beach Sloth

Beach Sloth blogs hard.

previous post
The New Music
next post
The Right to Bare Arms

You may also like

Nightbird Casino – Gregorian Nap

October 8, 2020

Big Thief – Shark Smile

February 11, 2018

Forgiving Hibbing

May 30, 2017

Litost – Projections

October 14, 2019
Facebook Twitter Instagram

Recent Comments

  • furiousvexation Loved this. Killer first line and such a painted picture. Bravo!

    The Birds: a poem ·  February 17, 2021

  • Deidra Brown Wonderful, moving work!

    The Birds: a poem ·  February 15, 2021

  • Ceres Growing up in a rural area, I've observed first-hand the disparate outlooks between urban children with environmentalist parents and children raised in the country. Modern agricultural practices...

    HOW VIDEO GAMES MADE ME BIOPHILIC ·  February 13, 2021

Featured Columns & Series

  • The Birds
  • Dinnerview
  • WOVEN
  • Variations on a Theme
  • BLACKCACKLE
  • Literacy Narrative
  • COVID-19
  • Mini-Syllabus
  • Their Days Are Numbered
  • On Weather
  • Disarticulations
  • The Waters
  • Session Report series
  • Birdwolf
  • Comics I've Been Geeking Out On
  • Small Press Releases
  • Books I Hate (and Also Some I Like)
  • The Poetics of Spaces
  • Tales From the End of the Bus Line
  • Fog or a Cloud
  • 30 Years of Ghibli
  • Cooking Origin Stories
  • YOU MAKE ME FEEL
  • Ludic Writing
  • Best of 2019
  • The Talking Cure
  • Food and Covid-19
  • Stars to Stories
  • DRAGONS ARE REAL OR THEY ARE DEAD
  • Foster Care
  • LEAKY CULTURE
  • Jem and the Holographic Feminisms
  • D&D with Entropy

Find Us On Facebook

Entropy
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

©2014-2021 The Accomplices LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Read our updated Privacy Policy.


Back To Top