Mark Kozelek - Rock 'n' Roll Singer
(Badman)
There are a lot of Red House Painters fans in the world, and they have
been waiting for what seems like forever for Old Ramon, their new (but
now 2+ years old) album, to come out (ever since their artistic
falling-out with Ivo from 4AD). Even though this isn't an official Red
House Painters release, I am sure that it will really appeal to the
majority of their fans.
I am not sure if Rock 'n' Roll Singer is an EP, a Maxi-EP, or a
Mini-album, but, whatever he wants to call it, it is 28 minutes in
length and features 7 mostly acoustic songs: 4 cover songs, and 3
originals. Yes, I know what you are thinking, "4 cover songs?" With
any other band, having 4 cover songs on a release would be a
discouraging thing, but in Mark's case it isn't a negative thing in the
least. Mark and the Red House Painters have always had a way of taking
other people's songs and making them their own, and making them even
better than the originals.
When I saw that Mark had decided to cover 3 AC/DC songs ("Rock 'n' Roll
Singer," "You Ain't Got a Hold On Me," and "Bad Boy Boogie"), I was
really excited. Not that I am a fan of AC/DC (which I am not), but
because of how he was able to turn Gene Simmon's "Shock Me" into a
emotionally moving love song on the Red House Painters' Shock Me Ep.
Occasionally, Joe Goldring and Tim Mooneyreach fill out some of the
songs by adding light drumming, percussion, and bass guitar to Mark's
acoustic guitar and tragically sad and lulling voice. The way Mark
sings "Rock 'n' Roll Singer" and "Bad Boy Boogie," he makes you believe
that they are right out of his life. And, frankly, maybe they are.
Along with the 3 AC/DC
covers, Mark extends his tribute to John Denver with a beautiful cover
of his "Around and Around" (a song also included in the Take Me Home:
John Denver Tribute, but a different version).
This year has been great for fans of the Red House Painters. We have
been lucky enough to have the Take Me Home John Denver tribute, and now
we have Rock 'n' Singer. And though I love this record, and I think
everyone should buy it, I wish that the release could have been longer.
Twenty eight minutes is just way too short when you are in the mood for
Mark's wonderfully moving songs.
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