Mark Kozelek, better known as the only regular in Red House Painters, makes his fifth journey into recording on Songs For a Blue Guitar. While the RHP foundation (Kozelek's voice, clear as glass, aiding the sensation of loss or hopelessness from even the loudest melodies) remains mostly intact, the presentation has changed. Songs were not rehearsed or polished in the recording and production process. "I was tired of being so analytical about the recording process, tired of endless pre-production and using tedious recording techniques with the previous albums. Being so anal, I feel I may have stifled the songs' natural energy," Kozelek remarked.
Particularly, Songs For A Blue Guitar utilizes some harder guitar sounds, as have earlier albums. Kozelek said the album "takes a peek at how we're just beginning to get comfortable with the idea of playing loud and the next record will probably have a lot more of it." As a consequence of such experimentation and new musical direction, RHP has severed with their previous label, 4AD. This should encourage Kozelek's changing musical drive and resulting expression. "4AD in many ways had specific artistic boundaries and we're now outside of those boundaries," he explains.
Still, initial rumors that the album as a whole would be a hard-rocking one are false. Typical album tracks such as "Have You Forgotten" and "Priest Alley Song" are traditionally RHP, sans percussion - simply Mark's vocals and acoustic guitar; they vary not in instrumentation but in tone and color.
Other songs show RHP's growing experimentation with format. "Make Like Paper" is strange in nature - its twelve-minute duration allows a little playing around sloppily on the guitar before slowly unifying and becoming solid. A good song, even if it takes its time in becoming palatable. Later on the album, a cover of Yes' "Long Distance Runaround" clones the music of "Make Like Paper" for a short time, followed by an excellent, laid-back cover of The Cars' "All Mixed Up". The Mazzy Star-esque "Song For A Blue Guitar", featuring a lilting steel guitar and female backing vocals, hangs beautifully in the foreground, begging for attention.
It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Kozelek and company. Whatever it is depends on Kozelek's sense of tragedy that penetrates Red House Painters' work.
