Oh, Sun Kil Moon. How long have I loved you?
This song is not new. It was released in 2003, on the San Fran band’s debut album Ghosts of the Great Highway. But if this is your first brush with Mark Kozelek’s work, you must start here.
I discovered “Carry Me, Ohio” in Steve Martin’s quiet, spectacular writing/acting accomplishment “Shopgirl.” Not only is this gorgeous, heart-seizing track featured at the height of the film, but Kozelek actually stars in the movie.
It was love at first listen for me. Long, long before the days of Shazam, I remember pressing my ear to my TV speakers, playing the scene again and again, trying to decipher the lyrics.
Can't count to
All the lovers I've burned through
So why do I still burn for you
I cannot say
This soft and melancholy beauty has stayed with me ever since, and probably will till my last dying breath. I’m not being dramatic, it’s just that good.
Fast forward. Sun Kil Moon has spent more than a decade composing eight studio albums. The most recent being a collaborative project with ambient/experimental act Jesu, and it’s fantastic. This act is known for their depth, a little for Kozelek’s quick tongue, and this Friday, March 18, they will play at Clive Bar for SXSW.
You must go. You must. Especially if you live in Austin. Especially if you missed Sun Kil Moon at Fun Fun Fun Fest. It will serve as a introspective, low key transition between the insane week slayed and your wild weekend ahead.
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