Customer Reviews

Old Ramon

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Well, after 3 years it's finally out. Having been slipped a promo copy about a month ago I've had some time to form impressions of "Old Ramon" so here goes...

On first listen, long time RHP fans may find it hard to suppress their collective gag reflex at "Wop A Din Din" - Kozelek's tribute to his cat. If it weren't for the sheer earnestness of this song, it would certainly fall flat. It's definitely a catchy tune, and if you can stomach the fifth grade writing assignment lyrics you may like it a lot.

"Byrd Joel" is a breezy song that recalls some of the lighter moments on "Songs For A Blue Guitar". Lyrically, it's more obscure (in typical RHP fashion), but the beautiful guitar overdub textures and the hypnotic fuzz bassline will definitely draw you in.

"Void" is the first sign that this is indeed the same band that made "Down Colorful Hill". Here Kozelek's ruminations about a relationship are punctuated by little 80's-style lead guitar in the choruses. The combination works surprisingly well.

"Between Days" is by far the standout song on "Old Ramon". While the hook is hardly similar to that of "Make Like Paper" (on "Blue Guitar"), the song serves a similar purpose - to kick things up a notch. The interplay of overdriven guitar, slide guitar and harmonica is brilliant, and the lyrics really mesh with the tune to lend the song a sense of motion.

"Cruiser" is a low key ramble through the streets and highways of LA. Despite the fact that the windows are down and the stereo is blasting, the narrator and his companion are both quietly alone. Nobody writes a song like this better than Mark Kozelek.

"Michigan" seems to be a loose retread of the themes covered in "New Jersey", but with a fuller arrangement.

"River" is the closet thing to vintage Red House Painters to be found on "Old Ramon", with its epic length and chilling, sparse bass and drums. For me, this song comes up a little bit short because it lacks the lyrical sting of earlier efforts. Kozelek's great gift as a lyricist is that he seems able to sing things that most people would regret saying later, and this quality seems to be largely absent here.

"Smokey" is a fine song, and the version on "Old Ramon" is very well executed, but it lacks the intimacy of the demo version (featured on the first Shanti Project compilation). The nylon string guitar and lack of drums on the demo seem better suited to the melancholy subject matter, but it's interesting to compare the two.

"Golden" is intriguing. Written shortly after the death of John Denver, this song conveys both Kozelek's admiration of and contempt for his inspiration. It's a deceptively powerful little tune, and it's nice that it was left as a simple acoustic number. It could have easily collapsed under the weight of an elaborate arrangement.

"Kavita" is a fitting closer, reminding us that as grown up as we may think we are, we're still the same girls and boys that congregated on opposite sides of the gym at the dance.

Is this the epic masterpiece I was waiting for? No, it is not. However, "Old Ramon" is a fine album, and when it is judged on its own merits rather than compared to the hype and anticipation which have surrounded it, this becomes apparent. The same goes for comparing this to the Red House Painters' early work. There is no equivalent to "Mistress" or "24" on "Old Ramon", but that doesn't mean there are no equally powerful moments on it.

Ok...with much respect to all the old RHP fans! I can hardly believe my eyes when I see a few people make any bad comments on anything about this record, "Michigan" being such a great song! being I didn't really like the band til I heard Old Ramon, it was a great place to start.

I am a firm believer on an artist gets better and better with time, sure its not the long drawn-out reverby versions of the old 1993, 94's RHP, but this album is by far the best album in my opinion. and I even told that to Mark Kozelek personally!!

the production is a better than anything I have ever heard from them, "Songs for a Blue guitar" was alright, but it had too many different changing in the tones between songs, like it may have been recorded in a different times.

but Old Ramon holds its wieght, very constant, I will not go as far as saying these have all the hits on it, I mean lets face it, "Japenese to English, Katy song, Uncle Joe and Grace Catherdal Park" are all RHP classics, and are also my favorite songs as well.

but what I am trying to say is that this whole album is such a well weaved piece of emotion, everysong really fits so perfectly after the next song, which is something I find not in any other RHP albums, there are NO awkward tracks, unlike the other songs I have too skip on other albums.

just in the opening line on "Smokey" "you caved my Karma in" is just enough sadness and feeling to make you cry!!

and all that nonsence about the 4th track "In between days" being ugly and overbearing, thats definatly not the case, trust me if your a first time buyer this is the one to start with, then I would go back one album at a time!

but don't forget that he has a band now called "Sun Kil Moon" and its awesome!!!!coming Nov 4th on Jetset Records!!

and don't forget that he has a lIve album on Subpop called White x-mas,truly the second masterpiece!!

chris

I have been a huge fan of Red House Painters since the first time I heard them. It was "Summer Dress," from their ablum Ocean Beach. I haven't stopped listening since.

While I don't think that this album is quite as good as "Songs for a Blue Guitar," it is definately worth owning. The first four songs along with number nine are the ones that stand out for me. This album took forever to get to us and it has been way too long since we have heard from them. We need more.

The Red House Painters have always been a little inconsistent on each album. Kozelek is one of those songwriters that places masterpieces alongside songs that border on self-indulgence. Old Ramon may be the most solid Red House Painters album of the whole lot. Some purists have disparaged the dominance of electric guitar on this album's sonic palette, but I think it's brilliantly done and beautiful. Lyrically, this is also one of the stronger albums in their catalog, Wop-a-Din-Din aside. If there is one complaint, it's that the album as a whole almost runs together. Others could see this as a strength, but upon first listen--especially since the songs are also very long--it can be a bit much to get through. Songs like Void and Smokey are devastatingly good though, and instant classics. In an age of instant gratification and hooks tossed out like cheap candy, Kozelek's music is a sharp and gratifying counterpoint.

Ok, they say that a good reviewer first acknowledges his prejudices, so I must confess that my first listening of this album was prejudicial since I'm absolutely bonkers about Red House Painters!

Where to start with this masterpiece of an album? Well, lets go for a few don'ts.

DON'T let people tell you that RHP songs are 'overlong'. The whole point of Mark Kozelek et al's music is to TAKE ITS TIME in a musical era more known for pithy gush, crass, unfelt sentiment, or just sheer lack of meaning.

DON'T worry if your first listening of this album doesn't immediately flip you upside down, whirl you around the room and give you palpitations straight away. This music will enter your heart, and needs time to mature there. Keep listening: your patience will be rewarded.

DON'T listen to this music quietly, in a crowded room, or in any context where you cannot give it your full attention. ("Master, will you please write for me some maxims of the highest wisdom?" Ikkyu took his brush and wrote: "Attention")

DON'T get caught up in discussions about the technical elements of RHP's music: if you're thinking in bits, you're not going to experience the richness of the whole.

This is my favourite RHP album. I listen to it alone, or with my lady-love, driving through the beautiful hills and valleys of England.

It took me a shile to fully appreciate this album. But after a number of listens, I finally have grown to love the album. I consider Old Ramon to be their most consistent work ever. Though I love this band, I usually have to skip a number of tracks in their previous cd's to fully appreciate them. However, not this album! My favorite tracks are Golden, Michigan and Wop-A-Din-Din--an excellent and endearing song about Mark K.'s cat.

I am a huge fan of RHP and I consider them to be the best band to come out of San Francisco, my hometown. Any band that names an album after my favorite place in the world, Ocean Beach, is sure is a great group!

I have been avidly collecting music of all genres and eras for over 20 years and I have NEVER found myself playing a CD over and over. Every song on this is absolutely amazing. Hats off to Mr. Kozelek for being the astounding songwriter he was meant to be and thereby enriching our lives by his remarkable craft. Im currently buying the entire catalog and will undoubtably remain a fan for life.

I was going to post a three-star review that said that half the songs were good and the rest were boring, but after a couple more listens, I'm ready to upgrade that. I wasn't expecting that much out of this album, since _Songs For A Blue Guitar_, while having some good songs, seemed to portend a drift away from the placid, sonorous, incredibly emotive soundscapes of their first few albums. At least I found hope in the fact that this was recorded well before Mark Kozelek's two solo releases of mostly John Denver-does-AC/DC covers. While I still find "Wop-A-Din-Din" to be too cloying, "Cruiser" limp, tepid and repetitive, and "Kavita" a dull thud of an album closer, there are some bona fide gems here. "Void" is the first sign that the old Red House Painters we knew and loved are not quite dead yet. "Between Days" works well in the vein of "Make Like Paper" - louder and up-tempo, but a really good RHP song. "River" is stuck in my head at the moment; a powerful, extremely good and compelling 11-minute epic a la "Medicine Bottle", "Funhouse", or "Mother", with slow watercolor guitars gradually working their way up to churning distortion. I'd have to say it's my favorite. "Smokey" is also quite good and morose and beautiful; can't go wrong there. This album is worth it for those songs alone, but really most of it passes muster in my book. Go ahead and get it.

I am not one to write many words, but I heard this CD a couple of months ago thanks to Seboots Inc early release copy... and fell in love with it immediately. I have been a RHP fan from the early days, seeing them in small SF clubs, and want to ensure any old fans or newly interested that this is a phenomenal album. Recording is top notch, the guitars are perfectly balanced, etc. and of course Kozelek's song writing couldn't be stronger. The band seems to be the strongest line up I have heard on record.

I don't subscribe to the "progression" concept of an artists output. This is simply beautiful music regardless of when it was recorded or released. Buy this now.

I'm going to go out on a limb here, and say that I think this album is brilliant. It might be too early to tell, but it could be one of their best!

As I am not a huge fan of "Blue Guitar" I wasn't too worried about the band continuing in that direction. I thought that album was too airy, and the rockier songs were pretty much a waste of time. Give me a "Katy Song" fade out anytime. And lets face it, "Blue Guitar" was a RHP album in name only - none of the other band members appear on it, only Mark Kozelek. So what we really should be comparing "Old Ramon" to is "Ocean Beach".

Plain and simply, I love it. "Wop-a-din-din" is a great opener, reminding me of Cat (no pun intended) Stevens. "Byrd Joel" is an interesting sounding song, following the same structure as "Priest Alley Song". Where the album really starts getting good is "Void", the third song in. Here we have it all - long running time, great guitar interplay, and that beautiful atmospheric sound that makes RHP the most unique band in the world.

This mood follows with "Cruiser", for me the best song on the album. The lyrics here are amazing (one wishes Kozelek would publish his lyrics) and we finally get something approching the languid moods of "Dragonflies" or "Drop". Great, great stuff.

"Michigan" for me displays the only weak point of the album; not so bad in a skip-to-the-next-song kind of way, just not as good as what has gone before. Moving on, "River" is the "Mother" of this album, fairly harrowing and drawn out, yet welcome.

I loved the "Smokey" demo; and was not expecting the same version again - therefore I like the album version here just as much. It takes the song to a new level, and adds a deeper layer that the demo didn't have. The closer, "Kavita", is a nice way to end the album: laid back, sleepy, and certainly funny (favourite line: "My friends think you're stupid / but I think you're cute").

So for me "Old Ramon" was worth the wait. A great album, up there with "Ocean Beach" and "RHP (rollercoaster)". Looking forward to the next one already.