Retrospective

Red House Painters

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 20, 1999)
• Original Release Date: May 18, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: 4ad / Ada
• ASIN: B00000JQIN
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #108,459 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
In 1995, the label 4AD unceremoniously threw in the towel on Red House Painters and their tortured troubadour Mark Kozelek. As if to do penance for that move, they have blessed the devoted following of these brilliant mope rockers with this collection of hard-to-find and out-of-print tracks. The first disc of the set is a free-flowing montage of songs from the band's five 4AD releases that serves as an excellent greatest-hits collection, cataloging their slow-paced, shimmering guitar laments and exploring their heartbreakingly introspective style. With haunting reverb-laden atmospheres, epic song structures, and deeply personal lyrics, songs like "Rollercoaster" and "Summer Dress" alternately roar and recede as bewildered and lost protagonists wander through landscapes of evocative and sometimes nightmarish imagery. But alongside these dark ruminations are lighter moments, such as the sunny fade-out of "San Geronimo" and the tongue-in-cheek Kiss cover "Shock Me," that betray the band's awareness of their own dour pretensions and ability to explore a full emotional palette. As good as the first disc is, the real fire lies on the second disc, especially for long-suffering fans of the band. Twelve outtakes and two never-before-released songs of harrowing vulnerability showcase Kozelek's thematic takes on confession and catharsis, twin motifs that have always defined his songwriting. Some are ambitious, like the early recording "Roadkill," with its patient, complex song structure and long lyrical passages, while other songs are quiet wonders, like the acoustic renderings of "Japanese to English" and "Mistress," both songs tracing a desperate search for lovers just out of reach. Taken together, the two CDs offer a captivating emotional experience, a chronicle of rarely explored, grandiose themes and a well-done summation of a tragically underappreciated band's catalog. --Matthew Cooke

Product Description
Limited edition retrospective from this American alternative act signed to 4AD. Disc one is a 13 track 'best of' and disc two, entitled 'Demos, Outtakes, Live 1989-1995', contains 14 rarities, including the previously unreleased cuts 'Waterkill' & 'Instrumental'. 27 tracks in all. Double slimline jewel case. 1999 release.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A melancholic masterpiece of introspection/ retrospection, December 14, 2002

By	Ludmila (Tallahassee, FL) - See all my reviews

I have to admit that I first heard of the Red House Painters through the film "Excess Baggage," starring Alicia Silverstone and Benicio del Toro as star-crossed lovers of sorts. The Painters' rendition of "All Mixed Up," originally by The Cars, was featured in this film, and I must say that although the film leaves just a little bit to be desired, that the choice of the aforementioned song in certain scenes of the film is phenomenal. . . see the movie, you'll see what I mean, perhaps.

Emily Hope (Silverstone's character in the movie) compels "John Doe" (del Toro's character) to feel oh so "mixed up". . . Anyways, moving on. . . hearing this song was enough to make me pause the credits and see who exactly was this band performing such a hauntingly melancholic and gorgeous version of the Cars' classic. "The Red House Painters," I read. "Hmmm," I said to myself, this sounds like a potentially great band. So the next day I ventured to my friendly neighborhood record store to see what they had to offer for the Red House Painters. I went through the various CD's they had of the band, and purchased "Retrospective," which I thought would be a good introduction to the band. It truly was. (It goes without saying that I also got "Songs for a Blue Guitar," since it does, after all, contain the song "All Mixed Up" which had impacted me so, but since this review is about "Retrospective," I'm going to stick to this album in my review). I read the liner notes, while hearing both disks of this album, and I was enthralled. How could I, such a devoted fan of good and original music (with a penchant for the sad and gloomy and melancholic) have possibly missed this incredible band, I asked myself? I spoke to a friend that evening, after I had spent the entire afternoon indulging in my Red House Painters CD's, and I told her that I had "discovered" this awesome band, entitled the Red House Painters. "Oh, you mean the band who did the song for that Gap commercial?" she replied, much to my dismay (I'm not prone either to "commercial," or "commercialized" music, or to huge retail stores). Regardless, I did not allow this to alter my fascination with this band. They are really phenomenal; sad, gloomy, melancholy, wistful, somber, with an unbelievable talent for transforming the pain suffered in life and in love into song.
"They're like Joy Division without the synthesizers or drum machines, with a bit of Leonard Cohen thrown in," is what I said to my friend who had informed me of their musical Gap appearance. And they are, but with a style entirely all their own. "Retrospective" has not left my CD player. Their rendition of "Shock Me" (a Kiss song) is as shocking as it is beautiful. And "Katy Song," "Summer Dress,"Medicine Bottle," "Michael," and "Mistress" are gorgeous. And the second disk, with demos, outakes, and live performances, is far from disappointing (as such disks tend to be); they only reinforced the fact in my mind that this is one uniquely talented and outstanding band. The tracks "Uncle Joe," "Japanese to English," "Over My Head," and the closing instrumental track, stand out on the second disk. None of the songs on either disk are disappointing, quite the contrary, in fact. . . each song merits another listen, and another, in order to absorb the lovely subtleties of each one. For anyone considering an introduction to the Red House Painters, this is indeed a great place to start. It's not often that a band entrances me so much, and I am more than happy (sad/happy?!) to have discovered the charm that is the Red House Painters, regardless of "Excess Baggage" or a Gap commercial. They have put a voice and music to the pain of the human condition, what we all have suffered at some point or another, and have done so originally, and this is no minor feat. Mopey, melancholic, and mystifying music (how's that for alliteration?!). . . a wonderful contribution to your music collection, especially if you like Joy Division and Leonard Cohen! Sadness can be inspiring, as these guys more than demonstrate in their music. . . perhaps you too might find their gloomy and ruminating music as powerful and gorgeous as I have. And if not, well, no one's asking you to paint your house red! :)

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A true find., October 17, 1999

By A Customer

Graceful, quiet, and elegiac. Mark Kozelek truly is a gifted songwriter, and if you haven't heard this band yet, this is a terrific place to start.

P.S. A big raspberry to Ivo and 4AD for dropping these guys.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Melancholy and a glimpse into angst, but a brilliant band, September 13, 2002

By	Christopher Culver - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Red House Painters, a band centered on the ever melancholy Mark Kozelek, created some of the saddest and most haunting music ever released on the 4AD label. Kozelek's songwriting, focusing on angst, rejection, and the pain of solitude had a way of putting into words what everyone has felt at one time or another. On RETROSPECTIVE we are treated to a disc of some of the finest moments from RHP' five albums released on 4AD, as well as to a second disc of outtakes and live material.

RETROSPECTIVE opens up, ironically, with a Kiss cover. "Shock Me", however, is transformed by Kozelek from a wild, outrageous romp to a low pleading. From there, though, the listener gets 12 tracks of Kozelek's poignant songwriting. "Katy Song", the first standout is, like most of RHP's output, an elegy to an ended relationship, twisting through complicated time signatures and finishing with a remarkably tightly played jam. "Medicine Bottle", called RHP's best song by many fans, is an 8-minute expression of the pain of losing a girlfriend because she could not handle introvertedness and the idea that certain thoughts and emotions are felt but can never be communicated. It cultimates in the astounding lines "I do not want to lose / the thrill that it gives me to look out from my window / and scour the houses from the world in the bedrom. / It's all in his head she read, in a girlfriend's self-help book..." That Kozelek can put into words the feelings that most men have from adolescent to 30 is a testament to his unique lyrical skill. Two of the later songs on this disc, the reverb-heavy "Drop" and "Evil", flow well together and display the crystal-clear production that was a hallmark of each of the albums the band released on 4AD.

Disc 2 is less interesting than the first, as one assumes that the outtakes were taken out of the albums for a reason, and the live material is unexciting (in fact, the live version of "Japanese to English" is downright unlistenable). However, it's closing track, an instrumental, displays the musical prowess of a band where the singer and songwriter Kozelek tends to get more recognition than the musicians.

RETROSPECTIVE is a great collection, and packs RHP's best output onto one release. Why only four stars? Red House Painters' music is not for everyone. While those who can remember the angst of their teenage years or still feel it now after a broken relationship know exactly what Kozelek is singing about, others feel the lyrics are juvenile and too depressing. The Red House Painters are worth trying, I think, and if RETOSPECTIVE is too much, try their first 4AD release DOWN COLORFUL HILL.