Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
have you forgotten?, January 24, 2002
ok, this is basically a mark kozelek solo album. the slow, meandering, acoustic ballads that RHP fans expect are still here, but they are interspersed with a duet(the title track), some disorienting squeal(make like paper),and some interesting covers(long distance run around, silly love songs, all mixed up). the opening track will give you some clue as to whether or not your destined to become a RHP fan; "have you forgotten" is the defining mark kozelek moment: sweet acoustic strumming, melancholy lyrics, and the saddest and smoothest voice that popular music ever produced. "song for a blue guitar" is a quiet ballad that will remind you of mazzy star's "fade into you". "make like paper" is a musician having his moment to push his limits a little, and it fails in a way that works well within the context of the album. (make sense? no? it's true, though.) the other stand outs on the album are the cover of the Car's "all mixed up" and "revelation big sur", which together alone are worth the price of the album. let these songs play back to back while you're out on a date... trust me.there are seven commercially released RHP albums; i'm recommending you buy this first. if you like this, go on to no. 2 on my list OCEAN BEACH.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Kozelek's even impressive at his very most main-stream, June 4, 2005
Whereas on the early RHP albums you can fully soak up in sorrow and melt away in atmospheric, reverb-sustaining instrumentation with long guitar jams and independent production, "Songs For A Blue Guitar" was the first rather mainstream release of Mark Kozelek's songs on Island records and so has to lose a bit of a magnificent audiophile experience. The songs rather go into rock than independent, guitars have a warm distortion that reminds a lot of the Neil Young/Crazy Horse 1975 masterpiece "Zuma" parted up with some fine acoustic western/country songs in a traditionally fresh manner. The songs are melancholic but not as touchingly sad and of rebellious art as on earlier realeases (Down Colorful Hill, "Rollercoaster", "Bridge" or the intimate Ocean Beach).
The whole atmosphere on the Blue Guitar seems more mature and hopeful. Rather surprisingly is the up-beat country song "I Feel The Rain Fall", which is definitely one of the most positive tracks Mark has ever done, but on the other side carries you back to his reality with its sarcastic lyrics.
Especially the reverb on the voice has been reduced, and goes on where Ocean Beach has left off.
The poetry to be found on the record is still excellent, there is no trace of losing intensity despite the musical changes. Special moments on the sentimental "Have You Forgotten" (that should later be re-recorded in a mesmerizing full-band version for Cameron Crow's movie "Vanilla Sky") or, the also musically high-lighting track, "All Mixed Up", a majestically arranged Cars cover. Beautifully intimate is the last song "Another Song For A Blue Guitar". Another musical gem is the long distorted howling jam "Make Like Paper" that could be mid-tempo epic Smashing Pumpkins' classic! Kozelek also starts making discoveries in covering classic songs that inspired his songwriting, a talent that should later be expanded on his solo releases, besides the Cars' cover, Paul McCartney's "Silly Love Songs" and the Yes song "Long Distance Runaround"
get remodelled in Red House Painters' unmistakable uniqueness (such metamorphosis had been done before to Paul Simon's "I Am A Rock" on the so-called "Bridge" album).
Summing-up I must say the record is no disappointment at all - but for those who are interested in how Red House Painters started up, and how they sounded raw and really "original", I'd suggest the "Rollercoaster"-album. But "Songs For A Blue Guitar" rather opens the door for fans of all other genres, not necessarily melancholy-approved.
Five stars. No doubt! Grandiosely administered step to a broader audience.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Know Thy Self, October 27, 2002
If you have the soul for some beautifully ponderous and melancholy acoustic music, this album is truly exceptional. If you have the ear for jams, the electric tunes are powerful and rewarding. "Make Like Paper" and McCartney's "Silly Love Songs" are outstanding. The latter, an unlikely cover that you just have to hear to believe, borrows some unmistakable tones from Neil Young's Cortez the Killer. Reviews that suggest these jams are sloppy are simply wrong. They are raw, but not sloppy. If your patience and attention span limit you to three and a half minute pop melodies, this album is simply not for you.
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