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.
