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| photo stolen from Facebook, taken by a guy named Daniel mak |
First-time listeners either love Mark Kozelek's hollow voice and pluck-and-strum guitar style or their ear takes in the mellow sounds and classical guitar as something lonesome that fades into the background and is better suited for a dinner party rather than a road-trip soundtrack or top ten play lists.
But the ghostly troubadour’s die-hard fans would tell you that his mournful voice and simple guitar arrangement reminds them of echoes that arch past cathedral ceilings and worn-smooth chapel pews. That the music produced by Kozlek and his moniker Sun Kil Moon, is hypnotic and inspired; that the sketch-book lyrics and provide gray composites of the side-streets, staircases, beaches and bedrooms and that he walks listeners down the hallway of his life and that the kind of stuff Kozelek is coming up with is like nothing else out there.
Either way it’s not every day someone of this stature and talent touches down in Singapore. Artists of this caliber rarely find themselves entertaining fans in Southeast Asia. So when someone like Sun Kil Moon comes to town its reason for music fans to stand up and celebrate.
Kozelek, who seems to prefer smaller, intimate venues, took the stage solo on Wednesday night at the Arts House on Old Parliament Lane for what fans of meaningful indie music hoped to one of many bigger-name shows presented by 4 Imaginary Boys, a group of four music fans bent on bringing quality international acts to Singapore and Southeast Asia.
The fans that made the effort to catch Kozelek at the Arts House on Old Parliament will recount the show to friends as their “I saw him when...” momment. one of those moments in music where you get to say that you sat so close you could see the musician sweat or that it all felt like he was talking directly to you.
The 150 some odd people that settled down into the most intimate of venues were treated to two hours of what can only be described as one of best American singer-song writers of the last 20 years.
A venue like the Arts House is above and beyond venues. The proximity blows your mind and the seating —everyone that bought a ticket was within 75 feet of him—is so close makes you feel like you are almost imposing.
While Kozelek has for the most part managed to stay off the mainstream radar, he’s been making music for dedicated fans some 20 years.
Red House Painters, his first big time project, gained relative success, but the band broke up and Kozelek formed Sun Kil Moon, named after the former world champion Korean boxer, in 2002. His music has appeared on the soundtracks of a few movies and television shows including Cameron Crowe’s “Elizabethtown” and the popular television show “Californication.”
Janson Sim, who along with Gerald Tan runs the Singapore-based promotion agency 4 Imaginary Boys was more than happy to bring fans such a great show.
"Mark is an iconic singer-songwriter whose songs have touched many of us, said Janson. "We were delighted to have him play in Singapore, in fact south east Asia for the 1st time."
The Janson and Gerald met during the underground music scene in Singapore in the 1980s and have been friends since then.
“We have been described by some as the John Peel of event organizers, which is a label we don't mind having. John Peel wasn’t minded about how listeners would receive the tracks he played. But he was passionate about the music he liked, and was prepared to spend time and effort to share what he had with people who tuned in.
Besides organizing gigs, we have DJ [ NY times Book ha] indie music as 4imaginaryboys since 2005.
The show was something to be relished . Kozelek ran into visa restrictions, which canceled earlier dates in Beijing and Shanghai on Sept 24-25, which meant that the singer-songwriter was fresh after coming off his first show in Asia, a one night gig two days ago in Taipei.
The show at the Arts House was also his last stop in Asia before beginning his European leg of the tour on Oct 16, with a show in Portugal.
The celebrated singer song-writer levied the expectant crowd, some of which came as far as India to see him open with tracks off his latest album, “Admirals Fell Promises,” which eludes a classical guitar feel and is laid down on a nylon string guitar, but stays true to Kozelek’s autobiographical lyrics and fine-tuned arrangements.
Kozelek opened the show with “Alesund” but quickly followed tracks off the new album with fan favorites like “Carry Me, Ohio,” “Heron Blue,” and “Glenn Tipton,” while mixing in new stuff like “Church of Pines” and “Third and Seneca.”
Kozelek’s voice is simple as it is soft, the Arts House gave fans and the artist everything they could have asked for. What on first impression was a throwback to the small court-room setting erupted early into the penultimate Sun Kil Moon show: personal, definitive and unquestionably close.
It was him against the crowd. One that sat envious of what he was willing to produce. And produce he did.
The thing about Kozelek is that he is spot-on.
Everyone in the Arts House played witness to a crooner whose craft was touched in the perfection the recording studio, something that played out on stage. His voice is pitch perfect and his attention to detail and function is something most concert-goers don’t experience. What you see is what you get. From the perfect strumming of the album to the nascent voice that accompanies it.
The Art House was in and of itself something to be revered and when Kozelek set himself about entertain the crowd there was little to do but sit back in appreciation.
While Kozelek is something of an enigma, a soft and unsettled voice prone to chiding fans and the media, his persona is something to be respected. In a day and age where artists are expected to sell their craft and abilities based on being friendly with the media and fans Kozelek pays his dues by meeting cordially with fans, shaking hands and waiting patiently as avid concert-goers spell out the names of friends and family that couldn’t make the show he’s quick to rebut any chance at speaking with the media.
But it's not his job to play nice with journalists. It's his job to play the guitar and sing the songs his fans love. Job well done Kozelek.
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