Who knew a tale of road kill could be so endearing? Okay, maybe endearing isn’t the right word here, but in the midst of an ongoing saga with The War On Drugs, it’s refreshing to see that Mark Kozelek of Sun Kil Moon has resumed writing relatable songs. He’s recently released “The Possum” onto Youtube.
“The Possum” follows his album, Sings Christmas Carols, a seasonal project that is of good cheer and glad tidings to get you in the mood for the upcoming holidays. Or, for the Black Friday shoppers among our U.S.-based readers, this album could be a means of relaxation after the early morning sales rush to kick off your holiday shopping.
Sadly, “The Possum” isn’t about Santa or doing good this season. According to Stereogum, “it’s a nine-minute narrative song that moves through different stories and moods and musical movements, and it’s all about the things that might go through your head after you see a possum dying on the sidewalk.” And, it’s also about hanging out with friends at a Godflesh show, and features some very intricate music following that lyrical scene.
The standout portions of this track are Kozelek’s finger picked acoustic guitar parts, and then the universal image of death and remembrance. A tale of an animal that is normally thought of as an unattractive marsupial that more often than not ends up as road kill, transforms into a creature that the listener begins to care about as Kozelek unfolds the winding emotional journey.
Check it out:
“The Possum”, which features the talents of Steve Shelley (ex-Sonic Youth) on drums, will be available to download beginning December 1st, 2014.
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