Old Ramon
Released almost concurrently with head House Painter Mark Kozelek's solo ventureWhat's Next to the Moon(a delightful selection of deconstructedAC/DCcovers),Old Ramonallows the rare opportunity to hear an artist both then and now. Recorded in '97,Old Ramonlanguished in the limbo of label fallout, finally to be rescued and released by Sub Pop in '01. Meanwhile, though, it seemed Kozelek had moved on, releasing a flurry of projects with nary a look back, makingOld Ramonalmost seem like an afterthought. But what a lovely afterthought it is. The trademark features of a Red House Painters' joint are all here: the songs are long and meandering, the guitars seesaw languidly, the drums plod, dissonant harmonies moan, and Kozelek's olive-oil voice seeps around everything. The best tracks include the light and airy "Wop a Din-Din," an homage to Kozelek's cat; the dark and beastly "Byrd Joel"; and the understated "Cruiser." Still, though, the album doesn't quite shake off its purgatorial past and remains more of an asterisk amid the band's outstanding back catalog. If you already love the Painters,Old Ramonis a godsend. But novitiates might better be off checking out the lovely cascade ofOcean Beachor Kozelek's aforementioned solo joint.--Tod Nelson