|
''Benji'' is the sixth studio album by American indie folk act Sun Kil Moon, released on 11 February 2014 on Caldo Verde Records. Self-produced by primary recording artist Mark Kozelek, the album shares its name with the 1974 film ''Benji'', and was recorded between March and August 2013 at Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco. The album features contributions from Owen Ashworth, Jen Wood, Will Oldham, and Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley. The album was recognized as one of The 100 Best Albums of the Decade So Far, a list published by Pitchfork Media in August 2014. ==Background and composition== Following the release of Sun Kil Moon's fifth studio album ''Among the Leaves'' in 2012, primary recording artist Mark Kozelek recorded and released three studio albums in 2013; a covers album entitled ''Like Rats'' released in February, and two collaborative albums of original material. The first of these, ''Perils from the Sea'' was recorded with Jimmy LaValle and released in April, and the second, ''Mark Kozelek & Desertshore'', recorded with the band Desertshore, was released in August. The first track written for ''Benji'' was "Truck Driver". Kozelek had initially brought the song to Desertshore for possible inclusion on ''Mark Kozelek & Desertshore'', but it was rejected by the band. Shortly after this, Kozelek's second cousin died which inspired the composition of the song "Carissa".〔 Much of the album's lyrical content focuses upon mortality, with Kozelek stating, "Things get heavier as you get older. At 47, I can't write from the perspective of a 25-year-old anymore. My life has just changed too much and my environment around me."〔 The song "I Watched the Film 'The Song Remains the Same'" features lyrics that reflect on some of Kozelek's childhood memories of his grandmother and pays tribute to the influence of Led Zeppelin. “I Can't Live Without My Mother's Love” was written following an argument between Kozelek and his mother, and features backing vocals from Will Oldham. ''Benjis closing track, "Ben's My Friend", was the final track to be written for the album and is partly written about Kozelek's friendship with Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service vocalist and guitarist Benjamin Gibbard. Gibbard previously made a guest vocal appearance on the track "Lost Verses" on Sun Kil Moon's third studio album, ''April'' (2008). Kozelek noted, "I just felt like the album needed another track, so I scribbled down some stuff, vented a little about The Postal Service concert or whatever was on my mind that day. I presented it to () Steve Shelley in two different ways, a slow version and a fast version. He liked the faster one and we went with it."〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Benji (album)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|