Red House Painters (Bridge) - Vinyl LP Record | Indie Folk Music Album for Relaxing & Home Decor

Well, this is why we love music so much. We have bands like Red House Painters that just astound you with their genius. I keep coming back here, hoping someone will write another review that expresses what I feel about these songs. I guess I'll write one myself.I think Grace Cathedral Park is the most honestly emotional and personal song I've ever heard. To me, the poignancy created by a beautiful harmony is the most sublime aspect of music. In Grace Cathedral Park, the flow of the chord progression between Mark Kozelek's vocals and the bass as he sings 'and I know for sure that you'll never be the one' - I don't know anything like this - it is so enrapturing. It just goes to show you that music is able to capture or express a feeling better than words. It's as if a lot of talented musicians can write prosaic songs that might rock or groove, but here they have attained something more transcendent. And the part right before this is just as beautiful- the 'music box sounds' that build up to such a nice groove and climax. Kozelek writes such stunning words: 'it's the forbidden moment that we live that fires our sad escape...' I feel the sun's glimmering rays as the guitar arpeggio repeats to the end of the song. It is so perfectly sung, like the way he says 'fading sun' or 'sad escape.'Things Mean a Lot is my second favorite song on the album. Here they attain it again, when the piano kicks in with its unusual melody and chords. Such an exquisite feeling created by the piano and him singing 'scares me how you get older' around 1:43 into the song, after he sustains such a great tone when he sings 'in the same part of the world.'Then there's Katy Song. It starts with a mesmerizing guitar riff that creates such a great atmosphere. Then Kozelek comes in with some clever, flowing lyrics in his pained voice. I can't get enough of this song and its guitar line. Who plays chords like that? I would nominate it as one of the greatest songs ever.The other great songs I think are Dragonflies, Rollercoaster, Down Through, and the guitar-fueled version of Mistress. Dragonflies paints such a great image- 'with their ornamental stars.' Such great harmonies between the guitar, bass and Kozelek singing, 'you're chasing dragonflies at play, my little lost girl....' Rollercoaster gives the feeling of such expansive skies, 'reminding me I'll never be able to relive this day except in memory.' Down Through is another searingly personal song with nice guitar picking. I love the way Mistress keeps building and building to its climax, when he wails at the end.Ok, I'll quit analyzing each second of the song now. It's more fun riding on the train, staring out into the sunlight and reliving the poignancy created by these songs from earlier, more urgent times. This is one of my top one or two favorite albums.