April

Few songwriters could bear the scrutiny of a book of lyrics, although far too many invite it. Writing good songs is only half the challenge; the other is to set words compellingly to paper, without the securities of voice, chords, and melody to reinforce their internal rhythms and recast their meanings. In 2002, Mark Kozelek, formerly of Red House Painters and currently alternating between a solo project and the loosely defined Sun Kil Moon (which is pretty much a solo project), released a book of lyrics called Nights of Passed Over in Europe, where his cult is even more intensely rabid than his American audience. Culling primarily from his work with Red House Painters, the book argued persuasively for Kozelek as a gifted, intuitive, and insightful songwriter, with an aversion to sentimentality and a way of combining words that is evocative without being showy or clever. His lyrics can stand on their own, even without his low, rich, sad voice and shimmering, patient guitar.

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