By Henry Lipput
There's a scene in the movie High Fidelity in which John Cusack as Rob Gordon is in a bar telling us why he is indeed a terrible person (but not in those words). It's a Chicago dive bar; but there, in the background sitting at a piano, is Liam Hayes of the band Plush singing "Soaring and Boring." It's a great moment in one of my favorite movies.
That's how I hear Mark Kozelek's new album, Mark Kozelek Sings Favorites -- as if he's playing his favorite songs at this dive bar and doing a terrific, heart-felt job of it. It's a piano album with stripped-down covers and backing vocals from Faith No More's Mike Patton, Minnie Driver, Low's Mimi Parker, Will Oldham, and Slowdive's Rachel Goswell.
On the album, Kozelek sings some of his favorite songs, as well as songs that meant a lot to friends and loved ones. He has already performed some of these songs in his solo concerts and "O Holy Night" was previously released on his album of Christmas songs (and it's truly lovely).
Appropriate for an imagined piano bar scene (although the piano is provided by Chris Connolly of the bands Desertshore and Sun Kil Moon), Kozelek opens the album with a song from a Broadway musical; but he doesn’t turn it into a show tune. His "Send In The Clowns" is hushed and thoughtful, not far from Glynis Johns's interpretation in the original production of A Little Night Music. Henry Mancini's "Moon River" is also a respectful cover of a song first sung by Audrey Hepburn in the film Breakfast At Tiffany's. And the longing in his version of "Over The Rainbow" can break your heart.
The similarity to Liam Hayes's turn at the piano is most evident on Kozelek's cover of 10cc's "I’m Not In Love" (Is that Minnie Driver in the background whispering "Big boys don’t cry?"). And his ability to break down full band, fully produced songs for voice and piano are highlighted in the album’s "Win" from Bowie’s Young Americans and "Float On" by Modest Mouse which Kozelek turns into a serene album closer.
In addition to these songs, Mark Kozelek Sings Favorites also includes Waylon Jennings's "Amanda," Frank and Nancy Sinatra's "Something Stupid," and Bob Seger's "Mainstreet."
Kozelek brings a gruff, melancholy feel to these songs, not unlike his work as frontman for the indie bands Red House Painters and Sun Kil Moon; but, somehow, it feels right. He makes it work.
Mark Kozelek Sings Favorites is out now on Caldo Verde Records.
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