The band is described, along with Low and American Music Club, as one of the linchpins of the slowcore movement, a subgenre of Indie Rock characterized by downbeat melodies, slow tempos, and often minimalist arrangements. The genre was shaped by musical influences like Folk Rock, Contemporary Folk, and later on, Indie Folk, creating a subdued atmosphere that clashed against most of the comparatively brash Alternative Rock that was popular at the time. Kozelek used this group primarily as a vehicle for his very personal and emotional songs of despair, pain and suffering.
While in Atlanta, Kozelek became friends with Anthony Koutsos, a drummer. He then moved to San Francisco, adding guitarist Gorden Mack and bassist Jerry Vessel to complete the line-up for Red House Painters. After forming, the group played the San Francisco scene extensively, and recorded demos from 1989 to 1992, building up an impressive amount of material. Once they were signed to 4AD Records in 1992, they put out five-and-a-half LPs worth of material in two-and-a-half years--between September 1992 and March 1995, they released three LPs, one double LP, and one EP on 4AD.
Their first 4AD release was an album made up of select demos titled Down Colorful Hill. It was a compilation of haunting melodies complemented by Kozelek's eerie yet rich and emotional vocals. In 1993, the group came out with two self-titled records (now commonly referred to as "Red House Painters I" or "Rollercoaster" and "Red House Painters II" or "Bridge" (based on their cover artwork), solidifying Kozelek's reputation as a talented songwriter with their harrowing autobiographical tales of his troubled life and errant living with no punches being pulled. The music, which ran the gamut from beautiful acoustic folk-rock to intense, dissonant, lengthy soundscapes, effectively conveyed the sadness of the lyrics.
In 1994, they released an EP entitled Shock Me and in 1995, the introspective Ocean Beach, which saw Kozelek's songs becoming more acoustic-based and folk influenced, and featured far less of the lengthy, dreamlike epics of the group's first two albums. His lyrics also showed a considerable shift in tone, as he increasingly began to write about the power of memory and the significance of geography, a subject that would become an obsession in his subsequent recordings.
While Kozelek was beginning work on a solo project, he parted ways with 4AD Records after a somewhat tumultuous relationship. Entitled Songs for a Blue Guitar, which was released on Island Records subsidiary Supreme Recordings in 1996. It was more of a guitar-driven rock album that they released under the Red House Painters name to give the album more publicity. A year later, they came up with Old Ramon, arguably their most accessible, optimistic recording to date. However, major label mergers during the late 90's would leave them without a record label, and it wasn't until 2001 that they were able to release the album on Sub Pop.
Prior to the release of Old Ramon, Kozelek released a solo six-song EP entitled Rock 'n' Roll Singer in 2000. The record was comprised of three original acoustic compositions with minor full-band arrangements and three covers: two AC/DC covers from the Bon Scott era and one John Denver cover. Following the release of the first solo EP, Kozelek released his first solo album six months later. The record, entitled What's Next to the Moon, was released in January of 2001, but would greatly surprise fans. What's Next to the Moon was comprised entirely of shimmering, melancholy acoustic AC/DC covers from the Bon Scott era. The record was also greatly uncharacteristic of Kozelek (though he was prone to enjoy covering songs by his favorite artists) in that it is the shortest full length to date clocking in at just over thirty minutes. Even the first Red House Painters album with only six tracks was more than 45 minutes in length. Both solo albums were released by Badman Records.
4AD would release the best-of package, "Retrospective", on a double-disc in 1999. Kozelek subsequently organized and appeared on a John Denver tribute album, played a part in Cameron Crowe's film Almost Famous and also appeared as a rock musician in the Steve Martin vehicle Shopgirl. He contributed to both a benefit album for AIDS and an album of classic rock covers.
In 2003 Kozelek and Koutsos, along with Geoff Stanfield and Tim Mooney, reformed as Sun Kil Moon, releasing the acclaimed album Ghosts of the Great Highway on Jetset Records. In a 2005 interview with The Onion's AV Club, Kozelek confirmed that he considers Sun Kil Moon essentially the Red House Painters, but that he changed the band name to grab the interest of critics who had gotten bored with, or stopped paying attention to, the Painters. The move was successful, as Ghosts of the Great Highway would be his best-selling album yet, while garnering extremely positive reviews.
Brockwell Park
Red House Painters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you want me to tell
In London's lonesome park
Brockwell
Out here, I am distracted
As fire bombs explode
Bonfire lamps glow
If the days weren't so precious
And no worlds where shorted wires had kept us
Things would be better than this
There's an angel by the ocean, I miss
And trips on the train
Before our lives changed
The mirror I watched
Your naked body strain
The lyrics to Red House Painters' song Brockwell Park can be interpreted in different ways depending on the listener's perspective. It seems to describe a relationship that is going through a difficult phase. The first line states, "In the night we freeze," suggesting that the couple's intimacy has cooled down. The second line, "And you want me to tell," implies a need for communication, but also a reluctance to express what is really going on. The phrase "London's lonesome park" evokes a sense of isolation and loneliness.
The following lines describe a scene in Brockwell Park, where the singer is distracted by fire bombs exploding and bonfire lamps. The contrast between the chaos of the surroundings and the singer's inner turmoil is striking. The phrase "to the crowded road" suggests that the singer feels overwhelmed by the outside world.
The next lines express a sense of longing for a better life, where "things would be better than this." The phrase "shorted wires" suggests a metaphor for the broken communication in the relationship. The singer then mentions an angel by the ocean, conveying a sense of spiritual longing and hope.
The final lines refer to past memories of trips on the train and the intimacy they once shared. The singer watches their partner's naked body strain in the mirror, offering a glimpse into their private moments.
Overall, Brockwell Park is a poignant portrayal of a relationship going through a rough patch, where the outside world is both a distraction and a reminder of the lost connection.
Line by Line Meaning
In the night we freeze
We are feeling cold and uncomfortable during the night time.
And you want me to tell
You are asking me to share my thoughts or feelings.
In London's lonesome park
We are in a solitary place in Brockwell Park in London.
Out here, I am distracted
Being outside has diverted my attention from what we were previously discussing.
As fire bombs explode
There are loud sounds of bombs exploding nearby.
Bonfire lamps glow
Amidst the darkness, the illumination from the bonfire lamps is visible.
To the crowded road
The busy street nearby is contrasting with the stillness of the park.
If the days weren't so precious
Time is valuable and limited, and we feel pressured to make the most of it.
And no worlds where shorted wires had kept us
Without past mistakes and misunderstandings, we could have avoided this situation.
Things would be better than this
We would be happier if things were different.
There's an angel by the ocean, I miss
I am reminiscing about a person or thing that was once important to me.
And trips on the train
We have fond memories of traveling on trains together.
Before our lives changed
Our lives were different before something significant happened and altered them.
The mirror I watched
I recall observing myself in the mirror.
Your naked body strain
I remember seeing you exerting yourself physically while partially or completely unclothed.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Mark Edward Kozelek
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Thijs Keulen
absolutely brilliant and beautiful. it's dawn here after a rainy summer day and this sounds exactly right for this moment.
CaterpillarsTV
Trips on the train before our lives changed... -That part of the song always hits me so hard
Lau Ste
S A M E
Shea Mitchell
same
Tim O
absolutely one of my favourite songs ever...Kozelek is truly a genius when it comes to songwriting...love this
caldillo_de_congrio
One of the best RHP tunes, no contest. Walked through Brockwell Park last August, and wondered what was going through Mark's head when he penned this incredible, almost intolerably wisftul tune.
turntablecafe
One of the most romantic songs written.. of several.. by Mark Kozelek. ❤️
Temple Of The Martyrs
one of my favourite bands, hands down
777hexed448
Thanks for posting this. One of my all time favorite songs.
Leon at Leisure
When Koz first went for the fingerpicking guitar sound and when he did it best. Majestic