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.
Down Colorful Hill
Red House Painters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down colorful hill
Wind lifting tired feet
Skin sensing challenge ahead
Prayers prayers prayers
For success
Prayers prayers prayers
Losing the dream
Face to face sleeping
Losing the dream
Open mouth breathing
Where unadmired beings
Dread the due changes ahead
Prayers prayers prayers
For success
Prayers prayers prayers
Always die in time
Like empty roofs above
Life for poor doves
Like empty roofs above
Rid of our love
The lyrics of "Down Colorful Hill" by Red House Painters paint a picture of a person who is feeling tired, challenged, and losing hope. The first verse describes someone walking down an unfamiliar road with the wind tiring their feet yet sensing that there is a challenge ahead. The second and third verses speak of the person losing their dream and struggling to breathe while asleep. The final verse paints a picture of emptiness and despair, with "empty roofs" and the loss of love.
The repeated line of "prayers prayers prayers for success, always die in time" emphasizes the singer's feeling of hopelessness and the futility of their efforts. The lyrics suggest a sense of alienation from the world around them, with the line "where unadmired beings dread the due changes ahead."
The overall feeling conveyed by the lyrics is one of melancholy and despair, with a sense that the singer is disconnected from the world around them and feels isolated and alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Out of the box
Stepping outside of one's comfort zone, taking a risk
Down colorful hill
Walking down a path filled with promise and excitement
Wind lifting tired feet
Feeling renewed energy and motivation due to the positive surroundings
Skin sensing challenge ahead
Being aware of the obstacles that come with pursuing a new goal
Prayers prayers prayers
Hoping for a positive outcome
For success
Wishing for a favorable result in a particular situation
Always die in time
The hope of success may eventually fade away
Losing the dream
Failing to achieve a desired outcome
Face to face sleeping
Confronting the harsh reality of a disappointing outcome
Open mouth breathing
Feeling anxious or depressed due to the loss of hope
Where unadmired beings
A place where unrecognized and underappreciated individuals navigate
Dread the due changes ahead
Feeling anxious or hesitant about the unknown and unpredictable changes in the future
Like empty roofs above
Feeling empty and abandoned
Life for poor doves
A sad existence for those who are vulnerable and powerless
Rid of our love
The absence of love or affection in a situation
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
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