I've been listening a lot to the new Sun Kil Moon record, Ghosts of the Great Highway, lately. It's different from the Red House Painters albums, somehow. There's more vitality, more ringingness to the guitars. Whereas most of the RHPs' work - and for sure, Mark Kozelek's solo record (though the whole acoustic-covers-of-AC/DC lends a certain cachet) - leaned towards the (beautiful) dopiness of Pedro the Lion, Sun Kil Moon seem to have a little more Neil Young in them - maybe some R.E.M., even.

I've not been a longtime fan of the Red House Painters. I had heard most of their stuff - downloaded Old Ramon, Songs for a Blue Guitar - but it hadn't clicked. I picked up one of the untitled albums ("the one with the bridge") a couple years ago - $3.99 at Sam's - but even that just sort of drudged over me. It's all very moany, you see. As I said, it reminded me of Pedro the Lion, whom I love, but lacked the snap and crackle that Dave Bazan feeds into his tunes. (Case in point, my fave Pedro track - and rather less manic-depressive than the bulk of their work - the brilliant and near-poppy "When They Really Get To Know You They Will Run".)

Recently, though, I've been doing a lot of difficult/stressful work on the computer, and when I sling on my Grados, that Red House Painters album sounds just... perfect. Kozelek's voice calls, and along with the guitars, it's this reassuring thrum. Exactly the "warm blanket" thing that a lot of people throw at sad music (and which I feel is often a dismissive gesture).

Which brings me back to Sun Kil Moon. This is a better record than the Bridge album, more bristling, energized. Surprisingly, I've been enjoying the more rock'n'roll tracks over the acoustic ones. "Salvador Sanchez" is one of those: feedback laden, declarative, quite beautiful. It makes me wonder what would have happened to Slowdive if they had become Nirvana fans. (Are they Nirvana fans? Why don't they show it? Man... If Neil Halstead covered "Heart-Shaped Box"...)