Sun Kil Moon - Tiny Cities

I LOVE THIS CD. Imagine a band - any band - covering Modest Mouse songs. The songs on this album, in which Sun Kil Moon (aka Mark Kozelek) covers eleven Modest Mouse songs, sound nothing like what you've just imagined. Yet, somehow, it sounds exactly like Sun Kil Moon covering Modest Mouse. The only parts of these songs you will probably recognize are the lyrics. The melodies and arrangements have, for the most part, been stripped from these versions. All that's left are Issac Brock's elliptical lyrics and Mark Kozelek's ghostly and atmospheric vocals. By far, the standout of this collection is "Neverending Math Equation", which is slightly more upbeat and has a hint of hope injected into it via the inclusion of bells and drums. Most of these Modest Mouse songs are older songs, with only one from Good News for People Who Love Bad News - "Ocean Breathes Salty" - and the (almost) title track, "Tiny Cities Made of Ashes", from The Moon and Antarctica. Other standouts include "Grey Ice Water", "Dramamine", and "Convenient Parking".