Joey Always Smiled vinyl

Red House Painters' founder turned-rightly-celebrated solo troubadour Mark Kozelek presents the latest album in his prolific back catalogue, and it's as consistent as ever. Teaming up with violinist and singer Petra Haden for the pair's first joint recording, the seven tracks presented here are as musically accomplished and lyrically evocative as you would hope. From the hypnotic pianos and largely-spoken word delivery of woozy opener "Parakeet Prison", to the (more than likely) biographical (and hilariously titled) "1983 Era MTV Music Is The Soundtrack to Outcasts Being Bullied by Jocks", and its sultry, jazz-inflections, the songs are as confident and assured as they are delicate enough to break, had those responsible been remotely heavy handed. Needless to say, they weren't, with every note and word carefully considered, played and sung with love and thought.