Benji (album)
Benji is the sixth studio album by American indie folk act Sun Kil Moon, released on 11 February 2014 on Caldo Verde Records. Self-produced by primary recording artist Mark Kozelek, the album shares its name with the 1974 film Benji, and was recorded between March and August 2013 at Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco. The album features contributions from Owen Ashworth, Jen Wood, Will Oldham, and Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley. Background and composition Following the release of Sun Kil Moon's fifth studio album Among the Leaves in 2012, primary recording artist Mark Kozelek recorded and released three studio albums in 2013; a covers album entitled Like Rats released in February, and two collaborative albums of original material. The first of these, Perils from the Sea was recorded with Jimmy LaValle and released in April, and the second, Mark Kozelek & Desertshore, recorded with the band Desertshore, was released in August. The first track written for Benji was "Truck Driver", about his uncle who died in an aerosol trash fire. Kozelek had initially brought the song to Desertshore for possible inclusion on Mark Kozelek & Desertshore, but it was rejected by the band. Shortly after this, Kozelek's second cousin died, also in an aerosol trash fire, which inspired the composition of the song "Carissa". Much of the album's lyrical content focuses upon mortality, with Kozelek stating, "Things get heavier as you get older. At 47, I can't write from the perspective of a 25-year-old anymore. My life has just changed too much and my environment around me." Songs which tackle more historical subject matter include "Pray for Newtown", which alludes to the then-recent Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and was written after Kozelek received a letter from a fan from Newtown, Connecticut, where the shooting occurred. The song also discusses the 1984 San Ysidro McDonald's massacre, the 2011 Norway attacks, the 2012 Aurora, Colorado shooting and the 2012 Clackamas Town Center shooting. The track "Richard Ramirez Died Today of Natural Causes" refers to the death of infamous serial killer Richard Ramirez in 2013. The song "I Watched the Film The Song Remains the Same" features lyrics that reflect on some of Kozelek's childhood memories of his grandmother and pays tribute to the influence of Led Zeppelin, whose 1976 concert film The Song Remains the Same Kozelek watched as a child. "I Can't Live Without My Mother's Love" was written following an argument between Kozelek and his mother, and features backing vocals from Will Oldham (as does "Carissa"). Benji'''s closing track, "Ben's My Friend", was the final track to be written for the album and is partly written about Kozelek's friendship with Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service vocalist and guitarist Ben Gibbard. Gibbard previously made a guest vocal appearance on the track "Lost Verses" on Sun Kil Moon's third studio album, April (2008). Kozelek noted, "I just felt like the album needed another track, so I scribbled down some stuff, vented a little about The Postal Service concert