Benji by Sun Kil Moon

A Stream of Mostly Dark Tales

This one is quite different. With stream-of-consciousness-like songwriting, Mark Kozelek and his band tell real stories of life, death, melancholy, aging, and just about everything. Though initially offputting and sometimes painfully personal (maybe even skip "Dogs"), the winding narratives run together across a beautiful landscape.

Don't be intimidated by that weird old dude trying to rock. He's just that. The words pour out darkly, tragically, tenderly, and wonderfully without a hint of pretense into the stream of guitar strings plucking indignantly on. Get over the weirdness, and you'll be better for it.