Stream: Sun Kil Moon – “The Possum”
After all that War On Drugs business, it’s nice to hear Mark Kozelek taking SKM back into less controversial territory with this new single titled “The Possum.” It’s a nine-minute cut that, like much of the material on Benji, focuses on life’s little learning experiences. This particular one involves an injured possum and a Godflesh concert. Mark tries to match the ferocity and excitement of the situation with straining, impassioned vocals and a steady drum beat from Steve Shelly. However, that’s just the first third of the track.

The song shifts from one mournful guitar passage to another in its final moments. It would seem as if the concert served as a fun distraction from what would otherwise be Mark’s uneventful movie binges. Then his mind drifts back on the possum walking his last walk, and Mark reflecting on youth and old age.

It’s certainly an interesting track, and tackles a lot of familiar themes with an even more ambitious approach to structure.