''Ocean Beach'' is the fourth studio album by
Red House Painters, released in 1995 by 4AD. The album saw the group and
Mark Kozelek
Mark Edward Kozelek (born January 24, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and occasional actor. He is known as the vocalist and primary recording artist of the indie folk act Sun Kil Moon and founding member of ...
move toward a more pastoral and folk-influenced arrangement style, in contrast to the lengthy, droning epics that featured on their early albums. ''Ocean Beach'' was also the last album to feature founding guitarist Gorden Mack, as well as being the band's last studio album released by 4AD. The album features an unlisted hidden track, referred to as "Brockwell Park (Part 2)" less than 20 seconds after "Drop" ends. The double 10" vinyl release of the album (now long
out of print
__NOTOC__
An out-of-print (OOP) or out-of-commerce item or work is something that is no longer being published. The term applies to all types of printed matter, visual media, sound recordings, and video recordings. An out-of-print book is a book ...
) features the band's acoustic cover of
Yes' 1971 hit "
Long Distance Runaround
"Long Distance Runaround" is a song by the progressive rock group Yes first recorded for their 1971 album, '' Fragile''. Written by lead singer Jon Anderson, the song was released as a B-side to "Roundabout", but became a surprise hit in its ow ...
." Kozelek would go on to record another version of the song (with electric guitars and an extended outro) for Red House Painters' next album, ''
Songs for a Blue Guitar''.
A rarely seen music video shot on 16mm film was directed by Matt Amato for the song "Summer Dress." The video was filmed aboard a vintage street car and at the historic Victoria Theater in San Francisco's Mission District.
An original idea for the album's front cover artwork was a photo of what could be broken pews in an abandoned church, or old beds in an abandoned hospital ward.
Reception
Caspar Smith of ''
Select'' gave the album a rating of four out of five, stating that "Kozelek is right up there among the new breed of rootsy singer-songwriters"
''Ocean Beach'' was ranked number 58 by ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' in their original 1999 list of the Top 100 Albums of the 1990s.
Pitchforkmedia Top 100 Albums of the 1990s (Original List)
/ref>
Track listing
Double 10" vinyl release
Release history
Notes
* Additional musicians: Dan Barbee and Carrie Bradley.
* Recorded and mixed at Coast Recorders, San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
.
* Additional recording at Hyde Street Studios, San Francisco; and David Wellhousen's Studio, San Francisco.
* Art direction and design by Paul McMenamin at v23.
* Photography by Melodie McDaniel
Melodie McDaniel (born 1967) is a Los Angeles, CA-based American still life, celebrity, and advertising photographer and film director.
Early life and background
Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, McDaniel graduated in 1992 from Art Center Co ...
.
"Summer Dress" single
Although no commercial singles were ever released from the album, a promotional-only CD was issued for "Summer Dress" in the US in April 1995. The single features an exclusive radio edit of "San Geronimo."
Warner Bros./4AD, PRO-CD-7474:
# "Summer Dress – 2:52
# "San Geronimo" (Edit) – 5:03
References
{{Authority control
Red House Painters albums
1995 albums
4AD albums
Albums produced by Mark Kozelek