Down Colorful Hill Explained

Down Colorful Hill
Type:studio
Artist:Red House Painters
Cover:RedHousePainters-DCH.jpg
Released:1992
Recorded:1989–1991
Genre:Folk rock
Length:43:35
Language:English
Label:4AD
Producer:Mark Kozelek
Next Title:Red House Painters
Next Year:1993

Down Colorful Hill is the debut studio album by American band Red House Painters, released in 1992 by 4AD.[1]

Background

As was done with the debuts of previous 4AD artists like Pixies, Lush, and His Name Is Alive, the album is made up of demos that were slightly remixed for general release. In Martin Aston's book Facing the Other Way: The Story of 4AD, Mark Kozelek expressed regret over the reverb- and echo-heavy mixing techniques he employed. The song "Waterkill", which dates from the same sessions but not included here, later appeared on the compilation Retrospective in un-remixed form, giving listeners an idea of the original demos' rawer sound.

A music video was produced for the song "24", directed by Mark Taylor.

The cover artwork for Down Colorful Hill is by Welsh photographer Simon Larbalestier entitled "Bed".

Reception

The Philadelphia Inquirer noted that "as glum and mournful as Kozelek's sentiments may be, there's a still, stark autumnal beauty that emerges over the course of this debut that's the pop equivalent of a chilly, fogbound English morning."[2]

AllMusic wrote that "the group has already reached full maturity; these lengthy, ponderous songs are remarkably evocative portraits of a distinctly tortured psyche – Mark Kozelek forgoes the camouflage of metaphor to lay his soul on the line, and the honesty of his craft is both beautiful and disturbing". Stereogum wrote in a 2012 article that the album "sounds dated and immature; the work of a nascent artist who didn't trust his own voice, didn't know his way around a studio and wasn't entirely confident on the guitar. [...] But good lord, what an album."[3]

Release history

CountryDateLabelFormatCatalogue #
United Kingdom19924ADCD (first pressings came in a digipak sleeve)CAD 2014 CD
LPCAD 2014
1998CD (reissue)GAD 2014 CD
United States1992Warner Bros. RecordsCD9 45062-2
19994ADCD (reissue)GAD 2014 CD

Notes and References

  1. Goldberg . Michael . Red House Painters . Rolling Stone . Sep 16, 1993 . 665 . 25.
  2. News: Wood . Sam . Down Colorful Hill . The Philadelphia Inquirer . Dec 1, 1992 . E1.
  3. Web site: Mark Kozelek Albums from Worst to Best Red House Painters – Down Colorful Hill – Stereogum . Nelson . Michael . June 12, 2012 . . December 5, 2013.