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Stream Sun Kil Moon’s New Song, ‘Ali/Spinks 2’

sun kil moon, mark kozelek, universal themes

Mark Kozelek has released “Ali/Spinks 2,” a new track from Sun Kil Moon‘s upcoming album, Universal Themes. Musically, the just-shared song strays slightly from Kozelek’s 2014 masterpiece, the mostly acoustic Benji; woolly electric guitar spills out of the track, which also features a knotty instrumental break about a third of the way through. (Perhaps it’s the influence of Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley, who provides percussion on Universal Themes?)

Lyrically, though, the boxer-referencing song is unquestionably Kozelek. “Ali/Spinks 2” is a nearly seven-minute stream-of-consciousness yarn that touches on death, vivid memories of Kozelek’s life, and super-specific bits of pop culture — keep an ear out for shout-outs to actors Keith Carradine and Powers Boothe, True Detective, and a tell-all book on the Doors. 

Stream “Ali/Spinks 2” — which is the second song to surface from Universal Themes, after “The Possum” — below, and scroll down further for Sun Kil Moon’s tour dates. Kozelek has engagements booked through October (some of which will feature Shelley and singer-songwriter Neil Halstead assisting Sun Kil Moon), with plans to perform in the U.S., Asia, Australia, and Europe. Universal Themes is out June 2 via Caldo Verde Records and currently available for pre-order.

Sun Kil Moon tour dates:

March 15 – Seoul, Korea @ V-Hall
March 17 – Tokyo, Japan @ Club Quattro
March 21 – Melbourne, Australia @ Atheneum Theatre
March 22 – Brisbane, Australia @ Hi Fi
March 23 – Sydney, Australia @ Recital Hall
March 25 – Perth, Australia @ The Bakery
April 11 – Vancouver, BC @ Venue
May 26 – Paris, France @ Festival Villette Sonique – La Philarmonie 2 / La Cité De La Musique *
May 28 – Barcelona, Spain @ Primavera * %
May 30 – Nîmes, France @ La Paloma – This is Not a Love Song Festival *
May 31 – Bristol, U.K. @ Colston Hall *
June 1 – London, U.K. @ London Barbican *
June 3 – Leeds, U.K. @ Brudenell Social Club *
June 5 – Porto, Portugal @ Porto Primavera * %
June 7 – Ferrara, Italy @ Cortile del Castello Estense %
June 8 – Rome, Italy @ Auditorium Parco della Musica – Sala Petrassi %
June 9 – Milan, Italy @ Carroponte %
July 18 – Southwold, U.K. @ Latitude Festival
July 19 – Manchester, U.K. @ RNC Concert Hall
August 4 – Sibenik, Croatia @ Superuho
August 6 – Dublin, Ireland @ National Concert Hall
August 8 – Katowice, Poland @ Off Festival
October 9 – New York, NY @ Town Hall

* = Neil Halstead joins Sun Kil Moon as guitarist/singer
% = Steve Shelley joins Sun Kil Moon as drummer