"Ghosts of the Great Highway" serves as the debut studio album by Sun Kil Moon, a San Francisco quartet led by Mark Kozelek, founder of Red House Painters. Kozelek, responsible for all lyrics and music on the album, is joined by Anthony Koutsos, Geoff Stanfield, and Tim Mooney.
The album features songs named after boxers, a thematic continuation from Kozelek's previous work. Additionally, the band's name is a playful nod to Korean boxer Sung-Kil Moon. Noteworthy tracks include "Glenn Tipton," named after Judas Priest guitarist, and "Pancho Villa," an evolved version of "Salvador Sanchez."
Originally released in 2003, "Ghosts of the Great Highway" was reissued in 2007 on Kozelek's label, Caldo Verde Records, as a double CD with bonus tracks. Notable inclusions are multiple versions of Leonard Bernstein's "Somewhere" and "Arrival," an instrumental piece initially recorded for the film "The Girl Next Door." Songs from the album, such as "Carry Me Ohio" and "Lily and Parrots," were featured in the film "Shopgirl," where Kozelek also made a cameo appearance.
Highlighted by Pitchfork's Top 500 Songs of the 2000s, "Carry Me Ohio" solidifies the album's enduring impact and acclaim within contemporary music circles.
