"Red House Painters", also known as Bridge or Red House Painters II, is the third studio album by the American band Red House Painters, released on October 18, 1993, by 4AD. This album features tracks recorded during the same sessions as their previous album, Rollercoaster.
The album opens with the track "Evil," which features the faint laughter of frontman Mark Kozelek and a playful voice of a woman saying "No." Notably, "Evil" and "Uncle Joe" are re-recorded versions of earlier demos from 1989 to 1992.
Red House Painters includes two distinct covers: a bright, acoustic rendition of "I Am a Rock" by Simon and Garfunkel, and an unconventional take on "The Star-Spangled Banner," infused with dark humor. The album also features an acoustic version of "New Jersey," which originally appeared on Red House Painters I.
In the United States, when the RHP catalog was reissued in 1999, 4AD added the Shock Me EP as bonus tracks to the CD version, expanding the album to a total of twelve tracks.
This album continues the band’s exploration of introspective lyrics and intricate melodies, solidifying their influence in the slowcore genre.
