Universal Themes

{{Music ratings

| ADM = 7.1/10{{cite web|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/7255/Sun-Kil-Moon-Universal-Themes.aspx|title=Universal Themes by Sun Kil Moon reviews|publisher=AnyDecentMusic?|access-date=December 8, 2019}}

| MC = 79/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/universal-themes/sun-kil-moon|title=Reviews for Universal Themes by Sun Kil Moon|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=June 23, 2015}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Simpson|first=Paul|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/universal-themes-mw0002844261|title=Universal Themes – Sun Kil Moon|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=June 11, 2015}}

| rev2 = The A.V. Club

| rev2Score = A−{{cite web|last=Reiff|first=Corbin|url=https://www.avclub.com/review/sun-kil-moon-goes-deep-gets-specific-universal-the-219875|title=Sun Kil Moon goes deep, gets specific on Universal Themes|work=The A.V. Club|date=June 2, 2015|access-date=November 22, 2015}}

| rev3 = Consequence of Sound

| rev3score = A−{{cite web|last=Caffrey|first=Dan|url=http://consequenceofsound.net/2015/06/album-review-sun-kil-moon-universal-themes/|title=Sun Kil Moon – Universal Themes|work=Consequence of Sound|date=June 1, 2015|access-date=June 2, 2015}}

| rev4 = The Guardian

| rev4score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite news|last=Dennis|first=Jon|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/may/28/sun-kil-moon-universal-themes-review|title=Sun Kil Moon: Universal Themes review – Mark Kozelek's intimate 14th album|work=The Guardian|date=May 29, 2015|access-date=June 2, 2015}}

| rev5 = Mojo

| rev5Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|title=Sun Kil Moon: Universal Themes|magazine=Mojo|issue=261|date=August 2015|page=89}}

| rev6 = NME

| rev6score = 8/10{{cite web|last=Perry|first=Kevin EG|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/various-artists/16109|title=Sun Kil Moon – 'Universal Themes'|work=NME|date=June 4, 2015|access-date=June 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714044814/http://www.nme.com/reviews/various-artists/16109|archive-date=July 14, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

| rev7 = Pitchfork

| rev7score = 6.0/10{{cite web|last=Richardson|first=Mark|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20693-universal-themes/|title=Sun Kil Moon: Universal Themes|work=Pitchfork|date=June 10, 2015|access-date=June 10, 2015}}

| rev8 = Q

| rev8Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|title=Sun Kil Moon: Universal Themes|magazine=Q|issue=349|date=August 2015|page=113}}

| rev9 = Spin

| rev9score = 8/10{{cite web|last=Jenkins|first=Craig|url=http://www.spin.com/2015/06/review-sun-kil-moon-universal-themes/|title=Review: Sun Kil Moon Continues to Sugarcoat Absolutely Nothing on 'Universal Themes'|work=Spin|date=June 5, 2015|access-date=June 11, 2015}}

| rev10 = Uncut

| rev10Score = 9/10{{cite magazine|last=Robinson|first=John|title=Sun Kil Moon: Universal Themes|magazine=Uncut|issue=218|date=July 2015|page=90}}

}}

Upon its release, Universal Themes received acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album currently holds an average score of 79, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Corbin Reiff of The A.V. Club wrote that Universal Themes "lives up to the promise of its vague title", and while Kozelek "keeps the actual events described in the music as personal to himself as they ever been, the experiences and the feelings they evoke are relatable on a hundred different levels." Noting its "increased rawness" in comparison to Sun Kil Moon's previous work, Consequence of Sound{{'}}s Dan Caffrey called Universal Themes the band's most demanding album, whilst concluding that it "might be one of the most in-the-moment albums ever made". Paul Simpson of AllMusic noted that "like Benji, Universal Themes is a challenging listen, and some might view it as Kozelek's most indulgent album yet," but that Kozelek's "brilliant musicianship and guitar playing combined with his fascinating storytelling skills ensure that his music is as poignant and life-affirming as ever, and the album is yet another success in his remarkable catalog."

While stating that Kozelek's veering "between wry, pissed-off, and ruminative expression without ever really settling on any of those" means that the album "never reaches the same highs as Benji", Jeremy Winograd of Slant Magazine wrote that "it does allow the listener to become fully immersed inside Kozelek's head, which is an alternately terrifying and hilarious place to be."{{cite web|last=Winograd|first=Jeremy|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/sun-kil-moon-universal-themes|title=Sun Kil Moon: Universal Themes|work=Slant Magazine|date=May 31, 2015|access-date=June 4, 2015}} In a mixed assessment, Observer critic Kitty Empire stated that Universal Themes "may test the patience of later adopters".{{cite web|last1=Empire|first1=Kitty|author-link1=Kitty Empire|title=Sun Kil Moon: Universal Themes review – mourning dying possums|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/may/31/sun-kil-moon-universal-themes-observer-review|website=The Observer|date=May 31, 2015|access-date=June 4, 2015}} Mark Richardson of Pitchfork stated that Universal Themes is "ultimately a spotty album from a guy who has released a lot of spotty albums."

{{Track listing

| headline =

| all_writing =

| writing_credits =

| title1 = The Possum

| length1 = 8:59

| title2 = Birds of Films

| length2 = 9:04

| title3 = With a Sort of Grace I Walked to the Bathroom to Cry

| length3 = 9:46

| title4 = Cry Me a River Williamsburg Sleeve Tattoo Blues

| length4 = 7:28

| title5 = Little Rascals

| length5 = 7:47

| title6 = Garden of Lavender

| length6 = 10:12

| title7 = Ali/Spinks 2

| length7 = 6:45

| title8 = This Is My First Day and I'm Indian and I Work at a Gas Station

| length8 = 10:09

}}

• Mark Kozelek – vocals, guitar, percussion, production, photography
• Steve Shelley – drums
• Alex Schwartz – bass guitar (3)
• Chris Connolly – keyboards (8)
• Nathan Winter – recording
• Aaron Mullan – additional recording
• Jack Kertzman – additional recording
• Will Chason – recording, mixing
• Brian Azer – design

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{Discogs master|846691|Universal Themes}}
• {{official website|http://www.sunkilmoon.com/}}

{{Sun Kil Moon}}

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Category:2015 albums

Category:Sun Kil Moon albums

Category:Caldo Verde Records albums