'Great Highway,' great record

While glancing at the track list for this album, one will notice a seemingly strange collection of names: Salvador Sanchez, Duk Koo Kim and Pancho Villa. In singer Mark Kozelek's words, these were people who "struggled when they were young, lived fast, then died." A fitting statement when you hear the recurring themes of nostaligia, reflection and hope present on Ghosts of the Great Highway. \nOpener "Glenn Tipton" consists of only an acoustic guitar and Mark's voice (reminiscent of Tim Buckley and Neil Young). This sets the tone for the whole album. "Carry Me Ohio" features a gorgeous melody with intertwined guitar parts. "Salvador Sanchez" features Crazy Horse-like overdriven guitars, but the vocals keep the album on track and it fits perfectly (this song is revisited as the album's closer with a different, yet equally fitting arrangement). The next two are segued together and their transition features Mark's soaring vocals and fingerpicked guitar - the result is breathtaking. "Gentle Moon" is a personal favorite and "Duk Koo Kim" is an epic song complete with xylophones and strings.\nDespite lush arrangements, the album feels decidedly underproduced and the result is an album that is as beautiful as it is understated.