Progenitors of a wistful style that came to be dubbed "sadcore," the Red House Painters were one of the few American bands to record for hip U.K. label 4AD during the 1990s. They were led by singer-songwriter Mark Kozelek, whose fragile, melodic constructions garnered countless Nick Drake comparisons. The band elegantly fleshed out Kozelek's mournful songs in a manner not dissimilar to fellow Californians the American Music Club (AMC singer Mark Eitzel helped the Painters get a record deal). After a string of gorgeous albums, Kozelek went off on his own for such idiosyncratic projects as an album full of acoustic AC/DC covers. Along the way, he even made his acting debut in the successful 2000 film ALMOST FAMOUS. In 2003, Kozelek revealed his new band, Sun Kil Moon.