[3] Initially a continuation of the defunct indie rock band Red House Painters, Sun Kil Moon is now the primary recording moniker of vocalist and guitarist Mark Kozelek.

[4] Following the delayed release of Red House Painters' final studio album, Old Ramon (2001), vocalist and guitarist Kozelek began recording new material under the name Sun Kil Moon with bandmates Anthony Koutsos (drums) and Jerry Vessel (bass), alongside Geoff Stanfield and Tim Mooney.

Recorded as a three-piece by Kozelek, Koutsos and Stanfield, the album was well received and featured guest vocal appearances from noted indie rock musicians Will Oldham and Ben Gibbard.

The initial Sun Kil Moon consisted of Kozelek with former Red House Painters bandmates Anthony Koutsos and Jerry Vessel, as well as bassist Geoff Stanfield of Black Lab and drummer Tim Mooney.

The album was met with further critical acclaim, including a 4.5/5-star rating from AllMusic[7] and 4-star reviews from Billboard, Mojo, The Boston Globe, and Drowned in Sound.

[8] Admiral Fell Promises was released on July 13, 2010,[6][9] and whilst credited to Sun Kil Moon, only Kozelek plays on the record, on nylon stringed guitar, and vocals.

[12] The record met with critical acclaim,[13] and was named in the Best of 2014 lists of Fact,[14] Stereogum,[15] Pitchfork,[16] Rough Trade,[17] Drowned in Sound,[18] Tiny Mix Tapes,[19] and the NME.

[23] On July 20, 2016 it was announced that Sun Kil Moon would release a new double album, Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood, on February 28, 2017.

[25] Mark Kozelek subsequently toured Europe, South America, and the United States, both as a solo act and with Sun Kil Moon, to promote the album.

Kozelek discussed boxing and the murder of Agapito Sánchez four years after a fight he witnessed in a 2012 interview: Their backgrounds are extremely harsh and they work very hard to move up in their careers.