SPARKLEHORSE - ?DREAMT FOR LIGHT YEARS IN THE BELLY OF A MOUNTAIN?
Sparklehorse have always been one of those bands seemingly at odds with the current musical climate - never quite operating on the same wavelength as the rest. - which in reality is the best thing for everyone. Perhaps only the likes of The Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev are at all comparable to the haunting beauty and other-worldly themes of the songs of Sparklehorse - the music having a distinctly introspective and melancholic feel to it that separates it from the majority.
Its worth pointing out that Sparklehorse is essentially one man - Mark Linkous - a man who remains shrouded in enigma, existing is his own obscure and alternative world - and if your going to be taken on a trip to another world, then his is certainly the one to visit. This new record is testament to just that, ?Dreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of a Mountain? being an album full of wonder and enchantment, as through the course of its 12 songs we?re given glimpses of sleeping old bears, hammering hooves, Ophelia in the creek and Christmas bulbs glowing in the night. For those familiar with previous Sparklehorese albums, you?ll know just what to expect - and won?t be disappointed.
Once again, the majority of the songs here were recorded by Linkous himself at his home studio in an old secluded farmhouse in North Carolina - perhaps this quiet isolation being the inspiration behind the natural, earthy imagery the record creates. Despite this, he still had some help along the way - multi instrumentalist Stephen Drodz of the Flaming Lips being brought in to play drums, guitar and synthesisers, and the much sought after Danger Mouse aiding on some of the albums production work. Most impressive of all though is the inclusion once again of the reclusive Tom Waits, who provides piano and backing vocals on the haunting 7 minute track ?Morning Hollow?.
At times it can be easy to see how certain critics seem confused by the music Sparklehorse produce - even as a fan you have to admit that their albums are often a heady mix of the beautiful and the downright odd. But when the formula really works, and the ideas come together in perfect harmony, then the outcome is sublime. ?Shades of Honey? is cloaked in floating, upbeat melodies - full of sentimental positivity, whilst the glorious ?Some Sweet Day? and ?Mountains? are like offshoots from the great George Harrison?s classic album ?All Things Must Pass?.
Each Sparklehorse record always brings with it a few moments when Linkous drifts back into the land of the sane, turns the amps up a notch or two, and delivers a couple of more rock orientated, fast paced songs. As is the case here - with the fuzz guitar drive of ?Ghost In The Sky? and ?Its Not So Hard? doing the honours.
But for all the albums brilliant moments, for any over-critical fan there could well be an element of disappointment involved - due to 4 of the tracks being already available previously. The most notable of these being the album finale - the ten minute instrumental title track - previously found under the title ?Maxine? on the LP only version of 2001?s ?Its a Wonderful Life? album. Not taking anything away from the track itself though - a delicately building, yet gentle piano led epic ? elegantly shrouded in effects, inspired by the work of experimental post-rock band Godspeed You Black Emperor.
As an overall body of work, its fair to say that this is slightly more accessible than previous Sparklehorse albums - but by no means is it lacking in quality. Infact there?s plenty here to keep you mystified for a long time, and as we?ve come to expect from Mark Linkous - a beautifully put together and reflective record.
8/10
Ian Chambers, Aug ?06
Release Date: 25th September
www.sparklehorse.com
Sparklehorse have always been one of those bands seemingly at odds with the current musical climate - never quite operating on the same wavelength as the rest. - which in reality is the best thing for everyone. Perhaps only the likes of The Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev are at all comparable to the haunting beauty and other-worldly themes of the songs of Sparklehorse - the music having a distinctly introspective and melancholic feel to it that separates it from the majority.
Its worth pointing out that Sparklehorse is essentially one man - Mark Linkous - a man who remains shrouded in enigma, existing is his own obscure and alternative world - and if your going to be taken on a trip to another world, then his is certainly the one to visit. This new record is testament to just that, ?Dreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of a Mountain? being an album full of wonder and enchantment, as through the course of its 12 songs we?re given glimpses of sleeping old bears, hammering hooves, Ophelia in the creek and Christmas bulbs glowing in the night. For those familiar with previous Sparklehorese albums, you?ll know just what to expect - and won?t be disappointed.
Once again, the majority of the songs here were recorded by Linkous himself at his home studio in an old secluded farmhouse in North Carolina - perhaps this quiet isolation being the inspiration behind the natural, earthy imagery the record creates. Despite this, he still had some help along the way - multi instrumentalist Stephen Drodz of the Flaming Lips being brought in to play drums, guitar and synthesisers, and the much sought after Danger Mouse aiding on some of the albums production work. Most impressive of all though is the inclusion once again of the reclusive Tom Waits, who provides piano and backing vocals on the haunting 7 minute track ?Morning Hollow?.
At times it can be easy to see how certain critics seem confused by the music Sparklehorse produce - even as a fan you have to admit that their albums are often a heady mix of the beautiful and the downright odd. But when the formula really works, and the ideas come together in perfect harmony, then the outcome is sublime. ?Shades of Honey? is cloaked in floating, upbeat melodies - full of sentimental positivity, whilst the glorious ?Some Sweet Day? and ?Mountains? are like offshoots from the great George Harrison?s classic album ?All Things Must Pass?.
Each Sparklehorse record always brings with it a few moments when Linkous drifts back into the land of the sane, turns the amps up a notch or two, and delivers a couple of more rock orientated, fast paced songs. As is the case here - with the fuzz guitar drive of ?Ghost In The Sky? and ?Its Not So Hard? doing the honours.
But for all the albums brilliant moments, for any over-critical fan there could well be an element of disappointment involved - due to 4 of the tracks being already available previously. The most notable of these being the album finale - the ten minute instrumental title track - previously found under the title ?Maxine? on the LP only version of 2001?s ?Its a Wonderful Life? album. Not taking anything away from the track itself though - a delicately building, yet gentle piano led epic ? elegantly shrouded in effects, inspired by the work of experimental post-rock band Godspeed You Black Emperor.
As an overall body of work, its fair to say that this is slightly more accessible than previous Sparklehorse albums - but by no means is it lacking in quality. Infact there?s plenty here to keep you mystified for a long time, and as we?ve come to expect from Mark Linkous - a beautifully put together and reflective record.
8/10
Ian Chambers, Aug ?06
Release Date: 25th September
www.sparklehorse.com
posted by ianc21 at 6:32 pm
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