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Rating: The typical American garage. The ones you find just outside the big cities, built adjacent to the house, where after moving the car to the driveway, every self-respecting yankee spends much of their free time.
In this familiar setting, we imagine the one-man-band of Sparklehorse busy crafting the 13 gems of his new work.
Listening to Mark Linkous talk, we realize that this is not so far from the truth. In his Virginia, he truly has a garage that transforms into an intimate recording studio when needed.
So without further ado, we continue with our imagination. Songs like "It's A Wonderful Life", "Apple Bed", "Eyepennies" shine with a nocturnal light and seem to have been composed during one of Mr. Linkous's many sleepless hours, while "Piano Fire" and "Gold Day" find the perfect place in a typical Sunday spent with friends in front of the barbecue.
Pop-rock songs that go far beyond just delivering sing-along melodies, finding unparalleled beauty in the unpredictable and elusive arrangements by their composer. A collection of excellent compositions and a parade of incredible guests. PJ Harvey, Nina Persson, Tom Waits add more depth and interest to the entire work.
"It's A Wonderful Life" is the best you can find in the realm of "homemade" albums and is irrefutable proof that, armed with great passion, one can still move the listener.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 It's a Wonderful Life (03:01)
I am
the only one
can ride that horse
th'yonder
I'm full of bees
who died at sea
it's a wonderful life
it's a wonderful life
I wore
a rooster's blood
when it flew
like doves
I'm a bog
of poisoned frogs
it's a wonderful life
it's a wonderful life
I'm the dog that ate
your birthday cake
it's a wonderful life
it's a wonderful life
it's a wonderful life
03 Piano Fire (02:45)
I got sunburnt waiting for the jets to land
circus people with hairy little hands
come on boys strike up the army band
I got sunburnt waiting for the jets
how do you feel?
how do you feel?
I can't seem to see through solid marble eyes
fiery pianos wash up on a foggy coast
squeaky old organs have given up the ghost
fire them up and kill the pianobirds
there's creaky old organs burning on the coast
how do you feel?
how do you feel?
I can't seem to breath with a rusted metal heart
I can't seem to see through solid marble eyes
04 Sea of Teeth (04:31)
can you feel the wind of venus on your skin?
can you taste the crush of a sunset's dying blush?
stars will always hand in summer's bleeding veils
can you feel the rings of saturn on your finger?
can you taste the ghosts who shed their creaking hosts?
but seas forever boil, trees will turn to soil
stars will always hand in summer's bleeding veils
but seas forever boil, trees will turn to soil
05 Apple Bed (04:56)
of horses wet
with melted ice
they would not heed
my advice
and burdened limbs
of its weight
to break and rot
a whispered fate
please
doctor, please
around me
in a bloody sea
to breach the hive
and smoke the bees
you can be my friend
you can be my dog
you can be my life
you can be my fog
please
doctor, please
the witches will return to their sticky tree knots
I will feel the sun
I will feel the sun
I will feel the sun coming down
I wish I had
a horse's head
a tiger's heart
an apple bed
06 King of Nails (04:20)
the toothless kiss of skeletons
and the summer hail
I'm the king of nails
I drink my liquor from the palm
of a child who spoke in tongues
and smelled like sun
give all your leaves
to the ghosts in the trees
to sink or to shine
the nails are all mine
and blood was rushing up the stairs
I shut my eyes and killed the cock
when the sun came knocking
oh to taste the salty oil
of your chest and on your eyes
when the sting is on the rise
sleep in the fire
with snakes I have sired
to sink or to shine
the nails are all mine
I drink my liquor from the palm
of a child who spoke in tongues
and smelled like sun
the toothless kiss of skeletons
and the summer hail
I'm the king of nails
give all your leaves
to the ghosts in the trees
to sink or to shine
the nails are all mine
sleep in the fire
with snakes I have sired
to sink or to shine
the nails are all mine
07 Eyepennies (05:29)
I will return here one day
and dig up my bones from the clay
I buried nails and strings and hair
and that old tooth I believe was a bear's
I held my hand in the fire
it burned me down to the wires
blood suckers hide beneath my bed
And black fumes of skin so gently bled
I slept with a cat on my breast
slowing my heart stealing my breath
at sunrise the monkeys will fly
and leave me with pennies in my eyes
I will return here one day
and dig up my bones from the clay
I buried nails and string and hair
and that old tooth I believe was a bear's
at sunrise the monkeys will fly
and leave me with pennies in my eyes
11 Comfort Me (05:03)
with rocks in my dress
and smoke in my hair
I walked into a lake
to get some sleep down in there
won't you come to comfort me?
won't you come to comfort me?
With minnows in my belly
and deep in my veins
the breath-robbin' lightning
was making diamonds of rain
won't you come to comfort me?
won't you come to comfort me?
dreamed I was born on a mountain on the moon
Where nothing grows or ever rots
I dreamed that I had me a daughter
who was magnificent as a horse
won't you come to comfort me?
won't you come to comfort me?
won't you come to comfort me?
won't you come to comfort me?
won't you come to comfort me?
won't you come to comfort me?
won't you come to comfort me?
won't you come to comfort me?
won't you come to comfort me?
won't you come to comfort me?
won't you come to comfort me?
won't you come?
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