Sparklehorse
It's A Wonderful Life

THE REVIEW

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.