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THE REVIEW
"It is said that when a parent dies the child perceives the sense of mortality.
But when a child dies it is IMMORTALITY that the parent loses." - cit. from "American Horror Story" - Season 1, Episode 5.
On March 6, 2010, at the age of 48, Mark Linkous decided to silence the demons in his head by sweeping them away with a gunshot.
It is the family who made the incident public, but for them and for those who loved the SParKLeHOrsE there is little or nothing to be astonished about.
Already 15 years earlier, with a cocktail of alcohol and psychotropic drugs, the artist born in Virginia had tried in vain, managing "only" a coma and a few months in a wheelchair.
He found himself in London during the promotional tour of the first album under the name SH, with the unpronounceable title "Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot".
Recorded in his home studio in almost total solitude, (the "band" is actually Linkous himself) using a multitrack recorder and a lo-fi technique, the album is fragile and unstable.
Thus, songs conceived acoustically like the "morphine" "Homecoming Queen", "Spirit Ditch" and "Most Beautiful Widow in Town", carrier of a sickly simple and out-of-tune folk guitar solo, are born, grow, and die just as they were conceived.
The voice, as per usual, is almost never natural but filtered through an effect that slightly distorts the contours, heightening the melancholy.
"Weird Sisters", "Saturday", "Cow" and the swinging "Heart of Darkness" counterbalance tracks of rural and synthetic rock like "Rainmaker", a "Tears on Fresh Fruit" that seems to have come from the pen of Thurston Moore and "Hammering the Cramps".
Everywhere the sounds seem rough, but the sign of negligence is the charm of low fidelity in the recording phase.
After all, I am convinced that the closer you get to perfection the more you lose in spontaneity.
Brain and gut in music have contrasting roles.
Before leaving his final seal, with the work of the disturbed country of "Gasoline Horseys", Mark moves us with "Sad and Beautiful World".
"Sometimes days go by fast, sometimes this seems to have to be the last.
It's a sad and beautiful world. It's a sad and beautiful world..."
Heartily recommended to those looking for something beyond eating-sleeping-f***ing.
To the remaining 98% of humanity: "stay away, please!!!"
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Summary by Bot
The review delves into Sparklehorse’s debut album, noting its fragile, lo-fi sound and emotional depth born from Mark Linkous’s personal struggles. It highlights the melancholic and raw nature of the songs, emphasizing the album’s spontaneous charm over polished perfection. The unique blend of folk and alternative rock creates a haunting atmosphere. The reviewer strongly recommends the album to listeners seeking meaningful and introspective music.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Sparklehorse
Sparklehorse was the primary musical project of American musician Mark Linkous, often described in the reviews as a one-person band rooted in lo‑fi craft, melancholy songwriting, and alternative country/indie rock textures.18 Reviews
Other reviews
By zigghio
I see songs as little planets, they don’t have to be in alignment, if they orbit they become boring.
It is one of the masterpieces of the ’90s because ... you can find country-punk outbursts, post rock approaches, and also gospel.
By Alternativo91
The album opens with 'Homecoming Queen' which has a beautiful arpeggio, and a whispered voice, dreamy, melancholic to avoid when feeling down.
The most catchy song, however, is undoubtedly Someday I Will Treat You Good played with feedback and dissonances which indicate that the artist was far from making a pop piece.
By zaireeka
The songs are islands of wrenching beauty.
Great sensitivity has its price.
By Loconweed
Many have unjustly overlooked the EP, which can be considered an extension of the first album.
'The Hatchet Song' is a peculiar song in Linkous's discography for its use of piano.
