Sparklehorse

Sparklehorse is a rock music group led by singer and multi-instrumentalist Mark Linkous.

Related Topics:
Rock music - Mark Linkous

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Essentially, Linkous is Sparklehorse (in much the same way that Trent Reznor is Nine Inch Nails). Linkous records much of Sparklehorse's material in his home studio, and his vision (primarily "one of haunted beauty", wrote Kevin Caulfield http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=sparklehorse) guides Sparklehorse. Drummer and multi-instrumentalist Scott Minor is a frequent collaborator.

Related Topics:
Trent Reznor - Nine Inch Nails - Scott Minor

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Much of Sparklehorse's music has an introspective, melancholy feel, which Linkous credits to a chemical imbalance. His lyrics are full of odd imagery: Joe Tangari describes Linkous' songs as "defiantly surrealist ... with all manner of references to smiling babies, organ music, birds, and celestial bodies ... In fact, some of the lyrics are so surreal that it's hard to imagine they're even metaphors for anything."http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/s/sparklehorse/its-a-wonderful-life.shtml

Related Topics:
Surrealist - Metaphor

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Musically, Sparklehorse is not far removed from alt country, though there are as many differences as similarities between that genre and Sparklehorse: Linkous is fond of incorporating obsolete musical instruments or technologies (such as woozy mellotrons, scratchy, distorted wire recordings of his own voice, or cheap, tinny drum machines), in ways reminsicent of some of Tom Waits' music. Sparklehorse have offered a few full-throttle hard rock numbers, as well, such as "Some Day I Will Treat You Good" or "Happy Man".

Related Topics:
Alt country - Mellotron - Wire recording - Drum machine - Tom Waits - Hard rock

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Sparklehorse's first album was the confoundingly-titled Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot (1995). The record was a modest success, mainly on college radio. The supporting tour, however, found Linkous overdosing on valium and antidepressants. As a result, Linkous passed out in

Related Topics:
College radio - Valium - Antidepressants

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his London hotel room and remained unconscious with his legs pinned beneath him for almost 14 hours.

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This caused a buildup of potassium which was released when he was moved, causing his heart to stop for 2 to 3 minutes. He was hospitalized for weeks afterwards, nearly losing both legs and enduring numerous painful surgeries in order to save them.

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Good Morning Spider (1999) was recorded following this incident, and with mournful songs such as "Painbirds", many critics have mistakenly conjectured that Linkous's near-death experience inspired the somber yet hopeful tone of the album. However, Linkous has stated that much of the material on GMS was written prior to 'the incident'. One song which did result from it is "St. Mary", which is dedicated to the nurses at the hospital of the same name where Linkous recuperated.

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2001 saw the release of It's A Wonderful Life and features appearances by Tom Waits, PJ Harvey, Nina Persson and Dave Fridmann, the pre-eminent producer of indie music at the time. Whereas much of Vivadixie... and Spider were recorded solely by Linkous in his "Static King" studio on his farm in rural Virginia, Wonderful Life was more of a formal effort, largely recorded by Fridmann after Linkous was asked by his label to retain an outside producer for the project.

Related Topics:
Tom Waits - PJ Harvey - Nina Persson - Dave Fridmann

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Aside from his own music, Linkous has also become a sought-after producer, and helmed works such as Nina Persson's solo record, A Camp, and Daniel Johnston's Fear Yourself. Linkous has been one of the most ardent supporters of Johnston, an outsider artist who has had a long battle with mental illness. In 2004, Linkous curated and produced Discovered Covered: The Late Great Daniel Johnston, a tribute album to the still-living Johnston featuring acts such as Beck, Death Cab for Cutie, Vic Chesnutt, Tom Waits and Bright Eyes. It also includes a collaboration between Sparklehorse and The Flaming Lips on the track "Go".

Related Topics:
Nina Persson - Daniel Johnston - Beck - Death Cab for Cutie - Vic Chesnutt - Tom Waits - Bright Eyes - The Flaming Lips

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Linkous has recently relocated his "Static King" studio to a remote mountaintop in North Carolina. Several years ago, he purchased a vintage recording console built by the near-mythical Daniel Flickenger. His fourth album has been delayed due to the necessity of overhauling the tempermental recording desk. Currently, Linkous is reportedly recording new material and collaborating with DJ Danger Mouse and B. Fleischmann , although no release date for a new album has yet been announced.

Related Topics:
North Carolina - Daniel Flickenger - DJ Danger Mouse - B. Fleischmann

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In 2003, Sparklehorse opened some concerts for R.E.M.

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