Play Sparklehorse Radio

Sparklehorse

4,443,188 plays (269,928 listeners)

Listening now: cursesofcurves

285 shouts

Add to my Library Share
Sparklehorse is Mark Linkous, a Virginia native and last of a long line of southern coalminers. Linkous records much of Sparklehorse’s material in his home studio, and his Southern Gothic vision guides Sparklehorse. Drummer and multi-instrumentalist Scott Minor is a frequent collaborator.

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 … 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.” [2]

Musically, Sparklehorse are not far removed from , 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 numbers, as well, such as “Some Day I Will Treat You Good” or “Happy Man”.

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.
Read more… Edit

Top Albums

See more

Top Tracks

1 Play
734
2 Play
Piano Fire full track
706
3 Play
690
4 Play
Gold Day full track
559
5 Play
Sea Of Teeth full track
536
6 Play
Shade and Honey full track
512
7 Play
Getting It Wrong full track
473
8 Play
Return To Me full track
457
9 Play
Apple Bed full track
449
10  
414
11 Play
See the Light full track
397
12 Play
Some Sweet Day full track
375
13  
366
14 Play
King Of Nails full track
352
15 Play
Eyepennies full track
350
See more

Shoutbox

Leave a comment. Log in to Last.fm or sign up (it’s free).
See all 285 shouts

Videos

See more

News

Dark Night Of The Soul

27 May 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/sparklehorse

Sparklehorse & Dangermouse team up to bring you Dark Night Of The Soul. James Mercer of The Shins, The Flaming Lips, Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals, Jason Lytle of Grandaddy, Julian Casablancas. …

Add comment

See more

Listeners

See more

Recent Activity

Related Journals

See more

More Information

Links
Band Members
Labels