Play Sparklehorse Radio
Sparklehorse
On Tour
3,918,631 plays (243,734 listeners)
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 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.” [2]
Musically, Sparklehorse are 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”.
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.
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.” [2]
Musically, Sparklehorse are 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”.
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.
Top Albums
Top Tracks
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Don't Take My Sunshine Away
full track
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Piano Fire
full track
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It's A Wonderful Life
full track
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Shade and Honey
full track
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Getting It Wrong
full track
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Shoutbox
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HorrorChemical wrote:
why is the danger mouse stuff on this page?
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daveoverdrive wrote:
the "(feat.)" is running the charts :)
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sakura_18 wrote:
es genial lo de casablancas
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xephyrous wrote:
I love Piano Fire.
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bluebed wrote:
strokes bro made it to #1, there is no god
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aftermgates wrote:
the "(feat. )" is ruining the charts [2]
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cheesesandwich wrote:
are we all agreeing that this is how we should tag Dark Night of the Soul? Just seems weird...
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sweet_drugs wrote:
очинь шикарен.человек с головой лошадью,я преклоняюсь перед вами.
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Tyrano wrote:
the "(feat. )" is ruining the charts :(
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SpaceLlama wrote:
"Cow" is so painfully good.
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bluebed wrote:
i want a new pure sparklehorse album. with lyrics about waking up in horses stomach and all that. dark night is fine, but i need more weird songs/
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carontix wrote:
ciao ciao
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Ishitengu wrote:
Best name ever
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GLagaminas wrote:
I'm sooo inlove with this music! something magical ;o
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ex_con wrote:
<3
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Russo31 wrote:
love
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bektravels wrote:
There already is:-) Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse
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Solo616 wrote:
Well if that's the case, there should be a separate artist page then.
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bektravels wrote:
"All songs written and composed and produced by Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danger_Mouse_and_Sparklehorse_Present:_Dark_Night_of_the_Soulhere and http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104129585
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Solo616 wrote:
It'll just be Sparklehorse for me.
Videos
See more
Events
-
Aug
6
Sparklehorse
Piazza Nenni (ex della Molinella), Faenza, Italy
2 shouts
| 40 attendees
News
A LIFE ALONG THE BORDERLINE: A TRIBUTE TO NICO
30 Apr 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/sparklehorse
John Cale reprises his Nico tribute Life Along the Borderline in Italy, featuring John Cale and band, Lisa Gerrard, Mark Lanegan, Mark Linkous, Peter Murphy, Mercury Rev, Soap & Skin. …
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26 Jan 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/sparklehorse -
26 Jan 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/sparklehorse -
26 Jan 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/sparklehorse
Listeners
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opossumnus
Listening now
to Mountains -
Steenarie
Listening now
to Hundreds of Sparrows -
LoweSox
Listening now
to Morning Hollow -
vonbrigoi
Top Listener
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j3ddy3
Top Listener
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Xaenn
Top Listener
Recent Activity
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SombreRaven, axl666axl666, idealcynic and 11 other people added Sparklehorse to their libraries. yesterday evening
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A20thCenturyboy wrote about Sparklehorse in a deleted journal. yesterday morning
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songbirdspectre, fanartcc, nathanielplanet and 9 other people added Sparklehorse to their libraries. Saturday evening
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azrabetim tagged Sparklehorse with ‘littlun’. Thursday evening
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azrabetim added Sparklehorse to azrabetim’s library. Thursday evening
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remcodulac added Sparklehorse to the lineup of Sparklehorse at Melkweg. Thursday evening
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dimndcttrdhasa, chasejohnston, ezrakoenig and 6 other people added Sparklehorse to their libraries. Thursday afternoon
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PinkCigarette86 tagged Sparklehorse with indie rock and alternative. Wednesday afternoon
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PinkCigarette86 added Sparklehorse to PinkCigarette86’s library. Wednesday afternoon
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SEspectova, alexanwa, OVERandOUTT and 2 other people added Sparklehorse to their libraries. Wednesday morning
Related Journals
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dark night of the soul by david lynch, danger mouse, and sparklehorse
by tenoftears |
16 Jun 2009 | Add comment
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Dibder's New Music Series: Entry 5
by CvaldaVessalis |
28 May 2009 | 7 comments
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Dark Night Of The Soul
by IndraAntiChrist |
14 May 2009 | 2 comments
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