Sparklehorse
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Richmond, United States (1995 – 2010)
Sparklehorse was an American alternative rock band formed in 1995 and led by Mark Linkous (September 9, 1962 - March 6, 2010), a Richmond, Virginia native and last of a long line of southern coalminers. Linkous recorded much of Sparklehorse’s material in his home studio, and his Southern Gothic vision guided Sparklehorse. Drummer and multi-instrumentalist Scott Minor was a frequent collaborator.
Before his suicide in March 2010, Linkous created many albums of beauty and discord and much of Sparklehorse’s music has an introspective, melancholy feel, which Linkous credited 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.”
Musically, Sparklehorse were not far removed from alt country, though there are as many differences as similarities between that genre and Sparklehorse: Linkous was 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 reminiscent of some of Tom Waits’ music. Sparklehorse offered a few full-throttle hard rock numbers, as well, such as “Some Day I Will Treat You Good” or “Happy Man”.
Before his suicide in March 2010, Linkous created many albums of beauty and discord and much of Sparklehorse’s music has an introspective, melancholy feel, which Linkous credited 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.”
Musically, Sparklehorse were not far removed from alt country, though there are as many differences as similarities between that genre and Sparklehorse: Linkous was 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 reminiscent of some of Tom Waits’ music. Sparklehorse offered a few full-throttle hard rock numbers, as well, such as “Some Day I Will Treat You Good” or “Happy Man”.
Shouts:
1,603 shouts
Top Albums
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It's A Wonderful Life
Sparklehorse
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Good Morning Spider
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Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot
Sparklehorse Buy- Download Album
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- iTunes $9.99
- Buy Album
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Shoutbox
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pedrodim wrote:
http://www.last.fm/music/Sparklehorse/+images/72766316 great pic. vote up!
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Knokinnonjoe wrote:
miss him...
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ChinstrapDew wrote:
Mark is missed. He was supposed to become my drinking buddy,
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AllOurVespers wrote:
It sucks to know that we will never get new music from Mark.
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ForgetMeNot_ wrote:
like it )
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Klianka wrote:
♥
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dantednirvana wrote:
Dog Door *-*
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coolest_of_all wrote:
Three plays and in love. :')
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xJake_Guitarx wrote:
We miss you dearly Mark Linkous wish you were still here with us writing beautiful music, you will forever be missed but we won't ever stop listening to your music! I know I won't!
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Dustache wrote:
http://www.last.fm/music/Sparklehorse/+images/72766316 beautiful. thanks.
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train_me wrote:
someone knows the setlist of SPARKLEHORSE vs FENNESZ live in Paris at Trabendo Sept 2009?
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JakerK wrote:
Introducing Danger Mouse and his versatile collaborations with Norah Jones, The White Stripes' Jack White, The Shins' James Mercer and The Strokes' Julian Casablancas in a new blog post at: http://soundepiphany.wordpress.com/2012/01/05/danger-mouse-feat-norah-jones-julian-casablancas/
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Urbanov wrote:
Y U DIED
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Raphahead wrote:
Mark, you are missed!
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niewole wrote:
wish you were here [2]
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Last_RichFM wrote:
A stone tosed into the deep...
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ReptiliaHead wrote:
that lonely horse [2]
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restlessbody wrote:
Y U DIED?! [x2]
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lola__2007 wrote:
r.i.p. <3
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GreenKamo wrote:
It's a bit early to say for sure, but I may have found a new obsession here
Videos
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Play
North Carolina
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Play
Life Along The Borderline,…
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Play
Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse) &…
1 shout
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Play
Julian Casablancas - Little…
5 shouts
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
…
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Dark Night Of The Soul
27 May 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/sparklehorse -
27 May 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/sparklehorse -
30 Apr 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/sparklehorse
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Recent Activity
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matuckina, LastEngineer, seinsmusic and 5 other people added Sparklehorse to their libraries. 10 minutes ago
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thomas10 wrote about Sparklehorse in Famous Dead Musicians/Artists and Causes of Death (Pt 2, Age 37-50). yesterday afternoon
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shaynewolfe20, martYn_kunstman, jonpaulstewart and 6 other people added Sparklehorse to their libraries. yesterday morning
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Katja_84 tagged Sparklehorse with ‘indie’. Saturday afternoon
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Katja_84, grim0225 and SHADE_T added Sparklehorse to their libraries. Saturday afternoon
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paranoid_slut tagged Sparklehorse with ‘rock’. Saturday morning
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paranoid_slut added Sparklehorse to paranoid_slut’s library. Saturday morning
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Aprendelo tagged Sparklehorse with ‘va’. Saturday morning
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xero_35, Blackenstock, elizabethholzkn and 30 other people added Sparklehorse to their libraries. Saturday morning
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DavidBN tagged Sparklehorse with ‘indie rock’. last week
Related Journals
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Famous Dead Musicians/Artists and Causes of Death (Pt 2, Age 37-50)
by thomas10 |
13 Feb 2012
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