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Amazon.co.uk Review
Battling his own personal demons while he has been highly coveted as a producer for other bands, singer/songwriter Mark Linkous' output with his own Sparklehorse has been as irregular as it is ingenious. And it's been five years since the candid album It's a Wonderful Life welcomed a clean and sober Linkous, crafting the same divine and bizarre songs that have come to define his North Carolina-based band. That inclination continues here with the peculiar frontman punctuating his songs with mentions of ghosts and knives and mountaintops, and presenting them with a murmured, spaced-out and psychedelic soundtrack. The up-tempo, bundle-of-nerves pop songs "It's Not So Hard" and Guided by Voices twin "Ghost in the Sky," though luscious, seem out of place among slow and startling ballads like "Getting It Wrong," "See the Light" or, especially, the imminent kiss-off "Some Sweet Day," where Linkous grouses, "I was the one who loved you most/ But you can't put your arms around a ghost." A parting shot that's meant to linger—much like the 53 minutes that are Mark Linkous' latest comeback. --Scott Holter
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This CD seems to have met with a more lukewarm reception than its predecessors which surprises me.
Taken in isolation, this is great Americana/indie music. Linkous is a genuine craftsman of varying musical styles, from acoustic to riffing guitars, but all of his songs share a real warmth and a delightfully skewed lyrical vision. Had this been the debut CD from 'hot' new band I suspect the critics would be falling over themselves to praise it.
If you enjoyed other Sparklehorse CDs I recommend this without hesitation. The only justifiable criticism is that 'Dreamt For Light Years..' does not show any great musical progression; all of the Sparklehorse CDs sound broadly the same, but when he produces songwriting of this quality it seems irrelevant to object. I would be happy with more of the same in 5 years's time!
Taken in isolation, this is great Americana/indie music. Linkous is a genuine craftsman of varying musical styles, from acoustic to riffing guitars, but all of his songs share a real warmth and a delightfully skewed lyrical vision. Had this been the debut CD from 'hot' new band I suspect the critics would be falling over themselves to praise it.
If you enjoyed other Sparklehorse CDs I recommend this without hesitation. The only justifiable criticism is that 'Dreamt For Light Years..' does not show any great musical progression; all of the Sparklehorse CDs sound broadly the same, but when he produces songwriting of this quality it seems irrelevant to object. I would be happy with more of the same in 5 years's time!
38 of 47 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The new songs are melodic but unlikely to linger in your memory for too long. The best songs on this 'new' record are five years old, which says something about the comfort zone Linkous uses talents like Stephen Drozd, Dangermouse, and Dave Fridmann to reinforce for himself. 'Morning Hollow' was a (not so) secret track on 2001's 'It's A Wonderful Life', and the elegiac instrumental 'Dreamt in the Belly of a Mountain for Light Years' used to be known as 'Maxine', and was a b-side to 2001's single 'Gold Day'.
If you are new to the joys that can be found in Linkous's world of bees, horses, mountains, and ghosts then perhaps this is a pleasant entry-level purchase -- but if you care about owning records that enrich your life, buy 'It's A Wonderful Life' or the stunning 'Good Morning Spider' instead. The precious craft is there but so are the songs, and they are lacking on this fourth outing. Here's to the next Sparklehorse record, which won't sound so contractual (fingers crossed).
If you are new to the joys that can be found in Linkous's world of bees, horses, mountains, and ghosts then perhaps this is a pleasant entry-level purchase -- but if you care about owning records that enrich your life, buy 'It's A Wonderful Life' or the stunning 'Good Morning Spider' instead. The precious craft is there but so are the songs, and they are lacking on this fourth outing. Here's to the next Sparklehorse record, which won't sound so contractual (fingers crossed).
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
'Dreamt for Light Years...' ticks all the right Sparklehorse boxes - you have gentle beauty (Shade and Honey), acoustic simplicity (Return to Me), full throttle punk (Ghost), sparkly pop (...Sunshine) and a bit of a tearjerker (Morning Hollow). There is something missing though - the album doesn't seem to have a unique voice of its own like 'Goodmorningspider' or 'Wonderful Life' did. Its a bit more like 'Vivadixie...', some great songs that fit ok together to make a solid album. The one real exception is the final track, a lengthy instrumental mood piece that probably sounds like a dull idea on paper but actually works really well and gives this album something unique.
I believe collaboration will hold the key to Mark keeping things fresh - the Danger Mouse produced songs included here are impressive. Hopefully the mooted 'Dangerhorse' project come to fruition.
I believe collaboration will hold the key to Mark keeping things fresh - the Danger Mouse produced songs included here are impressive. Hopefully the mooted 'Dangerhorse' project come to fruition.
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