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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Over the course of three gloriously dream-dazzled albums, of which the irony-free titled It's A Wonderful Life is the quietest, sleekest and--despite a relative lack of pop hooks--probably Sparklehorse's best. Mark Linkous, the boy with a toy box full of ramshackle instruments, has sweetly, solemnly staked his affinity to the entire living universe. Bees, trees, birds, frogs, rabbits, ghosts, roosters, monkeys, babies, snakes, apples, ponies, dogs, the lot; wrapped in blissful, non-species-ist wonder that would do a Buddhist proud. The added extra here--besides a steel-drenched "Comfort Me", the old-time wheeze of "Babies on the Sun", Tom Waits' gleeful fee-fi-fo-fum through "Dog Door" and PJ Harvey's metallic whip of a voice electrifying "Piano Fire" and "Eyepennies"--is the realisation why it's been so long since you heard songs of such innocence and experience. And it hits you somewhere around the line "A child who spoke in tongues and smelled like the sun": William Blake is alive and well and making music in West Virginia. --Jennifer Nine
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
He's electric!,
By edhancox@lineone.net (Shropshire, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: It's a Wonderful Life (Audio CD)
In 1996 Mark Linkous (the man behind Sparklhorse) caused serious injury to himself by way of electrocution, although this didn't prevent him from appearing at that years Reading festival in a wheel chair, or producing on of the most innovative albums of that year. This album continues where Vivadixie..., Good Morning Spider, and Distorted Ghost Ep left off, and does not disappoint.Initially Sparklehorse were championed by REM frontman Michael Stipe, but have sinced been joined by a futher number of celebrity bandwagon-jumpers. Heard here are PJ Harvey, Tom Waits and Nina Persson (Cardigans) and John Parish. Its A Wonderful Life sounds fantastic, Marks voice is perhaps more distinct, and you get swept along in a torent of crazy lyrics ("Circus People with hairy little hands!"), lush string arrangements, Lo-Fi style techniques, and a sense of melancholy. If you like Eels, Grandaddy, and the like, this is definately worth investigating...
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's a wonderful album!,
By A Customer
This review is from: It's a Wonderful Life (Audio CD)
Forget about the hype surrounding the new releases from Radiohead and REM (impressive as they are): the summer's must have album comes from a little known band by the name of Sparklehorse. Sparklehorse are not really a band as such. They are, essentially, singer/songwriter Mark Linkous & Friends making music that by turns feels drowsy and intensely awake. Sadly, they have always been overlooked. Until now that is. Cue a little help on album number three from Linkous' friends - Tom Waits, PJ Harvey, Nina Persson, Dave Fridmann - and Sparklehorse may yet be rescued from obscurity. This album is a curious blend of country and rock. The trademark growl of Waits on the thumpy Dog Door, and Harvey's static-electric vocals on the radio-friendly Piano Fire, are obvious highlights. Polly Harvey shows again on Eyepennies - a gorgeous piano melody. The blaring King of Nails is in contrast to its predecessor, Apple Bed, in which Linkous sings sadistically like a man possessed. Linkous' dark, poetic lyrics and unmistakable sound have earned Sparklehorse lots of friends in the music industry. It can only be a matter of time before the record-buying public click on. If any band deserves attention, it's Sparklehorse. A fragile genius, mainman Linkous has created an album like no other this year. On those grounds alone you should add it to your collection. Gary Flockhart, Scotland Online
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More heartbreakingly beautiful broadcasts from Linkous & Co,
By A Customer
This review is from: It's a Wonderful Life (Audio CD)
Sparklehorse return after a long hiatus following 1998's classic 'Good Morning Spider', an album which forever cemented their reputation as the frazzled kings of Alt Country and assured their place in the hearts of the lo-fi nation. While this new joint ain't really that much of a departure from the previous two records, the mood is certainly more relaxed and optimistic - avoiding the intense, almost opressive aura of before. This probably has a lot to do with Linkous being clean for the recording, the opening and closing lullabies of 'Its a Wonderful Life' and 'Babies on the Sun' recall the parallel approach of 'vivadixie...', capturing the melancholy sensibility and pathos of before but with more pronounced hope. Elsewhere on the album Linkous introduces a host of collaborators into the fray with the likes of Nina Perrson (Cardigans), PJ Harvey, and Tom Waits contributing vocals and in Waits case (on the neurotic, beck-like 'Dog Door') co-writing credits. If you are expecting a change of musical direction from Linkous on this record, you will be disappointed, however if you are still spellbound by the lush melancholy, fractured melody, and the vuneranable, heartbreaking, yet inevitably joyful tracts of Linkous' lyrical spells, or if you are curious and willing to sample something a bit leftfield of the established indie/alternative axis, then lap it up and feel the pain (birds).
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