Sparklehorse is the brainchild of singer/song writer Mark Linkous an alumnus of the mid-1980s indie band the Dancing Hoods as well as an ex-painter and chimney sweep. After finding out that Mark Linkous spent a considerable amount of his life up chimneys and around paint fumes the spooky lo-fi ramblings that appear on Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionpilot almost become understandable. .
In early 1996, after a Sparklehorse live date in London, Linkous nearly died when he passed out after mixing Valium with prescription antidepressants; throughout the 14 hours he spent unconscious on his hotel's bathroom floor his legs were pinned under the rest of his body, and the prolonged loss of blood circulation nearly left him crippled. Many months and countless surgeries later he was back on his feet, this led to the two-year gap before Linkous's epic Good Morning Spider.
Good Morning Spider takes the experimental song wrting seen in Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionpilot but pushes it further. It drifts in and out of a dreamlike state on a bed of understated synth and electronica. From driving punky feel too songs such as "Pig" and "Cruel Sun," to the fragile, haunting ballads like "Saint Mary" and "Come On In," to the warped pop of "Ghost of His Smile" and "Sunshine," the album reveals a bright canvas of sounds and emotions without ever grating or losing focus. .
This album covers the spectrum of emotions that Linkous went through after his drug overdose "I wanna new body that's strong I'm a butchered cow" screams Linkous on the opening track. Although, overall, Good Morning Spider strikes as a more positive album from Linkous, a true star who has came through great suffering to produce a work that may be considered the best in his career.
Good morning Mark, thank goodness it wasn't good night.
