Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse - Dark Night of the Soul

Few albums come weighed down by so much history. Finally arriving on shelves following more than a year of legal wrangling with the record label, not only is Dark Night of the Soul dedicated to Vic Chesnutt, who performed on the record and who died last December, but its release also follows the suicide of Sparklehorse’s singer/songwriter, Mark Linkous.

An ambitious project presented by Linkous and Danger Mouse, Dark Night… has a grand, cinematic feel to its 13 collaborations, all of which extenuate the qualities of the incredible list of artists involved. The Flaming Lips reprise the ethereality of their Soft Bulletin/Yoshimi era and Gruff Rhys combines lyrics about the horrors of war with the kind of dreamy psychedelic folk he’s so good at. Black Francis gets shouty on Angel’s Harp, Julian Casablancas’ Little Girl is dizzying, and, on the frankly magnificent Pain, Iggy Pop drones like a madman about a “Headache in my ageing skull,” over cacophonous drums and fuzzy, breakneck guitars. Meanwhile, David Lynch contributes not only a lyrical turn or two but also photographs to accompany the album. While Linkous was clearly happy to sit in the shadows and allow the guests to take centre stage, these breathtaking compositions show what a wonderful songwriter and poet the man was. Similarly, Danger Mouse’s signature sounds don’t overbear, but rather create a perfect ambience.

In bringing down the curtain on Mark Linkous’ own tragedy, the wonderful and poignant Dark Night… adds to a Sparklehorse legacy that perfectly illustrates the beauty and fragility of life. In Linkous’ passing, the world is a poorer place.