Dark Night of the Soul

It's been over a year since its completion, but Dark Night of the Soul is finally here in its finished package. It is a release that is soured by the passing of both Mark Linkous, known for his work as Sparklehorse and who musically contributed the bulk of the work on the album aside Dangermouse, and Vic Chesnutt who also added emotive vocals to the track "Grim Augury".

The album itself was an augury for those involved. The opening track sung by Flaming Lip's Wayne Coyne is little removed from the Lip's catalogue of work but would fit best on Embryonic released late last year. Similarly, "Little Girl" featuring The Strokes Julian Casablancas could be seen as the bridge gapping The Strokes third album First Impressions of Earth and Julian's solo album Phrazes for the Young.

DNOTS was also the meeting place for Dangermouse and The Shins front man James Mercer who earlier this year released an album together under the name Broken Bells. The track "Insane Lullaby" which the two collaborated on is a much rougher cut then most of the glossed pop material found on the Bells album but the pieces were here first, and are present in the form best fitting for this album.

The more rocking tracks are fronted back to back by Frank Black and Iggy Pop who lended their vocals best to tracks which Linkous did not feel comfortable performing himself. This appears to be a wise choice. Despite still being weaker tracks on the album, Frank Black and Iggy Pop's chalky vocals do truly fit the songs much better than the gentle cooing voice Linkous supplies on "Daddy's Gone".

David Lynch adds his vocal talent to the haunting "Star Eyes (I Can't Catch It)" and to the title track/album closer "Dark Night of the Soul". His surreal nightmarish dreamscapes are also the artwork that do well to accompany the overall feel that Sparklehorse and Dangermouse are trying to accomplish in the drudgery of music and lyrical content that has never felt so bad, yet still willing to offer comfort.

Most albums featuring numerous vocalists tend to fall apart when held up as a whole piece of work, but this is where DNOTS not only differs from the norm but shines. The overall sights and sounds remain the same while the myriad of vocalist breathes life into a work which is a year later still amazing to listen to and will most likely be the crowning piece of Linkous' career.