A melting pot of style
Since the late ‘90s, Sparklehorse has been expertly perusing genres, mixing and melting them into their own customized style. Bird Machine, their fifth album and first since Mark Linkous’ 2010 death- was released by ANTI- on September 8. This release continues to showcase their ability to mesh unlikely pairs of sound. With a mix of electronic, punk and acoustic tracks, everyone can find a song to enjoy on this album.
Bird Machine opens with “It Will Never Stop;” a song with blatant punk influences. The distorted guitar riff and crunchy telephone-like vocals set the stage for the rest of the album. The first sound heard is a small beep that leads the listener to expect to hear something of the electronic variety. However, this seemingly adventurous choice is not a stranger to Sparklehorse. Genre mixing is an apparent theme from the start. This band has always had an element of electronics within their songs but it doesn’t stop there. As Bird Machine progresses, acoustic moments abound and spacey songs with hints of Western guitar riffs find their way into the mix. This album is certainly one for those who enjoy all types of music.
Even though the album has many upbeat tracks, Sparklehorse still makes time for slow and meaningful songs. “Kind Ghosts,” the second track, is slow and pulsing. The notes and chords come in waves coated in a heavy tremolo effect. The background is filled with noises that can only be described as glitchy. Sparklehorse seems to be very involved with every aspect of the music they’re creating. The obvious attention to detail can be heard by listening very closely to the small moments behind the base layer of sound. The vinyl cracks in “O Child” and the harmonies in “The Scull of Lucia” are some examples of the many deliberate choices that made this album a wonder to pull apart. Every listen will allow for an unexplored experience, giving the Sparklehorse fans something new to enjoy and appreciate.
As all good things do, this album too comes to an end. The final track, “Stay,” is a soft-hopeful song completely juxtaposing the start of the album which was punchy and exciting. The lyrics plead with the listener, asking them to keep holding on to life and promising the world will eventually “get brighter”. Sparklehorse’s simple request can resonate with many. Stay for today. It is only one day and getting through that one hard moment can lead to many great ones as the lyrics suggest. This is a great ending for the album because it shows that behind all of the noise, the last thing you hear is a gentle reminder that things will, in fact, get better.
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