Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse – Dark Night of the Soul

Dark Night of the Soul is a big musical collaboration between the band Sparklehorse, ubiquitous producer Danger Mouse, a whole bunch of other people, and David Lynch, who provides an high price artbook full of accompanying visuals (and may or may not give an uncredited vocal performance on the title track); the album is made up of fuzzy, melencholy vignettes about “dark” themes like revenge and suffering but with an overwhelming pop sensibility – the results often live up to the contributor’s reputations and add to the album’s engaging mood (Wayne Coyne on “Revenge”, Iggy Pop on “Pain”, Vic Chestnutt’s “Grim Augury”) but as with any kitchen with this many cooks, missteps are bound to arise. (Nina Persson’s two tracks are pretty meh and Frank Black seems misused)
Tags: danger mouse, david lynch, frank black, grandaddy, gruff rhys, iggy pop, jason lytle, julian casablancas, nina persson, sparklehorse, super furry animals, suzanne vega, the flaming lips, the pixies, the strokes, vic chestnutt, wayne coyne