Mark Linkous 1962-2010

Damn, its already been a brutal year in indie music. First Vic Chestnutt's Christmas day death by apparent self-induced overdose of muscle relaxants. Then Jay Reatard's death on Jan. 13 by apparent accidental overdose of cocaine and alcohol. And last night I learned via Pitchfork that Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse took his own life.

This one hit me pretty hard. I saw Sparklehorse a few years ago, right around the time I started posting concert reviews on MySpace. Here is the set list from the February 23, 2007, show at the Mod Club in Toronto. Linkous had a troubled life, but he left a wonderful musical legacy.

1. Spirit Ditch - Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot (1995)
2. Heart of Darkness - Vivadixie...
3. Apple Bed - It's a Wonderful Life (2001)
4. Hammering the Cramps - Vivadixie...
5. Don't Take My Sunshine Away - Buy: Dreamt For Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain (2006)
6. Tears on Fresh Fruit - Vivadixie...
7. Return to Me - Dreamt For Light Years...
8. Saturday - Vivadixie...
9. Eyepennies - It's a Wonderful Life
10. It's Not So Hard - Dreamt For Light Years...
11. Knives of Summertime - Dreamt For Light Years...
12. Sad and Beautiful World - Vivadixie...
13. Pig - Good Morning Spider (1998)

Encore
14. Gold Day - Buy: It's a Wonderful Life (2001)


I'm sure this is all over the web today, but I don't care.
Wish You Were Here (featuring Thom Yorke).mp3
Buy: Lords of Dogtown soundtrack (2005)

Bonus! A few years ago some bands in the Los Angeles area put out a Sparklehorse tribute album. Here's a great one from Travel by Sea.
Travel by Sea - Return to Me.mp3
From: That Horse Yonder: The Songs of Sparklehorse (2007, out of print)