Dustin: I don't get how you like this Sparklehorse album. I thought you were supposed to be some sorta punk rock hardcore mohawk guy?Joel: Uh, yeah. I guess that a lot of what I listen to falls into said category, but it doesn't preclude me from listening to good music in whatever form or genre. This is a solid album — the production is great, the songwriting is there, it changes up nicely throughout. But maybe to reinforce your point, it is a little melancholy and you have to be in the right mood to listen to it.
What is it that you can't get into about this album?
Dustin: It just seems like one of those indie albums you hear so much about and then you listen to it and it’s just another whiny dude. Whiny dude No. 500 million droppin some mellow vibes on ya for a rainy day! I mean, it’s cool and all if you want some background stuff to mellow out to but I don’t see how bands like this consistently build up these über reputations amongst music nerds.
Joel: I guess they might get a little hype, but I don't think it's unwarranted. There are hundreds of bands that get more attention for much less (we don't need to name names right?). In terms of the album, consider this:
1. The production is great. I'm sick of bands with bigger budgets putting out shit that sounds like it was recorded on a fucking laptop. Yeah it's easy to do that, and great if you don't have the money, but anybody with any label backing them has no excuse for not having an album that sounds even close to this good.
2. The guests on this album add to Mark Linkous' vision, but he never lets them take over. Danger Mouse and Tom Waits aren't the most subtle musicians, and that they can appear without stealing the spotlight, I think that says something about ML's own musical identity — ie. he actually has one, while so many bands get by by borrowing or appropriating someone else's.
3. You could lump this in with the whiney guy playing whiney music if you want, but at least it's not precious garbage that has some bad junior high drawing of a unicorn farting out rainbows as the album cover, and he's not milking his drug addiction for the "oh, he's a tortured artist" kudos.
Dustin: I will give it to you that the album has good production, but so does the last Belle & Sebastian record and that didn’t stop that album from sounding like a five-year-old girls’ tea party (in terms of wussitude). Not that this album is that wimpy but I still don’t think great production can always justify deeming an album great, or even good.
The big problem for me is that I can’t get a real grip on anything particularly unique from this album. It all sounds like someone else to me – it’s sounds like someone went to their local indie record store, put the top 100 CDs in a blender and this is what came out. The new album by Yo La Super Dinosaur Bonnie Pavement! There’s just so much music out there today, this CD is just too average sounding to make me care about it.
Joel: I guess I'm outta points to make, unless you got more to say. This battle was kinda like this album: understated and even-keel.
Dustin: There is one thing I would like to add: the title of the album is incredibly awful. Dreamt For Light Years In the Belly of a Mountain? Sounds like a poetry book I would buy at some new age store full of crystals and wind chimes.
Joel: That's just how you get hot girls in cat eye glasses who work in libraries to sleep with you... d'uh.
Dustin: Good point. I would also like to add that the band does get bonus points with me for using the word "horse" in their name.
