It’s been five years since the shimmering ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ caught the world’s imagination, but Sparklehorse are finally back with ‘Dreamt For Lightyears In The Belly Of A Mountain’, and I’ll tell you what, it was well worth the wait. The opening ‘Don’t Take My Sunshine Away’ is one of the best psychedelic Beatles tributes I’ve ever heard. ‘Shade And Honey’ flits back and forth between elements of Lou Reed, The Smashing Pumpkins and The Eels. The distorted ‘Ghost In The Sky’ lays sweet harmonies over a fun filled garage wig out. The tear jerking ‘Morning Hollow’ will have you wallowing in self doubt, and in total contrast ‘It’s Not So Hard’ will snap you out of it and have you leaping round the room like a lunatic. But the closing title cut is a breathtaking instrumental that’ll have you wallowing again, in slow motion memories good and bad, imagine Global Communications, Pink Floyd and Ennio Morricone being the band that went down with the Titanic, or sound tracking some other tragic disaster. ‘Dreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of A Mountain’ is a more personal and fragile album, but it‚s still got that special magical and mysterious Sparklehorse touch, expect to see it riding high in the end of year honours lists.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: DEAN THATCHER