A posthumous Sparklehorse album has been announced. Bird Machine arrives September 8 via Anti-, and marks the first full-length from the project since the 2010 death of Mark Linkous.
The 14-track Bird Machine opens with "It Will Never Stop," previously shared for the first time last December. Like that track, the other inclusions on Bird Machine were archived by Matt Linkous, Mark's brother who has overseen the late songwriter's estate and recording archive.
Bird Machine's songs were initially meant to appear on the fifth Sparklehorse LP, originally slated for release in 2009. Mark Linkous worked on the material with Steve Albini in Chicago, and at his own Static King studio in North Carolina. The album's title and tracklist were found in the late artist's handwritten notes, later received by Matt.
"Evening Star Supercharger" arrives today alongside the announcement, and you can hear it below. Bird Machine was co-produced by Alan Weatherhead, Matt and Melissa, Mark's sister-in-law.
"It's the hardest decision I've ever made," Matt shared in a statement of Bird Machine's release. "It's difficult making a choice about someone else's art, even if you've known them all your life and worked with them, even if they were your brother and best friend."
He added: "It means so much to me, this last batch of beautiful stuff that my brother was putting together. When I sit down and put on a pair of headphones, I'll run it all the way through. Everything from 'It Will Never Stop' to 'Evening Star Supercharger' to 'Stay,' that's Mark just letting it out."
Pre-order Bird Machine.
The 14-track Bird Machine opens with "It Will Never Stop," previously shared for the first time last December. Like that track, the other inclusions on Bird Machine were archived by Matt Linkous, Mark's brother who has overseen the late songwriter's estate and recording archive.
Bird Machine's songs were initially meant to appear on the fifth Sparklehorse LP, originally slated for release in 2009. Mark Linkous worked on the material with Steve Albini in Chicago, and at his own Static King studio in North Carolina. The album's title and tracklist were found in the late artist's handwritten notes, later received by Matt.
"Evening Star Supercharger" arrives today alongside the announcement, and you can hear it below. Bird Machine was co-produced by Alan Weatherhead, Matt and Melissa, Mark's sister-in-law.
"It's the hardest decision I've ever made," Matt shared in a statement of Bird Machine's release. "It's difficult making a choice about someone else's art, even if you've known them all your life and worked with them, even if they were your brother and best friend."
He added: "It means so much to me, this last batch of beautiful stuff that my brother was putting together. When I sit down and put on a pair of headphones, I'll run it all the way through. Everything from 'It Will Never Stop' to 'Evening Star Supercharger' to 'Stay,' that's Mark just letting it out."
Pre-order Bird Machine.
Bird Machine:
1. It Will Never Stop
2. Kind Ghosts
3. Evening Star Supercharger
4. O Child
5. Falling Down
6. I Fucked It Up
7. Hello Lord
8. Daddy's Gone
9. Chaos of the Universe
10. Listening to the Higsons
11. Everybody's Gone to Sleep
12. Scull of Lucia
13. Blue
14. Stay