Dark night of the soul.
By definition refers to a phase in a person's spiritual life, marked by a sense of loneliness and desolation. It describes the last moments of Mark Linkous with eerie conciseness.
Last year, a dispute with EMI blocked the release of the record Dark Night Of The Soul by Brian Burton aka Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse and David Lynch, the accompanying limited edition book was released, but featured a blank CD.
Earlier this week it was announced that the record will now finally see the light of day however it has come too late for some.
Last year, Vic Chestnutt, who appears on the track "Grim Augry" ended his own life. And now, so too has Mark Linkous.
You can't help but succumb to superstition and wonder if the record is cursed or if the release was jinxed? It could, simply be the nightmarish references of the project that brought these particular contributors together, those of a surrealist some say predisposition suicidal mindset?
In 1996, Linkous actually died for two minutes after ingesting a precarious pile of Valium and antidepressants while on tour in the U.K. He recovered, but the incident left him crippled. After his ordeal he recorded Good Morning Spider, It’s A Wonderful Life and Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain.
Many have conjectured that Linkous's near death experience inspired the somber tone of his work and choice of literary references which isolated many unable to comprehend the metaphoric qualities. But ultimately he is an enigma whose influence can't be measured in record sales.
"May his journey be peaceful, happy and free."
