Spun: Dangermouse & David Lynch

By Laura Bardsley

During the first two minutes of this mega-album featuring a litany of musical heavyweights, I was completely into it. The layers of sound fading in and out around Wayne Coyne’s vocals, along with the familiarity of the Flaming Lips’ sound combine for a journey through nostalgia– voices you’ve heard before collaborating with sounds you wouldn’t normally fathom.

Unfortunately, this nostalgic luster fades as the songs continue to flow. “Jaykub,” the third track on the album, becomes grating after the third refrain. Featured artist Jason Lytle has a beautiful soothing voice, but a constant and repetitive tempo transforms his performance from beautiful to boring. The following track “Little Girl,” however, redeems the album. Face melting guitar solos sync with uppity tempo drums and Julian Casablanca’s vocals.

As for the title track “Dark Night of the Soul,” David Lynch’s vocal melodies weave in and out of dream states, creating a weirder ambience than all his films combined. Surprisingly, this works to the album’s advantage; the song rules. Even Tom Waits would be impressed.

This is the kind of album that grows on you over time, like a lovely little fungus festering in your ears. It’s worth Groovesharking or YouTubing at least one song.



..Laura Bardsley