Ever thought what the Beach Boys would sound like if they were still recording today? My guess is that this is the type of record they would make. Mark Linkous has taken five years to record his follow-up to the highly acclaimed IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, and that’s a long time in anyone’s language. The album was recorded in his studio in North Carolina with an extensive range of contributors and collaborators including Dangermouse, Johnny Hott, Sophie Michalitsianos, Scott Minor, Stephen Drodz (Flaming Lips), David Fridmann and Christian Fennesz. The album also includes a previously unreleased track with Tom Waits on piano.

Opening track, Don’t Take My Sunshine, sounds like a mix of the Beach Boys, Grandaddy and The Beatles with the most beautiful vocal harmonies. It’s also one of the best tracks here. Getting It Wrong is a glacially paced, haunting and deeply moving song with a simple instrumental backdrop and sampled vocal. There’s something mystical and magical about Linkous music and is perhaps best exemplified by See The Light which wanders along, almost aimlessly, helped by that understated vocal style and the simplest of instrumental arrangements. Return To Me is also a fine example with the most fragile of vocals and softly plucked acoustic guitar. Some Sweet Day has a very Beatle-esque flavour and reveals another side of the guy’s musical make-up – lyrical dexterity. Ghost In The Sky is in sharp contrast to virtually everything else here with its very rocky vibe that overpowers everything including the rather forlorn vocal. My pick of the album is the deathly paced Morning Hollow, the simplest song on the album which has Linkous almost talking the lyrics against a beautifully judged instrumental arrangement, and aided by a melody made in heaven.

If you liked IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE you’ll love this album. But beware as this is an album that takes several plays to really register.

3.5/5