Sparklehorse’s debut, Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot, is one of the iconic records of the ’90s  lo fi, “slacker” indie folk/pop/rock explosion. Basically, a bunch of singer-songwriters made and released what sounded like home-recordings of deliberately mixed quality. The homespun quality was the appeal. Mark Linkous aka Sparklehorse was one of the main figures of the movement. Only in the case of his debut, he was actually backed on many of the tracks by Cracker. “Cow” is the centerpiece of Vivadixie…. Far and away the longest song the record, it is propelled forward by its insistent beat, its numerous guitar solos and its refrain. Unlike some of his music, the only really lo-fi or slacker thing about this song is Linkous’ delivery. Continue reading »