Mark Linkous R.I.P.

MARK LINKOUS, 47, a critically acclaimed singer/songwriter who released music under the name Sparklehorse, committed suicide on Saturday in Knoxville, TN, shooting himself in the heart in an alley outside a friend’s home. Originally signed to Capitol, Sparklehorse released four albums between 1995 and 2006 of “Beatlesque melodies, through a filter of crackling, damaged folk-rock,” according to the N.Y. Times. Linkous most recently collaborated with Danger Mouse and David Lynch on the Dark Night of the Soul album and photo book, whose release was postponed by legal problems, but was set to come out soon. He had recently completed work on a new Sparklehorse album to be released on Anti- and had just moved to Knoxivlle to set up a studio, according to his manager Shelby Meade. His survivors include wife Teresa. (3/8a)