It’s been more than ten years since Mark Linkous, the driving force behind the band Sparklehorse, took his own life. In the months leading up to the tragic event, Linkous was working on a new album that was intended to be a sort of back to basics effort. Sparklehorse was known for meticulously crafted soundscapes, but Linkous was after something different in this instance. He wanted the new material to be rough and ready, specifically citing the blazing simplicity and directness of Buddy Holly as a model. Recording with producer Steve Albini, Linkous was able to get most of the material to a state of near completeness. Linkous had a sore throat, so he couldn’t lay down all vocals. The plan was to return a few weeks later and complete the project. He never did.

The album he was working on, titled Bird Machine, is finally going to see the light of record stores. Linkous’s brother and sister-in-law unearthed some recordings that allowed them to complete the various tracks. Among their number is this fantastically raw, sludgy cover of Robyn Hitchcock’s “Listening to the Higsons.” If Linkous was striving for more immediacy in these recordings, he certainly achieved it here.

Bird Machine is scheduled for release in September.