Aims: To analyze texts compiled in Marilyn Monroe’s Fragments using LIWC, in order to explore the use of different linguistic categories in her narrative over the years. “I took cues from the illicit factor of the movie and turned it into my own narrative.Background: Linguistic inquiry and word count (LIWC), a computerized method for text analysis, is often used to examine suicide writings in order to characterize the quantitative linguistic features of suicidal texts. “I just thought it was a really poetic title and sounded really provocative,” she says. The opening track is titled “Chloe In The Afternoon,” and Clark confirms the song was sparked by, albeit not based too strictly on the 1972 film by French director Eric Rohmer. In some ways, Strange Mercy picks up on this technique. I’m thinking about color and trying to musically paint a picture.” I’m not really thinking about chords or even music. I knew how it looked, but how does it sound? How do I transfer these colors into music, because that’s often what I’m doing. “I took some visual cues from The Wizard Of Oz and old Disney cartoons from the 1930s and 40s. “I would try to rescore a scene,” she recalls. Most of the songs on Actor were written in front of her television, as she watched some of her favorite movies on mute. Having once studied to become a playwright, Clark plumbs cinema and theater for inspiration. It was essentially the pilot for their IFC sketch comedy series Portlandia.Ĭlark’s vision for St.

Her audience grew to include some high-profile fans: The video for the single “Laughing With A Mouth Of Blood” featured Fred Armisen of Saturday Night Live and Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney. Her 2009 follow-up, Actor, was similarly heady both in its lyrics and arrangements, the latter of which involved complicated combinations of guitar, woodwinds, synthesizers, horns, and choirs of backing vocals. Yet, even as she sings about her own misgivings and confusions, Clark still sounds steeled against the world, utterly confident in her point of view.įormerly a member of the Texas-based, Texas-size indie orchestra The Polyphonic Spree and the guitarist in Sufjan Stevens’ touring band, Clark released her first solo album, Marry Me, in 2007, earning raves for songs like “Jesus Saves, I Spend” and “What, Me Worry?” that blend incisive insights with mordant humor.

Her lyrics are pointed and direct, and her luminous vocals downcast and soulful, evoking the wild regality of Kate Bush and the alien expressiveness of David Bowie. Vincent’s music, but Strange Mercy represents a change in sound and tone for Clark, who puts her cerebral songwriting toward more emotional ends. That idea – that songs are stories whose unraveling reveals some kernel of wisdom beneath – is the bedrock of St.

Marilyn monroe diary fragments