Sparks

Sparks | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 17, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Wounded Bird Records
• ASIN: B000CC3S4G
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #266,947 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Wonder Girl

2. Fa La Fa Lee

3. Roger

4. High C

5. Fletcher Honorama

6. Simple Ballet

7. Slowboat

8. Biology 2

9. Saccharin and the War

10. Big Bands

11. (No More) Mr. Nice Guys

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HEY, SAILOR!, January 27, 2006

By 

Kerry Leimer (Makawao, Hawaii United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sparks (Audio CD)

My first experience of Halfnelson, later Sparks, came courtesy of one of those "Various Artists" promotional albums. The track that was selected to represent the band was, of course, the least representative track from this, their debut album.

A near-novelty offering with its all-teen B-movie narrative intro, "Biology 2" is a song ostensibly about the gene pool -- for added measure, the song begins obligingly enough, down at the community pool -- that introduces us to that curious mix of lust, social pressure and low self esteem that later proves to be a guiding leitmotif of the Sparks catalog.

It's easy to imagine that anyone buying this record based on their exposure to "Biology 2" might be disappointed by an album that goes on to feature thinly veiled songs about incest, body fat considered in its relation to crucifixion and the struggle of a spent diva's avid fan to climb her fence and hit the high one. But then, what's not to love? This self-titled first album manages to scratch enough of the surface of one of rock's most oddly-expressive and prurient band of brothers so that we few listeners are exposed to an alternate reality no-one else dares or cares to address. It's also a chance to witness the emergence of a style that seems never to be duplicated. From the near soprano voice of Russell Mael and the meticulously structured compositions of brother Ron Mael, a new kind of pop starts to emerge. Still preoccupied with the traditional "I'm a boy and you're a girl" song settings, but in such persistently and hilariously unhealthy ways.

If you know how to listen to Sparks, you need to listen to their genesis. Or at least how they started.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Beginning, November 2, 2006

By 

Patrick W. Schubert (Santa Ana, California United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sparks (Audio CD)

The music contained on Sparks' debut LP is so unique and ahead of its time that, even 30 plus years and myriad musical developments and trends later, it remains original and difficult to pigeon hole. There is some resemblence to Roxy Music of the same era as well as Eno's subsequent solo records. There also may be a passing resemblence to same-era Zappa and pre-breakthrough Alice Cooper. But where the music of those artists, while often brilliant, can come across as weird for weirdness sake, The Mael brother's warped compositions appear organically eccentric, yet strangely accessable. In this respect, their music may be more akin-if not so much in sound, then execution- to The Incredible String Band. In any case, this is some truly imaginative and eclectic material. The songs run the gamut from such melodic and straightforward pop fare as "Slowboat" and "Wonder Girl" to the incredibly strange and facinating "Biology 2". Sparks would soon go on to conquer England with one of the greatest back to back musical efforts ever in KIMONO MY HOUSE and PROPAGANDA. And, while those two albums largely eclipse the material on this LP as well as its follow up, it is still no less essential.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars it made a permanent spark on my musical taste, March 28, 2008

By 

B. E Jackson (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sparks (Audio CD)

Sparks was very underrated back in the day. They had a talent for writing memorable songs left and right, and they are truly deserveing of the underrated tag if you ask me. If for nothing else, they were very consistent and there's NO filler on the debut album.

Not only that, but they have a distinct sound to their songwriting skills. They don't sound like Sweet, they don't sound like Badfinger, they don't sound like ELO, and they certainly don't sound like 10cc. So that makes Sparks unique in my eyes.

Sure, they don't contain the same level of diversity as say, the Beatles or David Bowie. But they are very good musicians who write very catchy songs, and that's really all you need in a pop band.

Highlights include the brightly danceable "Fa La Fa Lee", the delicately paced "Simple Ballet", and the spooky and haunting "Saccharin and the War". I can almost guarantee anyone who likes early 70's pop rock will love most of the songs on the debut album.