Propaganda [EXTRA TRACKS] [IMPORT]

Sparks

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 15, 1994)
• Original Release Date: 1974
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Import
• Label: Island UK
• ASIN: B00000740H
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #136,668 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Japanese only SHM paper sleeve pressing. The SHM-CD [Super High Material CD] format features enhanced audio quality through the use of a special polycarbonate plastic. Using a process developed by JVC and Universal Music Japan discovered through the joint companies' research into LCD display manufacturing* SHM-CDs feature improved transparency on the data side of the disc* allowing for more accurate reading of CD data by the CD player laser head. SHM-CD format CDs are fully compatible with standard CD players. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ANOTHER SPARKS MASTERPIECE!, October 23, 2004

By	Madeline Bocaro "Madeline X" (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This album instilled in me the burning desire to drop leaflets from helicopters declaring Sparks the greatest band in the world!! Having no access to a helicopter at the age of fourteen, word traveled slowly but surely, by various subversive missives.

Despite the Maels' intentions to take a completely new direction, ignoring the successful formula of Kimono My House, it segued right into Propaganda. Sparks' third and fourth albums (both on Island Records) complemented each other like a pair of bookends. Britain's `Holy Trinity' Melody Maker, Sounds and NME raved! They gave Ron and Russell tremendous coverage, featuring lengthy interviews in which they mostly discussed their favourite topic...food!

In 1974, recorded immediately after the smashing British reception of Kimono My House, Propaganda retained the same producer, Muff Winwood (brother of Traffic's Steve Winwood). The album was made in the anglo-maniac Maels' new home, England with Sparks' live touring unit; bassist Ian Hampton (replacing Martin Gordon from the Kimono sessions) and guitarist Trevor White - both former Jook members, (the late) Adrian Fisher also on guitar and drummer, Dinky Diamond.

The album cover of Propaganda launched a succession of hilarious cover shots, presenting the frail Mael brothers in extraordinary predicaments, usually helplessly victimized in some way. Here they are on the south coast of England - abducted, bound and gagged at the back of a speeding boat, and on the back cover, held hostage at a petrol station in the rear of a car. Their captors (Ian, Dinky and Trevor) are fiendishly deciding their fate. The inner sleeve finds the brothers breaking their ties and attempting to telephone for help.

Russell shines on the a'capella title track, with his voice overdubbed 30 times! The rest of the songs are sung in various narratives; the voices of animals left behind on Noah's ark ("Bon Voyage"), a kid who likes taking candy from strangers (potential abductors) but can't understand why he shouldn't ("Thanks But No Thanks"), a girlfriend being bribed by abundant eccentric gifts to keep her from divulging incriminating information ("Something For The Girl With Everything"), a cowardly army recruit ("Reinforcements") and many more. This was some of the most multifaceted pop music ever recorded. It was almost operatic with its amazing range and orchestrations, sudden tempo changes and strange storylines - and it rocked! Gilbert & Sullivan would have either been proud or envious!

Guitarist Trevor White told Goldmine in July, 1995, "'Achoo' ended with this really great characteristic long solo... (from Adrian) and they wiped it off and put on all those horrid multi-tracked sneezes. They figured everyone had heard a guitar solo, but they hadn't heard us all sneezing." Yes, guitar solos are a dime a dozen, but sneezing on a Sparks record was groundbreaking! Unfortunately, it never did catch on.

1974 brought Sparks four hits in the UK Top Twenty within nine months. The album charted instantly, and "Something For The Girl With Everything" / "Marry Me" reached #17. All of the UK singles from Propaganda contained non-LP B-sides.

In October of 1974, "Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth" /"Alabamy Right" reached #13. It was the nearest thing to a ballad that Sparks had ever done, featuring beautiful mellotron and synth strings.

Sparks were uncomfortably wedged somewhere between Glam and Rock although they were neither one entirely. As refreshing as their music was to some, it was equally annoying to others - a high standard which Sparks maintain to this day!

The Propaganda album elaborately set the stage for Sparks' next excursion...the inimitable Indiscreet.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Ever-Interesting Sparks, April 22, 2005

By	Michael C. Browning (Palm Beach Gardens, FL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I came to the Sparks roundabout. I was listening to one of the last BBC shortwave radio broadcasts to the U.S., to John Peel's pop show (Peel died in 2004) and was gobsmacked at "This town ain't big enough for the Both of Us." I've collected the group since then. This is an interesting album for completists. The Sparks are an extremely quirky group, at times banal, at times geniuses. "Don't Turn Your Back On Mother Earth," "B.C." and "Bon Voyage" are extremely good. The rest of the entries are, well, extremely sparky and adventurous, but they don't always succeed. Still, this is a remarkable group. They almost make a fetish of clarity, incredible chromatic chord changes, like Richard Strauss on 78 rpm, and they are always on key. They do really astounding arpeggios and the notes are like gunshots, dead-on. They have very Dada lyrics, which are often extremely funny and witty. I can see why they were popular in Germany. In short, they're a remarkable musical combination, completely out of the ordinary and still thought-provoking after all these years. Some good came of the 1970s. This is not average music. This is very original.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NEVER TURN YOUR BACK ON SPARKS, January 15, 2004

By	F. M. Moses "insultant1" (Blacklick, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm not that old, but my 1st copy of this album was on 8-track (found it in the bargain bins for less than a dollar)! Some years later I finally upgraded to vinyl. Here I am again downgrading to compact-disc. Don't get me wrong...it's great to hear these songs skip/scratch free w/2 bonus tracks included. "Propaganda" was the 2nd Sparks album I had ever purchased. I came late, during the "Angst in my Pant" era, but since then, I have never lost interest in the Mael brothers. It's great to see such a large following of the band after so many years. "Propaganda" is probably the music industry's best decision to re-issue in the last decade. But, as you can see, it is only available as an "import." This import is worth those extra dollars you pay! Though I love "Kimono My House", "Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing" as well as the post-1974 albums, "Propaganda" has always remained my favorite. It's fun, witty, & the quickest 45 minutes of anyone's listening! Only the 1st Halfnelson/Sparks album (produced by Todd Rundgren)comes so close! Why aren't all of the Sparks' albums available in some shape or form? Why is there not at least an import version available of 77's "Introducing Sparks"? Well, loving Sparks after all these years is definately snobbery for all of us fans...for we know the secret ingredient that the music industry has been missing after all of these years. "Propaganda" is proof that Sparks' fans are simply a "fun bunch of guys that come from outer space!"