Kimono My House is glammier
― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 19:14 (seventeen years ago) link
(ie more guitar and a little heavier)
the middle ground and my personal favorite of the glam-trio is definitely Propaganda (love that sleeve!)
― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 19:15 (seventeen years ago) link
kimono is their best
― Zeno, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 19:15 (seventeen years ago) link
of the Moroder era No. 1 Song in Heaven is the one to get.
http://graphikdesigns.free.fr/sparks-propaganda-cover/sparks-propaganda-front.jpg http://graphikdesigns.free.fr/sparks-propaganda-cover/sparks-propaganda-back.jpg
― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 19:16 (seventeen years ago) link
these guys really have a way with awesome album covers!
― M@tt He1ges0n, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 19:18 (seventeen years ago) link
I got all their records through "Lost in Space" in Amsterdam for like $2 apiece several years ago - the two early ones on Rundgren's label are good little glampop slices as well ("Girl From Germany" is high-larious), Viscontin definitely upped the ante arrangement-wise tho. The Morodoer stuff is on a whole other level. By the time they hit the 80s things were getting a little spotty but there's always at least a few really great, clever singles on the albums.
― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 19:24 (seventeen years ago) link
Echoing the above, Kimono and Number One -- I'd also suggest Angst In My Pants for the eighties incarnation and the last two, Li'l Beethoven and Hello Young Lovers.
Oh BTW, seems as good a place to mention that Introducing Sparks -- actually their *seventh* album (long story) -- is finally getting an official CD release in a month or so.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 19:49 (seventeen years ago) link
No love for "Whomp That Sucker"? A slight return to their glam days, "Tips for Teens" and "That's Not Nastasia" are great.
― everything, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 19:57 (seventeen years ago) link
Indiscreet was my first, too, and from there I think I backtracked to Propaganda. Can't go wrong with Kimono, either, and if you like the "holy trinity," those first two are ridiculously brilliant early works. (Agreed, Visconti's production found a way to channel the weirdness of the first two a bit.)
― Dan Peterson, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 19:57 (seventeen years ago) link
Whomp That Sucker also has "Mustache", right...? that song is great.
― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 20:20 (seventeen years ago) link
Moustache is on "Angst In My Pants," also a pretty good Sparks record overall.
― Dan Peterson, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 20:40 (seventeen years ago) link
Forget the old stuff, for the time being anyway, next get Lil' Beethoven and then Hello Young Lovers.
― Billy Dods, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 21:01 (seventeen years ago) link
I really really like Hello Young Lovers! All other recommendations seconded as well.
― sleeve, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 23:28 (seventeen years ago) link
I felt like a theif, getting Propoganda and #1 Song in Heaven for a $3 each from a used store recently.
― I eat cannibals, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 23:59 (seventeen years ago) link
thief even.
I play the first five quite often, but while I like some songs here and there, I'm not too into any of the later stuff. I've played Lil Beethoven way too much, trying to make it "click". I'm not big on keyboard-orchestras.
Anyways, I'm really just posting to put this here http://graphikdesigns.free.fr/sparks-propaganda-cover/sparks-propaganda-rear.jpg
― Øystein, Thursday, 20 September 2007 09:42 (seventeen years ago) link
A friend of mine reckoned he knew which petrol station that was.
We met them (why/how is a long story), and he actually asked them if it was the petrol station he thought it was. They said yes. (I suspect they were being nice)...
― Mark G, Thursday, 20 September 2007 09:46 (seventeen years ago) link
I just got 'Propaganda' and it's awesome, almost good as 'Kimono My House'.
― zeus, Thursday, 20 September 2007 15:18 (seventeen years ago) link
got propaganda and like it a lot as well.
also:
o_O
http://www.tinymixtapes.com/Sparks-to-Perform-Their-Entire
― M@tt He1ges0n, Thursday, 29 November 2007 17:08 (sixteen years ago) link
Indeed. ;-)
Sparks. Live May/June 2008 in London. EVERY album.
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 29 November 2007 17:09 (sixteen years ago) link
oh god i wana go see angst in my pants so bad
― chaki, Thursday, 29 November 2007 18:02 (sixteen years ago) link
oops sorry ned! didn't see that one
― M@tt He1ges0n, Thursday, 29 November 2007 18:10 (sixteen years ago) link
I just got the Introducing Sparks CD reissue (first time apparently), the 7th studio album from '77. I really like this! Sure, it's not nearly as awesome as Kimono My House or No. 1 In Heaven.. but I like it more than Big Beat, which I also like.
Introducing Sparks is Sparks' mid-70s Beach Boys / "Have A Nice Day" cool-out album. Half this album is great! The rest is alright. Not worth killing to get, but it's better than most of the 80s albums, absolutely.
Standouts: "Occupation", "Forever Young", "Those Mysteries"
It's a small sounding album compared to their best 70s albums, which may be why they felt embarrassed by it. Or maybe it was that one line in "Ladies". But if you're a Sparks completist, you should get this, and you won't be sorry you got it.
three thoughts:
* I think opinions of this album would stand as pretty low had they just made this available like almost all their albums. I'm sure I'm listening to this in a pool in cognitive dissonance.
* This album would be vastly improved as a live performance in mid 2008!
* Fuck, won't you people just put me in your will so I can fly over to London to see all these shows this summer already goddamnit?
― Mackro Mackro, Friday, 4 January 2008 05:25 (sixteen years ago) link
Classic, obv. The fact that this thread is almost 7 years old is enough to confirm that. And this post will fade out, yes this post will fade out, and this post will fade out.
― Soren Kierkegaard Existential Light Orchestra, Friday, 4 January 2008 16:39 (sixteen years ago) link
Loved your Sparks discography thing in the new Arthur, Ned! Read it yesterday. It definitely made me wanna hear some of the stuff i haven't heard and it also made me wish i still had all the Sparks vinyl I used to have! Ah well, a new project for me. Gotta catch 'em all!
― scott seward, Thursday, 15 May 2008 16:28 (sixteen years ago) link
Hey, thank ya sir! :-) It's interesting, I've received a lot of compliments along that line -- I really did want it to be an overview for everyone since I think so many people (understandably) know or focus on only one era or another. There are a couple of glitches that could be corrected, as well as some last minute errors that crept in which I missed, but hey, perfection can't always be had.
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 15 May 2008 16:41 (sixteen years ago) link
Just saw the movie Knock Off a few weeks ago. Van Damme+Rob Schneider+Mael brothers soundtrack= uh, something strange and wonderful
― BigLurks, Monday, 18 August 2008 16:22 (sixteen years ago) link
Very, very true.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 18 August 2008 16:42 (sixteen years ago) link
The titles alone are better than most bands careers.
― sleeve, Monday, 18 August 2008 17:29 (sixteen years ago) link
Just wanted to chime in on this. I enjoyed reading the guide, but had Arthur done or requested more editing, I think this would have been REALLY enjoyable. I admit I got lost reading the first few entries because they were each kinda long. Great if you're already a Sparks fan, of course, but I think many many folks would have made this a definitive shopping list and framed this had the blurbs been edited tightly, without resorting to Uncut/Mojo style hyper-hype-blurbs. I stress, I blame the editors here.
― Mackro Mackro, Monday, 18 August 2008 18:56 (sixteen years ago) link
Here's where I'm going to scare you -- the piece was actually heavily *cut down* for publication. (I put the uncut version on my blog in a series of posts.)
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 18 August 2008 19:12 (sixteen years ago) link
"Slowboat" is such a jam. One of those songs that I can't keep from singing when it's in my head.
― when I wake up I see my self bearfooted (clotpoll), Tuesday, 9 December 2008 22:09 (fifteen years ago) link
Nice. "Beaver O' Lindy" and "Moon Over Kentucky" tend to come to mind a lot from the early days.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 22:10 (fifteen years ago) link
i just CANNOT get into this band AT ALL save for the moroder LPs
― amateurist, Sunday, 24 May 2009 12:55 (fifteen years ago) link
http://maelbox.net/home.html
― J4mi3 H4rl3y (Snowballing), Tuesday, 28 July 2009 14:43 (fifteen years ago) link
Seems about right.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 28 July 2009 14:48 (fifteen years ago) link
Cuter than cats that look like Adolf Hitler.
― J4mi3 H4rl3y (Snowballing), Tuesday, 28 July 2009 14:49 (fifteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sGgDNfnfaQ
― Michael B, Tuesday, 28 July 2009 14:49 (fifteen years ago) link
I love Sparks, and not just because I'm a Moroder obsessive. The moment when they clicked for me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OegzI5lweOo
― sciolism, Tuesday, 28 July 2009 17:41 (fifteen years ago) link
And this post will fade out, yes this post will fade out, and this post will fade out....
I PREDICT!
No it won't. Revive! Sparks thoughts here! Seduction Of Ingmar Bergman, anyone? I hadn't even heard of it until today.
― Hodge Podge Bodge, Peo-PLE! (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 10 March 2011 21:31 (thirteen years ago) link
Still haven't heard that one! How is it?
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 10 March 2011 21:34 (thirteen years ago) link
I thought you of all people would know! The snippets I've heard are very intriguing.
One of the problems with Big Beat is that it followed such an incredible run of albums. It's very forgettable and probably my least favourite after Pulling Rabbits, Terminal Jive and maybe Whomp That Sucker.
― Kitchen Person, Thursday, March 10, 2011 9:13 PM (19 minutes ago)
Yeah, I think I was predisposed to give Big Beat more credit than it deserves, because I loved Indiscreet SO MUCH I really wanted to love the next one equally. I also thought the stripped-down sound was in keeping with what was happening in music at the time with Ramones, Talking Heads et al. I played it to death at the time, but now very rarely.
― Hodge Podge Bodge, Peo-PLE! (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 10 March 2011 21:39 (thirteen years ago) link
I actually think Big Beat is better than Indiscreet, mostly because it was more solid track-by-track and had a real agreeable and punchy style of songwriting
― frogbs, Thursday, 10 March 2011 21:47 (thirteen years ago) link
Indiscreet is a desert island disc of mine, a completely one-of-a-kind, over-the-top treasure trove, so preferring Big Beat is pretty interesting, but hey, that's what discussion boards are for! I still like it better than most of their 80s records.
― Hodge Podge Bodge, Peo-PLE! (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 10 March 2011 21:58 (thirteen years ago) link
well I'll have to give it another listen, but if I remember only four songs really stuck with me - "Hospitality on Parade", "In the Future", "Get in the Swing", and "Happy Hunting Ground"
― frogbs, Thursday, 10 March 2011 22:05 (thirteen years ago) link
i thought this was a sparks song for the longest time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh_PXrN1hNk
― scott seward, Wednesday, 6 April 2011 15:03 (thirteen years ago) link
you know, way back when. dug out the espionage lp from a box this morning and i gotta keep it for that song. always loved it.
― scott seward, Wednesday, 6 April 2011 15:04 (thirteen years ago) link
I thought this was, at first, back in the day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uia4dek9gfk
― Mark G, Wednesday, 6 April 2011 15:05 (thirteen years ago) link
^^^ love this song SO much, and yeah Sparks definitely had to be an influence. I've had this LP for so long, and I can't remember how or why I acquired it.
― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 6 April 2011 15:23 (thirteen years ago) link
I wonder if the fact that they were making Annette at around the same time made them less inclined to press that point - knowing that they were making their mark in a Proper Film, it might have been less important to have their rock doc be as odd as they themselves can be.
― Halfway there but for you, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 21:59 (two years ago) link
I think most Sparks fans will admit that not all their albums are good but yeah Pulling Rabbits seems to be the only one that's universally derided. Last year I decided to listen to all of Sparks' albums and it struck me that their songwriting was actually a lot more consistent than I'd remembered. The relative quality of the albums has more to do with the arrangements & production. That's why Kimono & Propaganda are universally regarded as classics, they had such a powerful glam/prog/power pop sound that just fills the room. Likewise No. 1 in Heaven still feels like it's from the future, it's so crisp and propulsive. And of course their modern albums all sound great & have intricate and full arrangements. On the other hand on their bad albums it's not just the songs, it's that they sound like garbage. Mostly those post-band 80s ones which either sound incredibly thin or have that stupidly loud reverb/choral effect on everything. Even Big Beat suffers from this, sounding like it was recorded in a shoebox.
But the songs themselves are generally salvageable. Check out the Plagiarism, particularly "Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat", which re-envisions the song as if it was written during the Li'l Beethoven sessions (though that album was still 5 years away!) - it's totally massive and honestly one of my favorites on the whole disc
― frogbs, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 22:09 (two years ago) link
Now that I think about it I'm surprised Plagiarism was barely mentioned - for one they got Mike Patton at the height of his fame, and that seems like a pretty significant influence. For two the direction they took on some of those tracks clearly pointed towards what they'd do for like...the entire 21st Century (so far). And yet in the documentary it's like..."eh, we had no ideas"
― frogbs, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 22:12 (two years ago) link
I also tried listening to them all last year too, and stopped after slogging through Angst In My Pants, which at only 36 minutes seemed as long as Berlin Alexanderplatz.
― Johnny Mathis der Maler (Boring, Maryland), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 22:14 (two years ago) link
Madness
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 23:13 (two years ago) link
As for Plagiarism, they've spoken before about how they were essentially talked into it, preferring not to look back in general. I think if it had just been a straight-up tribute album they'd be happy with it.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 23:14 (two years ago) link
Do the Maels or their fans in the film admit that any of the records were sub-standard?
― Halfway there but for you
I remember a few years back they were asked which was the worst Sparks album and they both answered Terminal Jive. I think it was in some questionnaire in Uncut Magazine maybe?
― kitchen person, Wednesday, 26 January 2022 01:46 (two years ago) link
Man, realized I forgot to post here about the LA show last month! Well, having seen that and last night's SF show to kick off the full tour, you absolutely want to go to this if you have even the slightest interest in the band. I've been seeing them regularly for a quarter of a century and every show has been great in its own way but both these recent shows were compact overviews of their whole career, and it's a great summary and perfect introduction to them if you're relatively new to them and a lovely retrospective if you're in deep like me. Ron dance in full effect of course, and Russell still has the pipes and energy to burn, not that I've ever seen him lack those. Good times for sure.
― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 12 March 2022 20:43 (two years ago) link
Aah, so jealous you got to see them at Disney Concert Hall! Definitely one of those times I was wishing I still lived in LA. I'll be seeing them next week at Big Ears though. Recent setlists look fantastic - I wish they were doing more from A Steady Drip, but hard to have any complaints about that song selection.
― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Monday, 14 March 2022 18:08 (two years ago) link
Saw them in New York last night. Great to see them on a much bigger stage. You can tell they've tailored the setlist to please people who saw the movie, but I don't care, it's all good. And they seemed genuinely thrilled by the reception they got. They said that both a new album and another movie musical is on the way. Amazing.
― Position Position, Tuesday, 29 March 2022 15:39 (two years ago) link
I had to miss them in St. Paul, I was out of town. I love that they're doing "Under The Table With Her," one of my favoritest faves.
― Three Rings for the Elven Bishop (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 29 March 2022 15:50 (two years ago) link
They've signed to Island. 50 years after they last signed to Island. And a new album is coming 26 May (days before I see them in London).
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Wednesday, 25 January 2023 01:09 (one year ago) link
Midnight Special, 1974
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IVTSdF-YzI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viAmueyo0cc
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 18 June 2023 19:59 (one year ago) link
Ooh, Sparks clock:
AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW: the exclusive 45th anniversary merch collection of the double album release of ‘No. 1 In Heaven’ & Sparks-produced ‘Is there more to life than dancing?’ by Noël. The double LP & CDs are available to order as well. ✨https://t.co/n0dS9eikhT pic.twitter.com/KOOdffZ9DC— S P A R K S (@sparksofficial) April 22, 2024
― paisley got boring (Eazy), Monday, 22 April 2024 17:52 (four months ago) link
$55 for two 5-inch-tall photo cut-outs of Ron and Russell to stand on your desk.
― bae (sic), Monday, 22 April 2024 18:31 (four months ago) link
Sparks tax is a problem.
― peace, man, Monday, 22 April 2024 18:44 (four months ago) link
In case some of you Sparks aficionados haven’t seen it, the long lost video for Noel’s “Dancing is Dangerous.” Directed by Mickey Dolenz!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nmn_AQ6fE0-
― The transparently flimsy and misleading (Dan Peterson), Monday, 17 June 2024 16:28 (three months ago) link