Sparks Album Reviews

Ron and Russell Mael grew up in Pacific Palisades, where their father was a graphic designer and caricaturist for Hollywood Citizen-News. The pair surfed and modelled for mail-order catalogues. They gravitated towards English bands like Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, The Move, and The Who

After a stint with a short-lived band named Urban Renewal Project, they formed Halfnelson in 1968. Ron played the electric piano, and Russell provided lead vocals. They were joined by the Mankey brothers, who played guitar and bass. They caught the attention of Todd Rundgren, who produced their 1971 debut album. They renamed Halfnelson to Sparks in 1972.

Sparks had relocated to England by the time of their third album, 1974’s Kimono My House. The hit ‘This Town Ain’t Big Enough for the Both of Us’ established them as glam stars alongside Bowie and Roxy Music. The Maels have constantly reinvented themselves. They shifted to disco with 1979’s No. 1 in Heaven and released acclaimed records in the 21st century like Lil Beethoven.

Sparks are a unique band, with Russell’s theatrical vocals and Ron’s quirky songs. The brothers have opposing styles – Russell is flamboyant, while Ron dresses conservatively and is motionless on stage. They’ve remained guarded about their personal lives, making them enigmatic. Their songs are sometimes infuriatingly thin, but they’re always interesting.

Sparks Album Reviews

Halfnelson/Sparks

1971, 8/10
The band’s debut was released in 1971 as Halfnelson, before being re-released in 1972 as Sparks. It features two sets of brothers- the Maels are joined by guitarist Earle Mankey, bassist Jim Mankey, and drummer Harley Feinstein. The record was produced by Todd Rundgren, who was keen to offer technical support without sacrificing the band’s quirks. Ron Mael later stated, “we were going into an expensive recording studio with Todd, but still banging on cardboard boxes and all.”

‘Wonder Girl’ was a minor hit in parts of Alabama and California. But the record gained more attention when it was re-released as a twofer after their mid-1970s success.

In a quirky catalogue, Sparks’ earliest work is their weirdest. The minimal, tightly wound sound anticipates the new wave style that would become popular a decade later, like the organ-driven ‘Fa La Fa Lee’.

The opening track, ‘Wonder Girl,’ is deeply weird, with Russell Mael’s keening, swooping vocal, Ron Mael’s odd electric piano part, and off-kilter percussion. The pair’s interest in pre-rock styles is clear on songs like ‘Slowboat’ and ‘Roger’. The gentle ‘Fletcher Honorama’ is another strong track.

The lyrics are also weird – my favourite track, ‘Simple Ballet’ is about an attempt to popularise ballet on television, with lines like “Instead of “Hey, orange drink,” vendors will say “Get your souvenir posters of the ballet!””

Earle Mankey wrote and sang lead vocals on the bizarre ‘Biology 2’ – his falsetto is oddly menacing, but it’s not as strong as the Mael’s songs.

Sparks is a bizarre record – it’s not the best place to start unless you love weirdness.

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A Woofer in Tweeter’s Clothing

1973, 6.5/10
On Sparks’ second album, they work with producer Thaddeus James Lowe, a Todd Rundgren associate who previously sang with the Electric Prunes. There are some adventurous arrangement choices like the string section on ‘Here Comes Bob’, but largely it’s less adventurous than the first. There’s more emphasis on Earle Mankey’s guitar, making the band closer to power-pop and less unique.

The songs aren’t as memorable as they were on the first record. The cover of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s ‘Do Re Mi’ was a live favourite. It’s one of my favourites here, but its inclusion indicates they were short of material.

The most interesting song is the closer ‘Whippings and Apologies’, an aggressive, attitude-laced rocker – it’s one of the toughest songs in the Sparks catalogue. The opening ‘Girl From Germany’ isn’t as memorable as ‘Wonder Girl’ on the previous record.

Weirdly, most modern copies of the record feature altered versions of the last four songs. They were slightly sped up to fit on a CD two-fer with Sparks. My CD copy also combines ‘Batteries Not Included’ with most of ‘Whippings and Apologies’, with the final 45 seconds of the latter in a separate track.

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Kimono My House

1974, 9/10
Sparks toured England in 1973, including a residency at the Marquee Club in London. They established a cult following and the Mael brothers relocated to London. They recruited a new backing band, with Martin Gordon on bass, Adrian Fisher on guitar, and Norman “Dinky” Diamond on drums.

Ron Mael changed instruments, using an RMI Electra-Piano model 300, because it was more robust for touring. Because the piano preset was “incredibly terrible”, he used an Echoplex tape echo, like John Martyn, to give it a shimmering sound.

Their insincere lyrics and Russell Mael’s operatic vocals fitted into the glam rock prevalent in the UK. Spearheaded by the hit ‘This Town Isn’t Big Enough for the Both of Us’, Kimono My House made it to #4 on the UK album charts. It’s deserved – the punchier band and clear production from Muff Winwood make this usually cult band accessible. One of the cover models, Michi Hirota later provided vocals to David Bowie‘s ‘It’s No Game’.

‘This Town…’, featuring Ron’s swirling piano and Russell’s operatic vocals, is a great start, but Kimono My House is solid throughout. ‘Amateur Hour’ is built around an exuberant guitar riff, while ‘Falling in Love With Myself Again’ is gently baroque. Despite the increased profile, the lyrics are still twisted – ‘Here in Heaven’ is about a suicide pact where only one member of the couple went through with it.

Kimono My House is an early peak from Sparks – I’m not sure they ever bettered it.

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Propaganda

1974, 8.5/10
Six months after Kimono My House, the Maels had another record in the shops. It’s very nearly as good. Propaganda is Sparks’ highest charting album in the States, reaching the giddy heights of #63.

It’s a little more sedate and sophisticated than Kimono My House. ‘Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth’, the lead single, is lush rather than manic. It was later covered by Americana chanteuse Neko Case.

The highlight is the greatest one-two punch in popular music, with the a capella ‘Propaganda’ leading into ‘At Home, At Work, At Play’, built around a great riff and an agile Russell Mael vocal. The frantic ‘B.C’. with its ragtime piano, is another highlight.

The middle of the second side feels inessential. But ‘Bon Voyage’ is a terrific closer, with a great piano riff and a vibrato-laden Russell vocal. There are some great outtakes from this era too – ‘Marry Me’ and ‘Alabamy Right’ are appended to the CD reissue and are among the band’s best.

Propaganda reprises the success of Kimono My House, but it’s an excellent record in its own right.

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Indiscreet

1975
The brothers start to stretch the glam formula here – there’s the swing of ‘Looks, Looks, Looks’ and the brooding ‘Tits’.

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I Want to Hold Your Hand (non-album single)

1976
Sparks released a notable Beatles cover in 1976, an ultra-smooth lounge version of ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’. It’s schmaltzy but it works thanks to a creamy smooth Russell Mael vocal. The b-side, ‘England’, is also worthwhile.

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Big Beat

1976, 7/10
The Sparks brothers returned to Los Angeles in 1976, breaking up the band’s glam-era lineup. They linked up with producer Rupert Holmes, later responsible for ‘Escape (The Piña Colada Song)’. Their band includes bassist Sal Maida, who played with Roxy Music.

It marks a distinct change in their sound – it’s a mainstream US rock record. It’s mixed bizarrely – that there’s barely any keyboard and the drums are dominant.

The lack of technical finesse takes this record down a couple of pegs, but the songs are generally fine. Big Beat features some of Sparks’ most provocative lyrics. There’s a mile-wide misogynistic streak on ‘Throw Her Away (and Get a New One)’, while ‘White Woman’ wouldn’t fly in the 21st century. My favourite song here is the typically over-the-top ‘I Like Girls’, with a histrionic Russell vocal.

Big Beat is a decent Sparks record but marred by a bizarre mix.

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Introducing Sparks

1977, 7/10
Introducing suffered from a poor reputation for years. It sold poorly and was out of print for much of the CD era. It’s confusingly titled given that it’s actually Sparks’ seventh album. Released in the year of punk, it largely delves into pre-rock music. It concentrates on the easy-listening lounge that was always part of their DNA, sometimes with Beach Boys harmonies. And it’s more serious than usual, with only a handful of silly songs. But despite these oddities, it’s an enjoyable Sparks record.

In 2014, a fan discovered a reel-to-reel tape with eight songs from the Introducing sessions/ This included two previously unheard outtakes, ‘Kidnap’ and ‘Keep Me’.

It probably doesn’t help the record’s reputation that my favourites are tucked away in the back end. ‘Over the Summer’ is an impressive Beach Boys pastiche with carefully arranged backing vocals. ‘Those Mysteries’ heads into torch song territory, albeit with Sparks’ usual witticisms – “Why, when I ask my Dad, does he say/’Go ask your Mom or just go away’?” The classic rock sound of ‘Girls on the Brain’, with slide guitar, is also unique in the Sparks catalogue. ‘Occupation’ is another rock track, ruminating on potential jobs like “we cowboys are a hardy breed/we eat our beans and tumbleweed.”

Introducing is a fascinating odd duck, even in Sparks’ singular catalogue.

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No. 1 in Heaven

1979
The Mael brothers’ collaboration with Giorgio Moroder is one of their most acclaimed records.

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Terminal Jive

1980, 5/10
Officially, Sparks worked again with Moroder on Terminal Jive. But it’s rumoured that his associate Harold Faltermeyer was their main collaborator for this less inspiring follow-up.

Moroder’s absence checks out – Terminal Jive is less unique than No. 1 in Heaven, as the addition of tough guitars makes it more generic. The second track, ‘Just Because You Love Me’, could have come from any faceless Cars imitator.

The opener ‘When I’m With You’ has some personality, with lines like “I almost feel normal when I’m with you”. It’s likeable disco-pop, with echoing Russells making for a great hook. There are a couple of other passable tracks like ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’.

But it’s all downhill after that. ‘Young Girls’ is (hopefully) satire, but it’s distasteful, and the formulaic music helps shape it into a career low. An instrumental version of ‘When I’m With You” indicates that they were running low on ideas at the time.

The title Terminal Jive is a synonym for last dance, and the group would thankfully change direction for their next release.

10 Best Sparks Songs

Propaganda/At Home, At Work, At Play
This Town Isn’t Big Enough for the Both of Us
Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth
Simple Ballet
I Like Girls
Falling In Love With Myself Again
Those Mysteries
I Want to Hold Your Hand
Alabamy Right