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 joined forces with the Mankey brothers, who played guitar and bass. Sparks 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, Queen, 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.

Sparks Album Reviews

Halfnelson/Sparks

1971, 8/10
The band’s debut, Halfnelson, was released in 1971 and 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. Todd Rundgren produced the record, 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 regions 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 fit 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.

Propaganda is more sedate and sophisticated than Kimono My House. The lead single, ‘Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth,’ is lush rather than manic. Americana chanteuse Neko Case later covered it.

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

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

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Indiscreet

1975, 7/10
After excelling with a pair of glam albums, Sparks stretched the formula with Indiscreet. They worked with producer Tony Visconti, who was already a fan of the group. He encouraged them towards more ambitious arrangements – there’s big band jazz on ‘Looks, Looks, Looks’ and a string quartet on ‘Under the Table With Her’. Indiscreet is often impressive, but it’s uneven – it sacrifices some of the energetic exuberance of their previous records.

Indiscreet is Sparks’ last record to feature their English band of Gordon, Fisher, and Diamond. The strongest tracks give their backing band space to shine. The glam of ‘Happy Hunting Ground’, ‘Get in the Swing’, and ‘How Are You Getting Home?’ are among the record’s best songs.

But the slower tracks are more uneven. I’ve always enjoyed ‘Tits’, a story of a man’s struggles with fatherhood. But songs like ‘Under the Table With Her’ and ‘Without Using Hands’ are often irritating – brave ventures into new territory, but not strong enough songs to stand under the weight.

Indiscreet is valiant, but sometimes its reach extends its grasp.

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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 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 – 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 some 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 few silly songs. But despite these oddities, it’s an enjoyable Sparks record.

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.

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’.

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No. 1 in Heaven

1979, 9/10
Sparks made interesting records in the second half of the 1970s, but nothing connected like their 1974 glam albums. They told a journalist about their admiration of young Italian producer Giorgio Moroder, known for his hits with Donna Summer. The German journalist was a friend of Moroder, and the duo ended up working with Moroder in his Munich studio.

No. 1 in Heaven successfully reinvents the band. Moroder’s an engaged collaborator, credited as a co-writer on most tracks. Sparks break out of the band format, with all the instrumentation coming from keyboards and drummer Keith Forsey. They spread their ideas over six long tracks. The glassy keyboards juxtapose effectively with Mael’s excitable vocals.

The first side is impressive, with ‘Tryouts for the Human Race’ and ‘Academy Award for Performance’. But it’s the second side that holds the key songs. ‘Beat the Clock’ is histrionic, even by Russell Mael’s usual standards. ‘My Other Voice’ is mostly instrumental, but the vocal section is gorgeous. And the centrepiece is the lengthy ‘The Number One Song in Heaven’, with Russell reaching some impressively high notes.

After an inconsistent run in the second half of the 1970s, the synth-driven No. 1 in Heaven is one of Sparks’ best 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 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 makes it a career low point. An instrumental version of ‘When I’m With You” indicates the Maels were running low on ideas.

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

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Whomp That Sucker

1981, 7/10
It was difficult for Sparks to tour the synth-heavy No. 1 in Heaven, so they returned to working with a band. The new wave and synth-pop sounds of Whomp That Sucker are a natural fit for Sparks, the style that they predicted a decade earlier. They’d continue in this vein for much of the 1980s. Whomp That Sucker was recorded at Moroder’s Musicland Studios, with Mack producing.

Whomp That Sucker is light on great songs, but it’s fast-moving and fun. It starts strongly – ‘Tips for Teens’ launches abruptly and is a strong opener. ‘Funny Face’ has an unusual instrumental section for a Sparks record – it could have come from Jackson Browne’s ‘Running on Empty’.

The second side is weaker, but even the less-developed tracks like ‘Suzie Safety’ are passable. ‘The Willys’ is fun, with Russell’s voice rising exuberantly and lines like “It’s hard to explain/Like Citizen Kane/To someone who’s blind.”

Whomp That Sucker is fun, but I can’t imagine returning to it often.

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Angst in My Pants

1982, 8/10
Angst in My Pants marks the peak of Spark’s early-1980s synth-pop and new-wave phase. It’s quirky and fun, with zany titles like ‘Moustache’ and ‘Eaten by the Monster of Love’. There’s continuity from the last album, with Mack producing, and the same backing band with guitarist Bob Haag, bassist Leslie Bohem, and drummer David Kendrick. It’s like a refinement of the previous record, with more depth, a tougher sound, and better songwriting.

The weaker songs can be irritating – the hook of ‘Instant Weight Loss’ is one of my least favourite Sparks moments. But there are great moments too. My favourite is ‘Moustache’, especially the quickfire second verse.

I tried a handlebar design, my Fu Manchu was real fine
.My Ronald Colman made ’em blink
My Pancho Villa made ’em think

Moustache

The opening title track is surprisingly slow-burning for a Sparks track, taking almost a minute to get to the chorus hook. The Maels use the punchy, energetic sound to their advantage on tracks like ‘Sextown USA’, ‘Nicotina’, and ‘Eaten By The Monster of Love’.

Angst in My Pants is the highlight from Sparks’ uneven 1980s.

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In Outer Space

1983, 6.5/10
Sparks scaled back the new wave elements of their previous couple of albums for In Outer Space. It’s closer to synth-pop, with the Mael brothers producing. In its more restrained moments, it’s smooth and romantic like contemporary Roxy Music.

Although the sound is more frothy, the lyrics are less gimmicky than usual for a Sparks album. Driven by the minor hit single ‘Cool Places’, In Outer Space cracked the Billboard Top 100, giddy heights for a Sparks album in the States.

‘Cool Places’ features The Go-Gos’ Jane Wiedlin, who was reportedly dating Russell around this time. It’s one of Sparks’ most accessible songs, with the pair trading lines. Wiedlin also appears on ‘Lucky Me, Lucky You’.

Elsewhere, ‘Popularity’ delves into the robotic synth sounds of Kraftwerk. ‘All You Ever Think About Is Sex’ is droll and effective, as is the closer ‘Dance Godammit’. But at its worst, Outer Space feels generic, like ‘Prayin’ for a Party’ and ‘A Fun Bunch of Guys From…’.

Despite its success, In Outer Space was one of Sparks’ weaker albums to date.

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Pulling Rabbits out of a Hat

1984, 5/10
The three records Sparks released between 1984 and 1988 are considered the weakest patch in their discography. Ron Mael started using a Fairlight sequencer, plunging the band’s sonic palette into the depth of the 1980s. Artists like Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel used the Fairlight to carve adventurous soundscapes. But textural exploration wasn’t Sparks’ strength at this point – Pulling Rabbits sounds ponderous and generic.

Despite the dated sound palette, Pulling Rabbits isn’t horribly embarrassing. But it’s often dull and forgettable, with little of Sparks’ usual wit and verve. ‘With All My Might’ was a rare attempt from Ron to write a strait-laced song. It failed to chart, but it’s one of the few memorable songs here. The pair of instrumentals ‘Sparks in the Dark’ are particularly uneventful.

Pulling Rabbits isn’t a total write-off. The title track is enjoyable, even if it sounds better in 1990s style on Plagiarism. The funk excursions like ‘Pretending to be Drunk’ and ‘Progress’ sound fine, but don’t have staying power.

Pulling Rabbits out of a Hat isn’t particularly good, but worse was to come.

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Music That You Can Dance To

1986, 3/10
Sparks descended further into the 1980s with Music That You Can Dance To. As the title suggests, it’s a return to the dance sounds they were exploring around the turn of the 1980s. But while Giorgio Moroder furnished them with a cutting-edge sensibility in 1979, in 1986 they’re chasing trends, albeit with an offbeat sensibility. Infested by saxophones and female backing vocalists, Music sometimes sounds like a half-hearted attempt to mimic The Pet Shop Boys.

Despite the malaise, interesting moments try to break out of these songs. ‘Rosebud’ is a fascinating concept for a song. “In the real world with real flesh and real blood/One word is never, ever enough” is a great conclusion. Russell’s vocal on the title track is impressively warm – not unlike Prefab Sprout.

There are two different versions of Music That You Can Dance To. The US version includes the 1985 single ‘Change’, while the international version includes ‘Armies of the Night’. They’re two of the better songs from the era. It would have made more sense to drop the bizarre, stilted ‘Let’s Get Funky’ or ‘Shopping Mall of Love’, both contenders for the worst Sparks song.

Sparks were going through a rough patch in the second half of the 1980s. You can skip this one unless you’re especially dedicated.

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Interior Design

1988, 4/10
The Maels concluded their directionless end to the 1980s with Interior Design. Their backing band quit after Music That You Can Dance To, and they didn’t tour to support the new record. As with the previous record, their personality is subsumed under 1980s production. But it’s a step up – there are fewer embarrassing moments and some genuine highlights.

The best songs are impressive. ‘The Toughest Girl in Town’ has a pretty ascending melody, and the synth arrangement is an asset rather than a handicap. The maudlin ‘A Walk Down Memory Lane’ is also strong.

Other potentially decent songs are buried under dated arrangements. Songs like ‘So Important’ and ‘Love-O-Rama’ just need a bit more musical and lyrical bite.

Interior Design is an artistic recovery after Music That You Can Dance To. But the Maels still felt directionless, and they’d take a long break from albums after this.

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Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins

1994, 6.5/10
There’s a six-year gap in Sparks’ discography after Interior Design. The Maels took a hiatus from Sparks as they sought to make the Japanese manga series, Mai, The Psychic Girl, into a movie.

After an indifferent end to the 1980s, Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins isn’t a stunning comeback. But it’s the most competent Sparks album in quite some time. As on their later 1980s albums, they feel more like followers than pioneers. Gratuitous Sax is akin to the early 1990s Pet Shop Boys, with the polite dance beats of Very. But it’s respectable, and there’s at least one terrific song.

That song is ‘When Do I Get To Sing “My Way”?’. For Sparks, it’s a surprisingly sincere commentary on the nature of fame. Also notable is ‘I Thought I Told You to Wait in the Car’, a histrionic, repetitive track that points the way forward to their 21st-century reinvention.

Like Propaganda, Gratuitous Sax opens (and closes) with a brief a capella track. B-side ‘National Crime Awareness Week’ is one of the better songs from the sessions and should have been included on the album.

Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins doesn’t live up to its clever title, but it was the strongest Sparks album for some time.

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Plagiarism

1997
Plagiarism isn’t a studio album of new songs. Instead, it’s an album of reworks from the brothers’ catalogue.

The tracklisting is somewhat unimaginative. Half of the tracks come from their big 1970s albums (Kimono, Propaganda, and Heaven), and the other half are from the 1980s and 1990s.

Faith No More appear on ‘Something for the Girl with Everything’ and ‘This Town Isn’t Big Enough for the Both of Us’. There’s also a full version of ‘Propaganda’ – the original version was a brief snippet.

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Balls

2000, 6.5/10
Balls is arguably the least interesting record in the Sparks catalogue. Its sound is similar to Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins. It’s another Eurodance-style record, although it sounds better with a tougher and more detailed production. Impressively, the Maels self-produced Balls. It doesn’t have a standout song to spearhead it, but it’s arguably more consistent than Gratuitous Sax.

The opening title track is fun, with the bouncing sound effect behind Russell’s delicious pronunciation of “balls”. ‘Aeroflot’ is surprisingly guitar-driven and engaging. ‘It’s a Knockoff’ was written for a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie

Like every other Sparks album between Angst in Your Pants and Lil’ Beethoven, you’re in dedicated-fans-only territory with Balls. Sparks would successfully reinvent themselves for the 21st century with their next record.

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Lil’ Beethoven

2002, 8.5/10
I wouldn’t have slogged through twenty years of middling Sparks albums if there wasn’t light at the end of the tunnel. Sparks had already written a follow-up album to Balls. But frustrated by the results, they retreated to Russell’s home studio to find a new sound.

The sound they created features layers of keyboards and vocals, framing minimalist, repetitive songs. It wouldn’t work for every band, but it fits the Mael’s offbeat sensibilities and flamboyant vocals.

The thinking behind that album was we wondered if there was a way to have an aggressive kind of sound that wasn’t using guitars. We weren’t out to make some sort of pseudo-classical album at all. 

Ron Mael, Sound on Sound

The opening ‘The Rhythm Thief’ is self-referential, explaining how the band have dropped the electronic beats of their 1990s records. The peak of the new approach is ‘My Baby’s Taking Me Home’, where Russell repeats the title phrase for almost the entire song. It’s captivating anyway, and the moment where the guitars and rhythm hit demonstrates how the rest of the record is impressively rhythmic without them. The closing ‘Suburban Homeboy’ is an anomaly, with an English music hall flavour. But it’s one of the most memorable songs with lines like “She yo yo’s me and I yo yo her back”.

Lil’ Beethoven is Sparks’ amazing comeback after years in the wilderness. It’s one of their best albums, the duo reinvented for the 21st century.

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Hello Young Lovers

2006, 8/10
Hello Young Lovers builds on the innovations of Lil’ Beethoven. The Maels add a full band to the sound they developed on Lil’ Beethoven. It’s almost as strong as its predecessor, another late-career highlight. Regrettably, It faced marketing difficulties after the single ‘Dick Around’ was banned by the BBC for its obscene title.

The closer, ‘As I Sit Down to Play the Organ at the Notre Dame Cathedral’, is a top-tier Sparks song. I love the premise, a Church musician upset that he’s upstaged by God.

Elsewhere, ‘Metaphor’ is one of Spark’s funniest songs as the misguided narrator confidently asserts “chicks dig, dig, d-I-g, dig, dig metaphors.” And Hello Young Lovers starts brilliantly with the dynamic ‘Dick Around’ and the excellent ‘Perfume’.

Nearly 40 years after the Maels’ first recordings as Urban Renewal Project, Hello Young Lovers is impressively energetic and imaginative.

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Exotic Creatures of the Deep

2008, 7/10
Sparks keep up their 21st-century resurgence with Exotic Creatures of the Deep. It moves away from the sound they developed on Lil’ Beethoven but retains the vitality. It’s reminiscent of 1982’s Angst in My Pants, with high-energy songs that border on irritating.

It’s notable for its release strategy. Sparks played a series of concerts, one dedicated to each of their twenty previous albums, before premiering Exotic Creatures on the 21st night.

The Maels are even more frivolous than usual on songs like ‘Let the Monkey Drive’ and ‘(She Got Me) Pregnant’. ‘Intro’ is a great opener with Russell’s quivering high register. ‘This is the Renaissance’ is a hidden gem of the second half, an excuse for Ron to write lines like “Music’s gone wild/No Gregorian here/Contrapuntal music is the music/That your parents fear.”

Sparks have much better albums, but Exotic Creatures is a solid effort from two guys nearing retirement age.

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The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman

2009, not rated
The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman is a radio musical rather than a studio album of new songs. It was commissioned by Sweden’s national broadcasting service, Sveriges Radio. It’s based on a fictionalised account of Bergman trying to establish a career in Hollywood. In reality, Bergman’s career was based in Europe.

The Times reports that Seduction is “a very Sparksian undertaking – painstaking and slightly ludicrous – to make a musical about an art-house film director, with a very complicated plot, for the radio.”

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FFS

2015, 7.5/10
Glasgow band Franz Ferdinand hit #3 in the UK singles chart with the irresistible new-wave-dance song ‘Take Me Out’. They have common ground with Sparks, both bands sharing a leaning toward ironic glam and new wave. They first discussed working together in 2004, shortly after Franz Ferdinand’s debut, and songs like ‘Piss Off’ date back to this era. The groups reconnected in 2013 after the Maels bumped into Alex Kapranos in San Francisco – he cracked a tooth on tour and was walking to Huey Lewis’s dentist.

The FFS acronym is witty, although the Maels could also have chosen to work with Fear Factory, the Foo Fighters, or Fleet Foxes.

Some songs are written by the Maels, like the opener ‘Johnny Delusional’ and the closer ‘Piss Off’. ‘Little Guy from the Suburbs’ is written by Alex Kapronos, but many songs are co-written by the two bands. Despite the collaboration, Russell Mael’s quivering tenor is the dominant vocal, so FFS feels more like a Sparks record. It’s a strong Sparks record, full of fun and hooks.

Unlike the last Sparks album, FFS is funny without being irritating. ‘Collaborations Don’t Work’ is a hilarious track to put on a shared album. ‘Police Encounters’ and ‘Dictator’s Son’ are energetic and fun.

FFS was a one-off collaboration, but it was surprisingly successful.

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Hippopotamus

2017, 8/10
When Hippopotamus was released, it had been almost a decade since the last regular Sparks studio album. But Hippopotamus is ridiculously strong for a pop band with its songwriter in his seventies. It mixes styles – a full band on tracks like ‘So Tell Me Mrs. Lincoln Aside From That How Was The Play?’, and the repetitive, synthesised, Lil’ Beethoven approach on the title track. Hippopotamus arguably outstays its welcome at 15 tracks, but it’s mostly terrific. Like other vintage artists in a fragmented market, Hippopotamus was Sparks’ highest charting album in years. It cracked the UK top ten, the first time for Sparks since Propaganda in 1974.

Hippopotamus presents different facets of Sparks. It’s often frivolous, with silly songs like ‘Missionary Position’. But there’s sometimes a serious tone that you wouldn’t usually expect from a Sparks album, like the resignation of ‘I Wish You Were Fun’ and the grumpy God of ‘What the Hell is it This Time’.

There are also new explorations sonically. The acoustic guitar of ‘Missionary Position’ isn’t usual for a Sparks album, while American Rebecca Sjöwall sings the closing ‘Life of the Macbeth’. While other perky Sparks albums sometimes grate, Hippopotamus goes down easily.

Hippopotamus is an impressive late-career work from Sparks – most bands phone it in at that age.

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A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip

2020, 7.5/10
Sparks worked on two projects after Hippopotamus. Edgar Wright worked on a documentary about their career, while they worked on the musical Annette. But between these two larger projects, they recorded a studio album. A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip is the most straightforward and accessible album in the Sparks’ catalogue. Like Hippopotamus, it mixes full-band and synth-orchestrated tracks.

A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip features the first use of the f-word in Sparks’ catalogue. Ron Mael dryly noted that “We held off for 23 albums.”

The record starts uncharacteristically with ‘All That’ – the handclaps and acoustic guitar are off-brand for Sparks. Russell’s voice is still agile enough to deliver ‘Onomato Pia’, which recalls their 1970s glam records. ‘Lawnmower’ is another simple but effective track with stacked Russell vocals, like the previous record’s ‘Hippopotamus’.

Steady Drip. Drip. Drip is short on great songs, but it’s energetic and enjoyable.

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The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte

2023, 7.5/10
These late-period Sparks albums continue to impress. The Maels have a great backing band, arguably as strong as their 1970s glam era. Their ability to switch styles between full-band and synth-based arrangements gives them tonal variety. Meanwhile, the Maels’ gifts for songwriting and athletic voice remain intact.

Sparks are back with Island Records for the first time since 1976. Cate Blanchett starred in the video for the title track, the album’s lead single.

Particularly memorable songs include ‘When You Leave’, an inversion of Steely Dan‘s ‘Josie’. ‘Escalator’ is another charming and repetitive synth-based song.

There are more traces of glam than usual. ‘Not That Well-Defined’ recaptures a big glam sound. ‘Nothing Is as Good as They Say It Is’ is written from the perspective of a “22-hour old baby who is disgusted with the world, and wants to return to the womb”.

Sparks 21st-century resurgence is impressive, and The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte is a fine addition to their catalogue.

20 Best Sparks Songs

Propaganda/At Home, At Work, At Play
This Town Isn’t Big Enough for the Both of Us
As I Sit Down to Play the Organ at the Notre Dame Cathedral
The Number One Song in Heaven
Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth
When Do I Get To Sing “My Way”?
My Baby’s Taking Me Home
Tits
Falling In Love With Myself Again
Moustache
Beat the Clock
Simple Ballet
The Toughest Girl in Town
Alabamy Right
Something For The Girl With Everything
Those Mysteries
Johnny Delusional
So Tell Me Mrs Lincoln Aside From That How Was The Play
Cool Places
I Want to Hold Your Hand