Kimono My House

How does one assess an album by an act as idiosyncratic as Sparks? simple: you listen to Kimono My House, and you conclude that it's great. Job done. Kimono My House is the album that brought the brothers Mael to stardom, and placed them within the glam pantheon. Wonderfully, Sparks has never stopped, and indeed they're enjoying a deserved second flush of critical and commercial success. So how does the album that propelled them to fame affect the listener today? Sparks have one of the most well-developed sense of humour of any band (one aspect of this 1001 album exercise is that it made me realise how important it is for a band to have a sense of humour about them, rather than disappear up their own fundament mewling about how tortured they supposedly are). One must surely delight at the smutty erudition of the lines: You mentioned kant and I was shocked You know, where I come from, none of the girls have such foul tongues The album is festooned with such zingers. The music itself is highly stylised, baroque even, but that's authentically Sparks: Ron and Russell are educated, wry chaps steeped in the history of songwriting, so primitivism would just be an ill-fitting garb for Sparks. Be thankful that Sparks pursue such a singular muse, and that the made a singularly great album as this.

You know how George Costanza said he would drape himself in velvet if it were socially acceptable? This is how I feel about this album. I just want to luxuriate in it all day long. Oh my, yes I'm weird. I have a special fondness for glam-era Mael brothers. Their music is so over the top, exuberant and whimsical. It's the word "dandified" in musical form. Did I also mention it rocks? Of all the band's albums, I think Kimono My House might be my favorite. The quality is consistent throughout and thoroughly entertaining. It’s an album full of fun, campy musical confections, with lush, frolicking arrangements, and a delightful sense of humor. It’s not all for show either; Sparks has real musical chops to back up their showy tendencies. This is an album that’s a pleasure to listen to, on every level. This band loves what they're doing, and it shows. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Falling in Love with Myself Again, Equator, This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us, Barbecutie, Here in Heaven, Lost and Found, Thank God It's Not Christmas, In My Family, Amateur Hour, Talent is an Asset, Complaints, Hasta Manana Monsieur

I honestly have no idea what the fuck is going on.

It's a bad sign when you find yourself checking to see how many songs are left.

Ah, Sparks. A band where you're aware of how influential they are, and maybe you know a couple of their songs. But then you think about it, or maybe do a bit of research, and suddenly they're everywhere, permeating through western music through the past fifty years. This album is good. Like, really good. But having This Town as the opening track is the icing. Like so many Sparks tracks, it sounds like it could be a novelty record. But it is not. There is lyricism, vocal excellence, tunefulness... It has so much going for it that it's almost impossible to play it down. Let's talk about Russell Mael's vocals. I put the album on while driving, and despite having this song in my life for, well, my whole life, I found myself thinking "Hang on, are Sparks women?". No. Russell Mael just has an absolutely incredible voice. Ron's keyboards are just as good, balancing tune and melody perfectly. I really don't think I can wax effusive about this track enough. The rest of the album doesn't reach the heights of This Town, but in literally any other context they're superb. The brothers Mael are showing off talent by the bucketload, creating a unique sound that endures. On the back of this album selection, I went off and watched The Sparks Brothers documentary, directed by Edgar Wright (my second reference to Wright in my reviews, but this time in an entirely positive way) and was blown away by literally a fifty year ouvre, including of course Johnny Delusional - a track from their 2015 supergroup team up in FFS - which might be one of the best tracks of the 21st century. I'd say listen to this album. Then go off and listen to more Sparks. Excellent.

This sounded like nothing else on the radio in 1974 when I bought this album (they looked like no other band as well). Elements of glam Bowie and Roxy Music, while predating some of the theatricality of Kate Bush. I was all in hook, line and sinker. This is still one of their best. Great melodies (and lots of twists and turns along the way) and very witty lyrics. For me too many highlights to mention, although This Town Isn't Big Enough, Hasta Manana Mousier and Talent Is an Asset are standouts. Loved this in 1974, still do.

This one was incredibly weird for a whole number of reasons (most of which should be pretty obvious if you listen to the album). Another way in how it's weird is how good and interesting and varied the music is under all of the layers of weirdness and showmanship. Most glam rock just tends to be style over substance in my opinion. But these guys manage to do both. Not only does this album sound like it must have been hugely influential for a wide range of new wave, synth pop and rock bands, but it also still sounds really fun and good today on its own merits. I did need a few tracks until I could start to wrap my head around the style and I'm sure it will hit me differently when I listen to it a second time, but I am absolutely going to do just that.

Sparks. The only band that can claim to have been a defining influence on both Queen and the Pet Shop Boys and it not be a ludicrous statement. Since watching Edgar Wright's excellent documentary 'The Sparks Brothers' I've fallen a little bit in love with Russ and Ron Mael. Sparks were my most listened artist on Spotify in 2022. Their innovative, idiosyncratic songs are always unique and often genre creating. I don't love all of their output, but that's the cost of constantly pushing the envelope. When Sparks are good, they are genius and their new music remains fresh, interesting and fun even today, more than half a century after their debut record. This, their 1974 third album, sees Sparks in early career glam rock mode, achieving their objective of being a 'British band'. It opens with their biggest hit, 'This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us', a rousing powerhouse of a song that tells the tale of a series of ridiculous imagined worst case scenarios. The rest of the album is similarly fun, grandiose and quirky. It includes songs about: -falling in love with your doppelganger; -annoyance at having to spend time with your partner over Christmas because all the bars are shut; -Romeo speaking to Juliette from heaven after she broke their pact; -lusting over a tour guide but not being able to converse due to a language barrier; -Albert Einstein and his overly proud parents; and -going to the equator to meet a date but not being able to find her. The mind of Ron Mael is an extraordinary thing, as is the voice of Russ, who's powerful falsetto characterises the album. Overall, this album is weird, over the top and very, very charming. Rating: 5/5 Playlist track: This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us Date listened: 12/07/23

I refuse to believe that Sparks existed until that documentary came out, and then everyone *pretended* like they’ve just known about them for 40 years. I worked in a record store back home for 7 years with multiple other music snobs. Been surrounded by white hipster douchebag bandmates for 15 years. Nary a *word* of this band’s existence. Then, this documentary comes out, and all of sudden, every fucking jackass I know with a mustache is all, “Oh yeah, Sparks! OBVIOUSLY!” And before I know it, these paid fucking actors have created this elaborate hoax of a *50-year career* that everyone can point to and I DON’T BUY IT. 2.5/5

The Best Album of All Time Okay, admittedly I'm exaggerating a little, as the best of all time is yet to come from this very band, but if anyone ever said this was it, I wouldn't only believe them, I'd shake their hand for such a magnificent take. This album was my introduction to Sparks, as it was for many people, and I remember getting it via a random album generator and thinking I wasn't going to think much of the album. The album cover reminded me of one those more out there post punk, new wave albums like Germfree Adolescence, which would've been fine, but nothing to write home about. But instead, I put on the first track, and instantly fell in love. I thought Russell was a girl the first time I heard him sing, and only learned otherwise once the first two songs had sold me and I was already looking at the band's discography. He's a very attractive man, I'll tell you that much. His brother, Ron, is no slouch either, as not only is that persona of his to die for, but the man can WRTIE. These are some of the funny, most clever lyrics of all time, and most if not all the riffs coming from the keyboard are instantly iconic. That isn't to downplay any of the other band members here, who are new recruits, and while as not quite as iconic to the canon as the original line-up, all of them are magnificent. I mean, listen to that guitar, bass, and who can forget Dinky Diamond. Album cover is now to me as eye catching and beautiful, something that Sparks is very good at doing with their art, and it perfectly shows their charm to the world. While I won't do a track-by-track review, just know every single song here is a five star, and all stand out on their own. Sparks is the only band I know where they consistently do whatever is the most satisfying melodically and lyrically, and also knows the perfect lengths for their songs. Thank God It's Not Christmas is, ironically, the perfect Christmas song, Talent Is an Asset is a lyrical powerhouse, and Equator is equally funny and haunting that no other band has ever balanced. I love this album so much, and even if this was Sparks' only good album, I would still sing their praises evermore, it's that good. Luckily, this is not the case, as Sparks not only stayed on this high point with their next album, but their best (IMO) is yet to come still. Just know that my life would be completely different were it not for this band, and I'm eternally grateful. Thank you Ron, Russell, anyone who has ever performed for them, and thank God it's not Christmas!

“Man, this lead singer sure is talented. I wonder what else she’s done…” *One Google search later* “Huh? She’s a DUDE?!” Funny diatribe aside, this album remains one of the most unique listens you’ll hear pertaining to Glam Rock. Specifically, this album is the product of fusing Glam with its similarly grandiose, posturing cousin: progressive rock. Side B may lose a bit of energy, but played together the whole album’s a real treat. A combination of technically skilled musicianship including rhythmic syncopation and cheeky wordplay about love, loss, and family never fail to crack a smile from even a rock. Sing along if you dare. It’s almost as hard as singing along to Peter Hammil. Standout Songs: “This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us” “Amateur Hour” “Here in Heaven” “Hasta Mañana, Monsieur”

An incredible, fun, campy, glam rock sound. Nothing else like. Russel's performance is awesome!

This is a whimsical, magical album that filled me with joy. I want to eat ice cream with sprinkles while listening to this.

This try-hard, bad-falsetto, weird-for-the-sake-of-being-weird album full of cut-rate Elton John and Freddie Mercury impressions and discount-bin creeper-ballads for some reason just didn't manage to impress me. It's not even an also-ran with its contemporaries, it's just a bad knock-off.

Annoying

Strange and unique, but man was this album full of life and exciting new things. Never having heard Sparks before, this was definitely the hook I needed to check out their other music.

Production: 13/20 Songwriting: 15/20 Innovation: 16/20 Bangers: 5/20 Emotional response: 16/20 =65 This was belting fun

Blondie crudites and only on the raw end because I don't think the full new wave repertoire of whizz bangs was available at the time. On this evidence they played a big part in creating them. Glam, camp and archly European in the sense that it made me want to throw on some make up and goose step around the house in a tutu. Like the rest of new wave (though I only have a basic understanding) the formula is that that everything can be a hook.

Sparks seem to be everywhere recently -- the Annette soundtrack, the Sparks documentary, that video with Cate Blanchett, playing Glastonbury -- they seem to be having a real late career resurgence. This is one of those bands that has a real cult following, but I never really 'got' Sparks. And I have tried, believe me. It has been a LONG time since I tried to listen to any of their records. Based on the documentary, I find the Mael brothers quite charming and funny, and I like their approach, but this just doesn't connect for me. This sounds like a weird prog/glam fusion. All the clever-clogs musical arrangement of prog (although not as jazz/classical inflected), which undercuts the tunes. It just doesn't grab me. Nothing connects. I really want to like it, but I just don't. Maybe if I listened to it a dozen times, it would start to work for me, but I just don't have the time or inclination.

Perfect and really fucking unique 5/5.

Oh my gosh, what a perfect (albeit late) Christmas gift! My significant other got assigned this album a few months ago, and we've both been in love with Sparks every since! I adore Russell's voice, so much so that he's one of my favourite vocalists, and Ron's songwriting is amazing and witty, which really shines through on this record. The instrumentation on this is perfect to me. I'm sad that this doesn't have a higher rating, but I do understand that this might not sound good to some people. To me, however, this is a flawless album. It is banger after banger. It might even be my new favourite album, I love it so much. I'm also sad that Sparks doesn't have any more albums on here, but at least they have this one It's incredibly difficult to pick favourites on this album when every song is so amazing, but I'd say my favourite songs were Hasta Manana, Monsieur, Falling In Love With Myself Again, and Equator.

this album is one i was completely fuckign shocked on. I LOVED it, the music, the lyrics, the feel of it, all of it. it marries some of my top bands like The Darkness, Queen, and even a bit of Plastic Bertrand for good measure. i bought this album immediately, and it's easily top 100 albums

Holy wow- I had never heard of this band before and I'm so glad they popped up!!! Definitely will listen to them more.

Weird fun vocals awesome guitars. I only knew one track before hearing this “this town ain’t big enough for the both of us” really enjoyed hearing this for the first time

this was so awesome <3 felt so creative and fun. catchy as hell. really enjoy this arty/prog/pop rock. felt very 70s. ‘Barbecutie’ COME ON

WHOA i love all of these

Like a Queen had a breakdown, watched the Rocky horror picture show and wrote some interesting music afterward. Not always to my taste but a unique interesting listen. 3/5

Music not too bad. Vocals suck more than my shop vac

enjoyed this one quite a bit, pretty vibey.

I have listened to this album a couple of times before and liked it a lot. It's fun, it's powerful, it's creative.

Rollicking good fun, and weird enough to keep my interest the whole time. Fave track - "This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both of Us" is an absolute tune. I really liked "Equator" on my last couple of listens, but not sure if it might not get irritating with more listens? Or, it could grown on me further, who knows!

10/10

I mean it was alright. Very theatrical. Every song sort of felt like an intro that never went anywhere. It’s was like Rush but without the excellent musicality that makes Rush so good.

Ik heb een nieuwe trend gespot in deze lijst: albums die op mijn zenuwen werken. Dit is daar ook weer een mooi voorbeeld van. Het eerste (bekende) nummer is nog wel geinig maar wat er daarna allemaal langskomt....😬

Little compares to the sound of Sparks, mainly due to their constant reinvention. Kimono My House is a fantastic album, perhaps with one of the best openings

I enjoy Sparks’ manic, frantic, over the top glam rock and this is my favorite record of theirs, but they can be a bit much sometimes.

I'd heard of Sparks from time to time and with that documentary the past year, I saw the name a lot and yet I never checked them out since I always got the impression they were very art rocky and a band that would be tough to get into. I have to say, if the rest of their catalogue is like this album, I was completely wrong. This was absolutely right in my wheelhouse. The melodies were super catchy and I loved the instrumentation, especially those guitars. I will definitely be looking further into their back catalogue.

Just some good clean fun from beginning to end. How did this manage to sound so exactly like a 70s album while also sounding unlike anything I've ever heard? Chaotic and melodic and anarchic and fun.

I remember my older cousins owning this and probably playing it for me when I was a kid. I (re)discovered Sparks in 1997 when they teamed up with Faith No More for This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us, the original of which is on this album. While never a die hard fan, I was aware of what and influence their sound has had on so many other artists. Like many others, my passion for Sparks has been increased in the lead up to the Edgar Wright doco (which I am yet to see) This album is one of their best. Uncomfortable in places it straddles a fine line towards being too wierd. It is weirdness done well, which makes this album so good.

Word is that this is a big band I should definitely give a shit about, and I don't know what to think! At first I thought it was just completely bonkers, a strange mix of ABBA and like Queen - I don't know! Also, huge plot twist when I found out it wasn't two Japanese women singer and just some bloke. I found some of it quite irritating but it did grow on me. That latter songs were OK. And I guess it was quite fun!

Fantastic! Helped me grind out a paper in h2 hours!!

Equally strange and good. I wasn't expecting much as I read the wikipedia page before I got started, but it was very enjoyable. A couple of weaker tracks, but on the whole it was very good. It didn't sound like it was 50 years old. I really enjoy it when my expectations are exceeded, but it seems to have less frequently now.

Cool and silly at the same time

Weird as hell but very fun and sonically refreshing

Does it get any more 70's than this? A very ambitious blend of prog, glam and art pop (is art prog a thing?) results in an album that doesn't even sound like it's from earth. It gets a bit too flimsy on the art waltz 'Falling In Love With Myself Again' and 'Talent Is An Asset', but the highlights make this a very enjoyable listen. 'Thank God It's Not Christmas' is one of the greatest titles ever (mostly due a certain Queen song it predated quite a bit), 'Complaints' has some great Supertramp vibes and the catchy 'Equator' lives rent free in my mind, and I don't mind.

Love a bit of glam and enjoyed this madness.

I'm kind of split on this one. It sounds like music that my favorite artists would like!

Pretty cool kind of art rock, starts sounding the same after a little bit though

Not a single woman OR. Japanese person

Very theatrical and idiosyncratic. Seems like they inspired a lot of bands to follow.

I appreciated that this was different but I had to apologize to Emma for having it on in the car

Not awful but sounded like their balls were in a vice

Un album correct de la part d'un groupe composé exclusivement de gros débiles.

Sparks are pioneers. Excited to see the Sparks Documentary directed by Edgar Wright this year.

There’s a lot to unpack here and I can understand how it’s not for everyone but I appreciate the variety and willingness to try something new

Weird because I was looking at this album a day before it was randomized to me. I was looking at the Edgar Wright documentary on this band and this is the album with their biggest hit. From the listen, did not fall in love with this band and found it a bit of a bore compared to the other albums in the book. There were a few highlights in there.

What the fuck is this? Is this really good or really bad? progressive glam rock? Musically this kind of rules. The more I listen the more I don't really love it. It just kind of exists? This is for someone, it's probably not me. Did I need to hear this before I died? All these songs are the same. I'm out.

so glam rock is a thing??? does this album just get included on this list because it's so bizarre? is it a parody album?

Kind of like ABBA, but worse?

Music by and for weird people.

The album of choice for CIA black sites when it comes to blaring music all night at an unreasonable volume until the enemy breaks and gives up the information. “Make the man with the creepy pedo-stache stop singing like an Asian chick and I’ll tell you whatever you want.” The scariest part is that this clusterfuck of an album is nowhere near the list of the 10 worst in this project, according to those who have finished. What the hell did I get myself into?

Hate this band so much. It's like Yoko had a love child with Abba and the writer for Cats the Musical.

Sounds like a mixture between circus music and Queen. Way too sprawling for my taste. I don't think this is objectively bad, it just doesn't suit me the slightest.

Pants

i respect sparks for being fucking mental. however this music is everything shit about the 70s. Falsetto never sounds good but the 70s was fucking dripping in it.

This album is part of a very small exclusive club of albums I just couldn’t bring myself to finish.

Strongly disliked

How does this silly shit make it into a list of the greatest albums of all time? It's an entire album of songs that should have been a jokey hidden track or something. fuck this. 1/5.

This is why I've signed up to this list. How have I never heard this? It's fantastic!

i fell in love with this album a few years ago. it's a little bit off kilter, but still very fun and super rockin'. this is not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but songs like 'this town ain't big enough for the both of us,' 'amateur hour,' and 'talent is an asset' are so fun and really unique for the time period. to me, it's like if power pop went slightly off. it's got that pop-rock sensibility, but mixed with a level of artsyness that keeps you on your toes.

This was shockingly good!

Was unfamiliar, Rockin’ good time!

Fun, creative, fabulous. Love it. Love them. Scotland are going to the world cup! Five stars

Super album! Masterpiece! It is one of my favorite albums.

5 out of 5. The energy from this is incredible, what a good time.

så jävla fett

I think sparks are the ultimate "i need to be in the mood for this" type group. In my head, Angst is the album is enjoy the most, but i think Kimono is likely better overall. Everything on it is good, but Falling In Love With Myself Again is not only the best song on the album, its probably one of the best songs in their catalogue The voice can be grating at times, but its also the thing that makes everything more instant and different that other stuff. I am probably gonna go full 5

THIS is what I've been wanting from this project. Never heard it before (that I know of), but such a unique sound. Fun, a little dramatic, sparkling madness in sunshine.

I guess I'm a glam rock fan now, because this album slaps.

This was sick. Incredible opening track. Whacky but intricately put together tunes. I'm Sparks-pilled

went in expecting a 2 or 3, boy am I foolish

I JUST saw Sparks in concert last week! I love them and their entire very strange career. But this is definitely my favourite album! Glam rock perfection, especially This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us. I wish they had been bigger in North America. The reviews comparing them to Queen (unfavourably) are a bit laughable considering Queen, and especially Killer Queen, owe a huge debt to Sparks.

Well damn. That's a hell of an album. I only knew the opening track but the rest blew me away, too. Not sure why no one turned me on to these guys given my love for Roxy Music, as there is definitely a similarity in terms of sound and sophistication. (Although these guys are much more bombastic.) Will definitely have to check out more from them.

This SLAPPED. So fun and interesting, I never felt bored listening to this and wished it would keep going. This is 100% the kind of thing that I signed up to this to be listening to. EDIT: Coming back to this review maybe 1-2 months later. I’ve listened to this NON-STOP since and it’s launched itself to my fave albums of all time. My project got paused for ages because I had to do a Sparks deep dive of their entire discography and I couldn’t commit to listening to anything else. Absolutely obsessed.

It’s just… amazing. The theatricality and energy is unmatched. No misses - a more complete effort than Queen ever did.

Probably my favorite Sparks album.

Ah now you're talking. This is the album (with a famous appearance on the TV show Top of the Pops) that blasted Sparks off into the pop stratosphere and 50 years later the Maels are still making top notch albums.

Super 80’s fave

I feel you man, thank God it's not Christmas.

Love this smarty pants weirdos! All time great album covers that genuinely reflects the playfulness found within. I find no faults here. 5/ 5

This is an exquisite and unique glam rock. Sparks is a great ensemble. Sorry I’m out of words now, but cannot think of a right way to describe this. 4.5/5

Adoro a Sparks; es una de esas bandas que jamás me cansaré de escuchar porque incluso a día de hoy siguen haciendo música increíble. No podría quedarme solo con una canción de este disco, hay que escucharlo de principio a fin. Además, es la banda que más influyó a Queen. 5/5

So good and still so damn good!!

So glad to find this through the 1001. Not a chance I would have ever found this otherwise. Absolutely love it

Gets better each time!

Absolutely loved this, all the best bits of early Roxy Music stretched into full songs. Will be listening to more of Sparks!

Ayo this one kinda slaps fr. Really fun sound. Best song: This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us Notable(s): Falling In Love With Myself Again, Here In Heaven, Equator, Barbecutie

Randomly watching that documentary about these guys one night is one of the best music discovery decisions I have ever made. They have so many great songs and albums over a very long and prolific career and this is probably the best place to start

Ça en fait 2 en peu de temps mais je suggère l'écoute du docu The Sparks Brothers (2021) de Edgar Wright. Ron Mael est un génie musical. Sparks a sorti MAD! dernièrement et pour l'instant il fait parti de mes meilleurs albums de l'année.

I discovered this band through the generator and saw them live twice now. They are awesome and so sweet in person. One of the best discoveries I made.