Reviews (page 6 of 8)
Uiteindelijk valt de zang me echt teveel tegen. Net geen 3 daardoor.
This was a really interesting, but in a good way. I think a couple songs weren't my favorite so I'd need to relisten. But overall I enjoyed this album!
Very theatrical and idiosyncratic. Seems like they inspired a lot of bands to follow.
this sucked
A masterpiece!
Very interesting, not even sure what to really call this. I guess operatic rock would be the best description. It definitely intrigued me, though I'm not sure how much I really enjoyed it. It's probably too weird for me to listen to regularly but I expect I'll revisit it at some point in the future. The best and most interesting song was the opening track, though I also liked a few others. I appreciate that they kept the overall sound fairly consistent without letting it get boring.
Exuberant silly fun. Opens super strongly with "This Town" and "Amateur Hour". The rest is great, but not quite at that level. Still, into five star territory, I think.
It’s okay. Generous 3.
My what a discovery - a favourite band I didn’t know existed - a hint of B-52s, Kate Bush, Devo and Adam and the Ants. The opener is perfect but the rest of the record keeps up the momentum and it’s a lovely discovery for me.
Not much to comment on, but it is a great listen. I'd give it a 8/10
This album weas, in one word, great fun! I only knew (and loved) This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us but didn't know the band name, let alone I listened to an album. The album is eclectic, often combining many genres even within one song... there is punk, glam rock (lots), symphonic elements. In some way, it works together well. Good musicianship and great vocals; no bad songs but they're not all of "This Town (...)" level. This album has aged well, after 50 years it sounds fresh. I'm sure The Darkness have listened to this. I will definitely listen again.
ok
Cool album but a little monotonous would listen againto!
Decent songs, but the vocals are terrible. Rapid-fire syllables, buried in the mix, with strange enunciation, makes for utterly incomprehensible lyrics.
Fun, campy, repetitive for some songs (Lost and Found left me with that impression). I liked Amateur Hour. I'd listen through this again, although the songs didn't appear to have much subtlety on first listen.
i fw how theatrical the vocals which is weird cuz i usually hate that this is cool but i'll probably never return to it ever again. this kind of gives me a supertramp vibe for some reason. i think that's why i like it
Brilliant album
3.5 The best Sparks album, right? Even though I don’t always vibe with this, this is good.
I was surprised to discover that Sparks are from the U.S., their sound, image and sense of irony is so British or European. Ron Mael has a delightful falsetto - I love singers who simultaneously sound like a man and woman - and the songs are pretty catchy. Musically, they have a great sense of stylish showmanship, playing in-yer-face operatic rock with plenty of changes, intervals and unusual songs/lyrics/subjects. Sparks are quite a fascinating combination of weird and accessible, best demonstated in 'This Town Ain't Big Enough'. My only reservation is their bombastic, schizophrenic nature gets a bit much by the end of the record - it could do with a couple of songs where they keep things sparse or relatively straightforward.
Yeah like that first one is a cool slightly offbeat song, goes downhill quick and hard!
Not my thing but there is a thread of joyous fun running through it. Goes on a bit too long though.
I liked the lyrics and in small doses it was fun but a whole album of male soprano melodrama got a bit much after just a few songs. It was very enjoyable, if a little naff.
My uncle was really into Sparks, I didn't pay much attention to them back then... I should have done, enjoyed this album a lot! Cover artwork photo is great too!
Enjoyed it a lot. Fun 70s rock
Will not remember after T-2 days... Yep, already forgotten...
Daring, ambitious, surprising and delightful. Up there with Bowie and Queen imho 4.85
Not my forté
I thought this was a cool album but every now and again I'd think 'why do people make music? what's the point?', and I don't know if that's a reflection of the album or of my appalling mental health
Honestly wtf even is this. 1.83
fabulous, spiky, catchy, dramatic pop, bursting with ideas and adventures
Rock com algum grau de diversão.
Manic
Its like Queen would be if they were an Albums band
The band that should've been as big as Bowie and Queen
Unhinged maximalist brilliance.
2.5
campy and fun, no stand outs but will definitely listen again
It’s a bit much but it was fun, singing kind of sucks but I guess that’s what they were going for. Music kinda rocked though
Not for me. I get it, I get the influence. I hate the vocals. I can see why it's on the list, and why it's rated reasonably highly, but not for me.
This is terrific. Of course I remember "This Town Ain't..." on the radio as a kid but reading the lyrics in Spotify they are a riot: "Heartbeat, increasing heartbeat As 20 cannibals have hold of you, they need their protein just like you do" They were an amazing pair on Top of the Pops too. Once seen and never forgotten. The rest of the album is worth listening to - quite ahead of it's time I think. Roxy Music meets 10cc with a sense of fun.
Just didn't feel the love for this. Saw them live once too (at a festival, just a few songs). Crowd were in raptures. Maybe this is just an album you need to spend time with.
This is a weirdly good album.
Wow what a linear regression of an album. From just okay to downright trash. Especially Equator, that song made me want to put a bullet in my head. There were no highlights, only mediocrity to 'holy fuck I can't wait for this to end'. Pretty sour listen, I struggled to get through it twice, only making it about half way before I was done. That being said, not every song on here is bad, so it's not worthy of a 1. Honestly, not much to be said here, and the album cover just reminds me of two evil American kimono-wearing energy vampire girls at JAZZ IN (ろくでなし) in Kyoto. I will never forget them and their evil, vindictive ways. Those 3 hours of my life on the short trip I had abroad that I will never get back. I wish the rest of their life is filled with nothing but warm beers, sour milk, and mouldy bread. The lies spoken by both parties, sins never washed away, the word of Satan behoves them. One day our paths will cross again, and I will be ready. Ready for what is to come. I will emerge triumphant, or perish. I await that day.
Practically a 5 for Side A alone. I loved that for how gaudy and eccentric the glam rock style is, it's still very well structured and well made. I was worried after hearing the first track on my discover and enjoying it back then that it would be a bit of a one trick/style over substance album. I was pleasantly surprised to find it exceeding my expectations. I loved the guitar and keyboard in this album. In fact they would be the highlight for me if it weren't for the ridiculous vocals from singer Russel Mael. I was shocked to realize that not only were all of the vocals, both lead and backing lines performed by one person. But that it was a dude? This guy has incredible vocal range. Side B was perhaps not as good as A in my opinion but was still pretty great, with standouts there for me being Hasta Manana, Monisuer and Complaints. I think this will definitely be a very love it or hate it album for most though. In my case however, this was a great find from this list and something I have already included a lot of in my likes/playlists on Spotify Highlights: Amateur Hour, Complaints, Thank God It's not Christmas, This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us, Hasta Manana Monisuer.
Overall, this album sounds like it was released in the 80s, despite being released a decade earlier. It is a bit how ya goin’ and outside the opening track, there isn’t too much I’d relisten to, but I can appreciate that nobody else was cranking out tunes like this in the mid-70s Thumping opening track, loved it, saved. Amateur Hour, decent track despite the name. Here in Heaven, I quite liked it, middle of the track was solid, trails off a bit at the end. Thank God It's Not Christmas - really solid track. This came together very well, production-wise, and I bopped along to it. Hasta Manana, Monsieur - some nice catchy guitar sections, but the lyrics were ordinary and repetitive Lots of the other songs were a bit campy and didn’t leave much for me to cling to. Talent Is An Asset, Complaints, In my Family - These sounded more like standard 70s fare (not a bad thing) instrumentally and vocally. Equator - a bit silly in the first half, not for me. The song gets worse as it goes along. The trumpets and loo loo laa laa vocals were quite annoying, couldn’t wait for this song to finish Barbecutie - not great, not terrible
i am going to give ever mediocre britpop/britrock album on the rest of this book a 1 out of contempt and little else
The blokes who made this album look like they eat human flesh. I couldn’t quite place their ethnicity either even though they look kind of white. I’ll need to research their genealogy to find the appropriate slurs to call them… I know I’m not enjoying an album when I’m constantly checking to see how far through I am. I had reasonably high hopes after the first track but the album took a nosedive in the category of being interesting after that. This album feels like if you told an ai to generate an album that sounds like the 80s. I did not care for it.
Genuinely loved side A and thought this album was tracking for a really high score. Then side b hits and it falls of completely, it becomes a slurry of the same vocal distortion. Samey is a very lazy criticism but side B is just that, with the exception of Equator every track sounds the exact same with little or no difference. These guys clearly had an EP and were pushed or for some reason where asked to extend it to an LP and rushed it and shat the bed. 6/10 Fav tracks - The Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us, Falling In Love with myself again, Here in Heaven, Thank God it's not Christmas, Equator Least Fav - The rest
Look its different I'll give it that, but wasn't for me. It feels like British music but using Japanese as the theme. Opening few songs were fine but the rest were pretty forgettable for me. 2/5
Insane opening track, genuinely difficult to move on to the next few tracks. This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us really set too high of a standard. The album picks up again on Thank God It's Not Christmas and stays good until it gets to Equator which is one of the most grating songs I have ever heard in my miserable life. Honestly the end of this album is just these two assholes padding for time as seen in Barbecutie, Lost and Found is just whatever. Honestly this album would be a 2 if it wasn't for the opening track, but my lord it really wore my patience thin on some songs. The rest of the album after the opener is mid to bad. I can see how a music journo would put this on here cause Morrissey said he likes this album so I guess that makes it 'influential' and 'foundational'. Whatever, one absolute fucking ripper of a track, a handful of mid ones and a couple DOGSHIT ones equates to a 3. The spotify bio for this band (usually written by the band's PR person if I'm not mistaken) wanks on about how influential the band is so I guess they really bought into the bullshit framed around them.
This Town Isn't Big Enough For Both Of Us, Equator
Great introduction to a band I’ve never heard much from before. Great album, really enjoyed it.
Oh boy this is weird. But not bad
weird yet strangely endearing in its maximalist excess
Chato hein
YMGAGGEDDDD
How this has so many 5 star reviews I'll never know. This album is hard to listen to as it is so dated. The singing is just too cheesy and the instrumentals can't save it. I mean I could've just looked at the cover and realized it would be a 2 but I listened to it and found out the hard way.
Creo que tiene discos mejores, y este en particular me recordaba algo a Queen
A perfect pop record, and a truly unique experience in music.
3 stars
A little treat on Monday for me.
Fun rock album!
Unforgettable tracks, no skips. Years ago this was my first exposure to Sparks and I loved it - the bombast and catchy hooks got me at first, but I also like the tongue and cheek lyrics, incessant weirdness and willingness to try something new that comes with each song. This is why they outlasted the trappings of glam in the 70s
Not the worst thing I’ve heard
4☆/5 09.01.2024
This was weird but fun. 3.5/5
It was ok.
Really good! Not my favourite kind of music, but still a vibe
Not their best work
I feel like I should hate this but it’s ever so well written and put together. Can’t help but enjoy, on some weird level
Sparks is one of the stand-out bands from the wave of '70s glam rock, in part due to Russell Mael's incredible vocals. The vocals alone would not be enough though, as Ron Mael's pop-oriented songwriting would give borther Russell the hooks he needed to launch Kimono My House into a breakout hit. Sparks' poppy approach to glam rock serves them well, as each song is a fun romp guided by Russell Mael's signature vocal delivery. It certainly borders on being a little too sugary-sweet for my liking, but there's no denying that Ron Mael can write a damn good song. Enjoyable listen.
My new favorite discovery from this list
Weird stuff.. in a great way!
really enjoyable! super fun vibes across the board. nothing particularly stood out for me but the overall impression was a very positive feeling. im not sure if i can formulate any more specific opinion at this time
if i could give this a 4.5 i would
Funky and fun. The guitar in This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us reminds me of the Sailor Moon theme song. Would definitely listen to this again.
This sounds super modern. I was really surprised to see it was from 1974.
im really not a huge queen fan at the end of the day, and this basically amplified all the parts of queen that i dislike. its not that i dont get what its going for, i just dislike it.
What a fun album! I don't know what's going on but I am having a good time. I think this will need to be a dedicated relisten where I can read all the lyrics along with it because I didn't have time for that today. Reminded me of Queen in spots. Surprised I liked this as much as I did because it's labelled New Wave and I have yet to love anything in that grouping but very pleasantly surprised. Looking forward to next listen.
kimono my house mon amour
I get why people would really like Sparks. Glam Rock with actual talent seems to be a rare find but for me, if it’s not Queen I’m not very interested. Not a bad album, not for me though… and Sparks are guys? Wtf 5.1/10
Not bad at all!!
Heartbeat! Increasing heartbeat! Mnyah mnyah mnya bwah bwah bwah bwah bwaaaaaaaah! Mee moo mnyah mnyaaah, Mnyah mnyaaah!
kindling
I’m not sure what I expected but this was pleasantly surprising. I was intrigued by both singing and music and I feel if I had more time to listen to a larger variety I would probably be somewhat entranced. It was very interesting and I would give it another chance.
On first listen I really have little idea what to think - it always intrigues me to be introduced to the rare act that has been around forever yet I'm completely unfamiliar with - I think my only familiarity was their video/single with Jane Wiedlin (Go-Gos) when I was a kid. I thought she was part of a new group. This required a second listen - like early Roxy Music with a dab of Queen but more dense...? I don't know how much I love it (yet) but holy hell there's so much musicality here that I think I have to call this a keeper - after just 2 full listens I'm already hearing so much complexity wrapped in a weird package. The vocals are admittedly...off-putting at times ("Equator" especially) with the falsetto but it's mostly mixed low enough that I can get by it. Favourite track: "Thank God It's Not Christmas" least-favourite: "Equator" Gonna keep coming back to this one - always cool to learn a "new" old group - this is *weird AF* and I think I can see this being a keeper. 8/10 4 stars
Delightfully odd music. Somehow it speaks to my soul. Take that as you will. Gets worse at the album goes on :(
Weird and funny
Unexpected, way more "original" and modern than what I thought, expecially at the beginning. Then it lost some of it's charm along the way, but still quite good overall
Just fun to listen to
I cannot tell you enough how happy I was to see this album pop up. Sparks is the perfect band that never entirely made it but was by far one of the best cult acts yesterday (and today!). This is where it first came together for the Mael brothers. Zoo time is she and you time. Russell spins Ron's words into bombastic vocals. The mid-70s version of the band is grade-A glam. Ron's RMI Electrapiano washed in reverb over top of it all. I discovered this album 20ish years ago in college, and though Number 1 in Heaven is my favorite, I have been a fan of this and them ever since.
Strange and unique, 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.
Pretty cool, although not exactly my jam. I'm glad I listened to it, but it seems very unlikely I'll go back for more Sparks in the future.
Overall, a very pleasant and eccentric listen. Strong songs all over, well executed. Pure fun and entertaining, without being overly slick or mainstream. Highly recommend find from this list!
I appreciated that this was different but I had to apologize to Emma for having it on in the car
Not for me. I don't think this has aged well, and I guess I never connected with it back in the day so that so had sailed. It's not terrible, i just don't care for it. It's just a two.
Liked some tracks
This album was not new to me. I first came across Sparks because of the 2021 Leos Carax bizarre baby doll superstar movie. I was mesmerized by the synthetic sound, so I needed to know more about the guys who composed “So May We Start”. After scrolling a bit through the internet, I came across two women wearing kimonos: one looking at something with surprise—maybe even amazement—and the other directly winking at you, as if inviting you to join her. Upon starting the opening song, the frenetic succession of rhinos, elephants, and tacky tigers, and the sound of something flashy as if a character in a B-sci-fi-movie just fired a gun hypnotized me. I found myself wandering around the limits of my room dans la cité universitaire trying to understand the emotions my body was emanating. I was dancing. At this very moment, under the 30-degree heat of a beautiful Marseille, as each song played, I felt like I was meeting an old friend whose existence I had forgotten, but whose mere sight exponentially improved my life.
Had listened to Sparks once or twice before, and I’m a fan this Bowie/Bolan-esque approach to album making. Was looking forward giving it a go. I was fairly saddened it disappointed, I particularly found the vocals jarring and somewhat annoying. The guitar is phenomenal throughout the album, catching my attention immediately in the first track. John Frusciante cites Fisher’s as a key influence for his style on By the Way, so I’ve gotta give credit where it’s due there. I like the cover too, gives off that instant glam rock vibe akin to Roxy Music’s eponymous debut or Bowie’s pin-ups, which would have been contemporaries. This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us
oh man, I just found this album annoying. Probably cruel to give it my first one star as I'm sure much worse will follow, but I just got nothing from this and two stars seems too generous. vocals were more annoying than anything I've ever heard.
Pretty interesting and I can hear a lot of artists i listen to in them. Mustve been an inspo
Doesn't sound like it's from that era
Relentlessly entertaining and uncompromisingly fun. You will have fun whether you want to or not Torn between 4 and 5
3+
I thought this was a woman singing until I looked up the album. Nevertheless, this album is amazing and I can’t believe I went this long without finding out about it.
Easy 4/5 if not 5/5. Some David Bowie shit.
crlh mt bom
Pretty cool sound design. The production could be better, but it works. It's new wave with some musical-like sensitivities. I could see a play with this soundtrack.
Creative and fun, it gets a little stale but is certainly better than some of the threes I've handed out. A lot of the 70s is starting to blur together for me, but I think I'll remember this one for its proto-glam stuff.
Kudos for the unique sound and the quirky vocals. It's a shame the annoyingness of '70s synth rock is this there.
Holy falsetto. This album sounds like Tiny Tim, Queen, and Rush teamed up to make an album. It's weird and I'm not sure who chooses to listen to this for enjoyment. It sounds like Sparks thought of a random song name and then they just say that word over and over again until you're mad. This wasn't good. 3/10 (1.5/5)
Desert island disc?
this was more fun than i expected could i write poetry to this? n
I know lots of people who hold Sparks' in very high regard, but I just don't get it. This sounds like a combination of the "weird for the sake of being weird" aesthetic of Frank Zappa with the Rock Opera-bound fetishization of Japanese culture not seen again until Styx's "Kilroy Was Here" or even Weezer's "Pinkerton."
I really like a lot of Sparks songs, but in album form it's a bit much.
I listened to this driving and kept not picking up on anything noteworthy but listening to it on headphones found more. This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us is a good song and great opener. Interesting style to say the least on this production. I felt that this sounded like Rush meets Bjork, and then read that Bjork said this album changed their life. I don't know if I'll come back often but I'm glad to have heard this and I'm glad I gave it another shot on headphones.
The album catches your attention with the first 2 tracks but falls off. This is my first time hearing Sparks and I wouldn't be surprised if they influenced future artists. Ultimately nothing is grabbing me here and I'm not likely to revisit.
Sweeet. That first song was stuck in my head all day. Good little album.
weird, i like it
I can see how this was kind of groundbreaking in its theatricality and ESC-compatible campness at the time. Yet: Bit too much for my taste, especially the vocal flourishes, and I prefer the traces this album certainly left in the mainstream.
Definitely pretty weird, especially for the time. I can see how better ideas came out of this, but it's more a history lesson than a work on its own. I don't hate it, but I don't know how to judge it now, because if this charted in 2024, the conversation would be waaaaaaaaaaaaay more "Discourse" than substance. 3 i think? The music itself is not particularly appealing.
Not awful but sounded like their balls were in a vice
God I was worried when I saw the album art. I'll say that it's still not great, but within the realm of 1974 media, it barely even rates as racist. The music, though, is really cool. It's a fun, fast-paced pop album with great female vocals (I'm sorry, I'm now being told that the vocals are done by a dude, and I don't even know what's going on anymore). Really enjoyable album that I might seek out on vinyl 4/5
#42 - quite strange and not my thing at all.
Music by and for weird people.
Very hard to place
What?
Cool album - tons of energy. Early power pop!
Very glammy and free spirited, definitely an influential album but not my beat
A rollicking album of rock theater. Some moments are experimental and weird fun, but the rest is accessible from many musical directions.
Pretty good. There aren’t many songs that are memorable or distinguishable, but nothing bad either. Overall a good album. 3/5 Might listen again
Helt ok, ikke noe spesielt. 3
4/5
Very high society feel, like they probably wore powdered wigs while recording this album. The music reminds of Arcade fire even though this album came out 30 years prior to Arcade Fire forming. Good album.
Enjoyed this immensely
Perfection from beginning to end. Gonna have to really listen to the other 20+ albums now :-)
So outside of the 1st track I’d never heard this - no idea why it’s all kinds of awesome. Eclectic, funny and just on the right side of glam rock to keep me listening. I always knew that lots of bands mention sparks as an influence and now I know why.
Strange but entertaining.
Alternative 1974. It’s like Phantom of the Opera meets Queen with screaming guitars and not in a good way
“This town ain’t big of us for the both of us” is such a cool song. The album is weird humorous sick glam rock. Someone mentioned the word baroque which is so fitting- makes me think of the movie Amadeus with rock. You also hear the influence they will have in other bands and songs to come.
Nicht meine Richtung
Not my style. Reminds me of Kate Bush
That albums like this exist makes me very happy - even though I doubt that I’ll consciously seek this out ever again. It’s just so…joyful!
SUCH a joy to listen to fave: maybe equator?? but its hard to pick
Oft imitated, never repeated, 50+ years of experimental wildness! There are some bangers here, but on the whole I always find them equal parts rocking and grating, and I always bump on the falsetto at some point as we get all the way through an album. Howsoever, I really admire these guys for being true to their ideal.
Nope
Never really got Sparks. This Town…jarred but on today’s listen it hit different. Loved this album.
particolare, ma non particolarmente interessante
Terrible
i love you Sparks
The best thing I can say about this album is that it is never boring. The worst thing I can say about this album is that it is too campy for me.
Another very unique album. It reminds me of a few things - The Cardiacs, Roxy Music... It sounds a bit punky and yet also a bit like the Beatles... but ultimately it sounds like Sparks. I can't say I'm a huge fan - I've never listened to an album of theirs before - but I've watched the Edgar Wright documentary about them, and of course I'm familiar with "This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us" which is their best song and is on this record! It's a quirky style of music and sometimes I don't "feel" it and other times it seems like genius and I totally get the vibe. I don't think I can give it a five on first listening but I think it's a grower. 4.5 stars
Started strong with that specific Sparks sound, then faded away to ash
frekar skemmtilegt. frummynd einhvers konar hyperpopps. 4.
I listened to this entire album thinking this was a female band and was surprised to find it is a duo of brothers. And I have heard about the Sparks brothers because of the more recent album and movie that was released about them. Listening to this, I couldn't help thinking how unique the sound was. This is an interesting album and I ended up liking most of the songs because it really isn't like a lot of other music. And to know this was made in 1974 also blows your mind because it sounds so ahead of its time.
Strong start but got repetitive
Oh Man, I forgot about these guys. Always a fun time
Relentlessly energetic and fun. It really doesn't sound like anything else, except maybe Of Montreal 30 years later.
Ron Mael is a genius. Russel is a strange bundle of charisma. Together they pushed the boundaries on music by just being themselves. Brilliant work.
Prior to listening I was trying to figure out why this one was on here and then spotted this "Kimono My House peaked at number 4 in the UK and number 101 in the US". I don't get why this list hasn't been done by a US based company or whatever, I'd love to see a list made more for a US audience than a UK one. Again, I haven't listened yet but this is just another example. Especially as Apple Music is posting a top 100 albums and they are all fire and already better than this list of hundreds and hundreds we have had. After listening I Stand by the above, wasn’t a fan.
Shocked to see this is an American band. Never heard of them, and the style tells me why, it's very quirky art-rock stuff, like the more fanciful side of Queen minus the heavy-rock edge. It's pretty good music, and a good handful of songs I'll keep, but I'm not a huge fan of this style. Bit too "fancy-pants prick" for me, veering into baroque territory or something. But it's good! Favorite tracks: Amateur Hour, Falling in Love with Myself Again, Thank God It's Not Christmas, In My Family. Album art: Two girls in kimonos I suppose, we're doing the whole "kimono my house" pun, so I get it. I can't tell for sure if they're actually Japanese or what. It's a cool cover though, I like it. 3.5/5
I’d never heard of this album or even this band, and that’s probably because they seem to have been a bit ahead of their time. More influential than commercially successful. I was surprised that this album came out in ‘74, because it has a much more 80’s feel to it.
I had never heard of this band or album. Not a bad listen, but nothing that really would make me want to listen again.
Probably need to explore Sparks a bit more after this. Definitely some good moments.
I never heard of this band. The album sounds like Abba crossed with a upbeat soap-opera theme from a japaneese sit-com. It's so freeking playfull and weird. Kinda reminds me of the swedish glamrock band The Ark. I appreciated the listen, but im not sure if i'm ever gonna listen to the album again.
I was recommended this album by a friend, along with a couple other Sparks albums, at the beginning of 2020. A year later the documentary The Sparks Brothers came out, which solidified my admiration for these eclectic minds. I had heard the name and seen some of the album covers before but never gave them a listen for whatever reason. Once I started listening I quickly figured out that the Sparks rabbit hole goes deep, there’s so much music that these two brothers have been at the helm for. Not to mention the endless number of musicians they’ve gone through to help their vision come to fruition for each album. They’re like the art pop Steely Dan. The first time I heard this album I immediately could hear how Sparks influenced artists I’ve loved like Of Montreal. It’s filled with so much creative energy and I love all the twists and turns they make in a single song. I was glad to revisit this under appreciated classic and look forward to continuing the constant digging into their immense catalog. I give this one a 4.5.
I have heard the name "Sparks" before, but never listened to an album. I hear their influence in many newer groups: Of Montreal, MGMT, Animal Collective, etc. This album is fun, and I'll be giving the rest of their catalog a listen. Equator is my favorite on this one, at least after the first listen..
I was once on the boardwalk of the Jersey Shore, riding The Zipper. This is a carnival ride where your gondola hangs from an elevated conveyor belt supported by a tall beam in the middle. The conveyor belt moves you from one side to the other, over the top, and then back down to the underside again. The whole conveyor spins from the central beam while the belt is going, and the gondolas swing freely from the conveyor too. From the outside, the circles within loops within circles make a striking visual against the water. However, once locked inside the gondola cage, the rider's experience is much more chaotic. Everything flew out of my pockets (thank goodness for the enclosed cage), and I sprawled out in every direction in an effort to stabilize myself from being thrown about and to pin down my keys, pocket change, and wallet before the G forces weaponized them against me. I was nauseous and couldn't tell up from down; looking out towards the blue-on-blue of the sea-meets-sky did nothing to help. I nervously completed the ride and was able to keep my lunch, but never rode that ride again. This album is the opposite of that. From the outside, it seems chaotic and unmanageable. If you're not scared off at first, you can get inside and find form and function and marvel at the ever-changing directions, and you want to experience it again immediately. "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us" initiates the listener with a three-minute summary of the entirety of Mr. Bungle's Disco Volante. By the time "Falling in Love with Myself Again" completes, you realize there is plenty of melody here, but to full embrace it, one must recognize and discard their preconceived notions of standard verse-chorus-verse-bridge songwriting. I watched a documentary on Sparks, which was the first I've heard of them. I was impressed then, but still didn't dig deeper until now. One nice thing about this "1001albumsgenerator.com" project is the sheer variety of what you hear; it helps to put each work into a grand perspective, regardless of time. (One bad thing is finding the time to sit with some newfound gems and give additional listens, as there is more to hear tomorrow!!) Already listening for the third time; it keeps my interest without effort. I doubt I'll tire of this one any time soon. A work like this can only happen at the helm of skilled musicians and songwriters; they know what is commonplace and choose to push beyond it. Can't tell if time will shift my 4.5 to a 4 or 5; though inventive and fun upon early listens, it may be too jarring to age well, but I am glad it exists. Submit. Buy the ticket and take the ride. (Just avoid The Zipper.)
This project is yielding so many rewards, and today I was rewarded with learning about Sparks. Upon seeing the cover, I was skeptical, but as I listened and followed along with the lyrics, I had the biggest smile on my face. I've always been drawn to camp, and it was immediately clear that this band is bonkers and wouldn't be out of place amid John Waters, Robert Crumb, Pee-Wee Herman, and Rocky Horror Picture Show. This album is like if Queen and They Might Be Giants had a baby. Bold, glam rock multi-part song structures, witty lyrics and a kitschy attitude. I had to get some help from Wikipedia to even realize it was a man singing, as I tried to process what I was hearing. I'm trying to imagine how this was received when it first came out 50 years ago. I am thoroughly intrigued and look forward to checking out their other work.
I'd never heard of these guys. Which I found hard to believe. Listening through the album I kept smiling. Every song seems to have a bit of comedy and ridiculousness to it and I dug it. It's amazing that this was released in 1974. I could hear it being played on the radio today. I felt like the singing was operatic and some of the music sounded like a mix of opera and orchestral music from the baroque period. 'Thank God It's Not Christmas' absolutely jams. I like 'Amateur Hour' a lot too. I thought the singing was strangely all over the place, yet still had a formula to it. I like the odd time changes and phrasing in the verse of 'This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us' I feel like the bands that may have been influenced by this would be MGMT, Empire of Sun, and The Darkness. I'll definitely have to listen to what ever they've done with Giorgio Moroder.
I don’t like Sparks. Don’t at me Edgar Wright
it's alright. almost a three star-er, but not quite
Listened to this one before but I think I liked it better this time.
Cool funky sounds. Not my cup of tea but I can appreciate it.
I'm sure this is interesting to someone, but it doesn't strike me as anything other than background music.
Peppy, poppy, exuberant, and saccharine sweet. Felt like anaphylactic shock about about halfway through.
Huge glam notes, maybe a little splash of Cars-style power pop, all lead by a peacocking falsetto strutting through the speakers. I may sound like I dislike it, but it works. It's just fun music to listen to. Favorite tracks: "This Town Ain't Big Enough For the Both Of Us", "Amateur Hour", "Equator", "Talent Is an Asset"
This sounds like budget Styx.
First 30%: this is the dumbest album I’ve ever heard Middle 30%: wait a minute Last 40%: equator equator doo doo doo doo equator equator doo doo doo doo
Wasn’t awful but not for me.
another band i hold dear to my heart. these guys have been making music for 50 years!! 50!! can you imagine that? they still make stuff today! an incredibly bonkers and theatrical rock album. it's very demented, it's very over the top, and it's right up my alley. these guy's voices are very operatic and i feel like you don't hear that very often in art rock from this era? it's great. it's giving kimonos with powdered wigs.
In many ways this felt like sometimes pleasant background music with occasionally fun lyrics. Nothing against the album, though
I'd heard of this band but never checked out their work, so they are no longer a mystery to me. That said, I didn't really care for it. The lyrics are quirky, the singing and melodies a little too far in the art pop vein and therefore grating to me.
This 70’s pop really isn’t for me. I just got through it.
I wish there was the decimal point system because I think this is better than a 2 but not quite a three. I would almost listen to it again but probably not. The guitar and pitch of the lyrics throughout are enjoyable but I dunno
I had never of these guys, and I enjoyed the album. Glam rock is not really my jam but this is well-executed and memorable.
A really enjoyable Glam album, I’m glad I got the opportunity to listen to beyond This Town Ain’t Big Enough. This is absolutely the sort of album that I’m likely to fall in love with on multiple listens, so I’m gonna jump the gun and give it a five on the knowledge that I will definitely be listening again.
This album reminded me a bit of post-Beatles Lennon, but not quite as good. Still enjoyed though.
Curieux, opératique, un peu rock progressif, un peu new wave. Entre exaltation et agacement. Préfigure le travail de Muse
Very avant garde so I have some respect for it, but I also don’t want to listen to it lol.
I absolutely hated the falsetto shit with the vocals. It’s like a bunch of theater kids singing an obnoxious version of Hapoy Birthday two tables down in a restaurant. They tried too hard to be like ABBA, Elton, or Freddie and completely failed at the emulation. 1.9 stars
Super fun throughout
I love the inventiveness of the melodies and the falsetto!!
I really enjoyed it but will probably not return for a re-listen.
2,5
Feel like I'm taking crazy pills reading all these 5 star reviews. Did we listen to the same album? Cause this was just pure torture. Not a single redeemable thing to be found in this album, everything just suuuuucks.
Sounds like circus music a bit too often. But it has some bangers when it goes for more straightforward rock.
Caroling kids, caroling kids A trifle premature In tones so rich and pure And crystalline Call for the day, the popular day It's fast approaching now But will the mood allow One dissent? If this were the Seine We'd be very suave But it's just the rain Washing down the boulevard Thank God it's not Christmas When there is only you And nothing else to do Thank God it's not Christmas Where there's just you to do The rest is closed to public view Good lyrics, but I dont love the vocals or the album in general. Its all right. 3/5
70’er glam rock, indflydelsesrigt
Wow, hadn't heard this one before. I think I love it though. Theatrical and tongue-in-cheek feeling while still being actually really great and not just silly. It's certainly much more interesting than most of the stuff I've never heard of, it gets a tentative 5 for now because I wanna go right back and listen again.
Interesting
Lively and a little bit interesting. Won't need another listen for me though.
Sparks lernte ich erst in den 80 er / 90 er kennen. "This Town..." ist ein sehr bekannter und toller Hit. Durch eine best of.. war mir dieses Lied sehr bekannt. Ansonsten kenne ich dieses Album nicht. Die zweite Hälfte ist unglaublich kreativ, verspielt, macht einfach Spaß und gefällt mir sehr gut. Die erste Hälfte ist bis auf den großen Hit eher durchschnittliche Qualität.
I really like the guitar solo towards the end of the Complaints song, but the rest of the songs are not too great. The most annoying song was easily Equator.
2024-04-06...
Sometimes, doing too much isn’t chaotic and fun, it’s just doing too much.
Better than I thought. Totally worn down by the endless playing of ‘This town ain’t big enough for the both of us’ and the whole gimmicky nature of the band I was not expecting too much. Which is kind of what I got. Definitely carving their own path through the varied world of 70s pop, you can’t accuse them of copying anyone. But it’s not that inventive or attention grabbing. I did find my head bobbing to a few tracks along the way. Deserves to be on this list just to highlight how many different styles of music were available back then.
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.
Curioso
Ojala saber ingles
New to me, quite nice
It's different, but not in a good way.
It’s ok
Hey that was actually pretty original and good! Fhat piano was on fire. The singing was pretty great too!
I give everything 5 but this deserves it
It's fine, probably doesn't need another listen but I didn't turn it off
Need to watch the Sparks Brothers documentary now
Esta banda es otra sorpresa de esta semana. La primera canción la tengo escuchada de fiestas o de alguna serie o película. Suena post-punk pero con arreglos pop refinados, antes de que el mismo punk existiese. "Falling In Love With Myself Again" tiene un estilo circense. El fantasma del glam ronda por el disco, que es mi despedida de esta semana hasta la próxima.
fun vibe wasn’t expecting that
I started off hating it, then it started to grow on me. By the time I finished, I thought, hey this is pretty alright. Then I started to listen to it a second time and realized that I was enjoying it. Now I think that I might put this on my list of albums to keep in rotation of albums to revisit now and again.
Unexpected and interesting! Sounded like a circus of some sort!
Very theatrical and reminiscent of ABBA/mama mia. A little bit too silly to take seriously
Die theatralischen Gesangseinlagen und die oft skurrilen Texte erscheinen mir eher anstrengend als unterhaltsam. Die musikalische Komposition, die einige als wegweisend betrachten, wirkt auf mich eher repetitiv und ermüdend. Während das Album sicherlich seine Anhänger findet und seine historische Bedeutung nicht abzusprechen ist, konnte es mich persönlich weder musikalisch noch emotional berühren.
<3
not in love with this one
This is something alright.
Its different but good. It feels like a mix of old and new, with some alt rock or punk influences.
There’s a lot of gusto in the delivery of these songs. It reminds me of the band Pulp. This is a cool discovery. And, it came out the year I was born, which is a plus!
Well this was a delightful surprise. I had no idea what to expect and I was afraid it might venture off into the “too weird” realm, but it was so fresh and enjoyable. A great Sunday Funday soundtrack!
I was not previously familiar with the artist or album. I did not enjoy it too much. It sounds like a cheap David Bowie (Ziggy Stardust era) knockoff. The instrumentation is fine but the vocals go a bit overboard with extreme falsetto and it just gets old for an entire album.
This album is weird, it’s fun and it’s infectious. It is a little front heavy, though. It drags a little after the first four tracks, except for Talent is an Asset, Equator and Lost and Found. Four reserves stars
I love weirdo music
Opzich weer eens wat anders dan oudewittemannenmuziek. Maar of het echt goed was? Dat is een tweede vraag
Best wel geinig en origineel. Sommige nummers deden me denken aan 10cc
Sorry, niet echt om aan te horen
Not for me
Whimsical, artsy rock. Liked it more than I initially expected
I only really got into Sparks around the time of their most recent album, but better late than never. They seem to me like the archetype of a band that has always, unequivocally, done their own weird thing, whether or not it aligns with current trends or commercial success. And that should be applauded, no? I don’t know if this album is their best as I haven’t listened to most of them, but it’s pretty great - amusing lyrics and hooks aplenty. It also contains their biggest hit, which still sounds unique to this day. 4 / 4.5
thank god it's not christmas
Weird stuff
Je m'attendais pas à ça.
Don’t think Iv ever actually listened to sparks before, this reminds me a lot of the current in the moment band the last dinner party. Really good a theoretical deserves to be on the list.
Really sparky! 4 stars!
Fresh, fun, and an amazing vocal range
Vrolijk, muzikaal, met aanwezige maar fijne gitaar.
I know absolutely nothing about this album or group going in. I understand the talent in this group and I did give it a good honest listen but this just isn't my thing.
It was fine. Nothing too exciting for me.
Literally shocked at how good I thought this was. I remember this group from the late 70s/early 80s, and some relatively catchy weird tunes, but could never get past the weirdness of them. I really enjoyed listening to this and now have to listen to more of their albums.
What the fuck.
Not my thing. . . at all.
really fun sound! fun and upbeat album to listen to. i enjoyed this one a lot
Listened 2x. Not great. 2.4/5
Sparks doing Sparks things, influential and years ahead of the rest.
This is weird stuff. Well, the album cover and title, some of the song titles, the Tiny Tim-like vocals are weird. The rest of the music is fairly straightforward. It reminds me of Supertramp. Favorite track: Hasta Mañana, Monsieur.
I expected it more japanese
First song: Hmm, nice... this is fun and different and kinda interesting. Second song: Hmm, this sounds much like the first song. Third song: Hmm.. this sounds much like the first two songs. And so it goes. A solid formula for some positive vibes. 3 out of 5 on the campy scale 🏕🏕🏕
Ihan hauska! Myös taitava, ei jäänyt sekavaa vaikutelmaa kuten usein kasari-kolinasta ja -kiekunasta. Tosin hän kiekui vähemmän kuin alulta odotin. Kelpo popia mutta ko. ajankohdan punk-otteella, vähän riot girlin esiastetta, mikä sinänsä energiallaan vetoaa. Ei kyllä hurmannut silti.
Kekseliästä - enkä tarkoita tätä synonyyminä paskalle. Olin kuulevinani merkittävän määrän koukkuja, tai vähintään "hyviä juttuja", ja halusin pyörittää avausraidan heti uudelleen. Pitkitetty kuuntelu vaatisi silti huumorintajua, joka on minulle aivan liian spesifiä ja outoilevaa.
Do a google and find some photos of Sparks. They’re such an interesting band with many unusual photos! I know one song from this album, albeit not very well, and I’m excited to hear everything following it. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us Favourites: all of it This was a wild ride, and I loved every second of it. It started off with me loving the vocals, and thinking it is a rarity to hear a female fronted prog band. Turns out the singer is simply a guy with a very androgynous voice (perfect for the glam era). The music is super wacky, but never goes too far off the rails to become messy. I’m so glad to have heard this today. It’s one of the best albums I’ve had through this project.
NO 1⭐️
Really not for me
I try to see the good in all music. I suppose Sparks is a niche band and had a place somewhere wedged iinto that rock opera 70's thing. I struggled with good rock opera as I easily get bored with too much of one singer or style of music and rock operas have a tendancy to be a bit long. Not to say that I don't really like some rock operas. Just not all rock operas and unfortunately, this is not one of them...
Electronic, new wave. Unique sound.
one of those albums that I know is "important" and I do like seeing them perform but I find the singing difficult to enjoy on an album. Would like to hear other albums and see if they are easier for me to enjoy repeated listens.
Ha! Really enjoyable quirky album, the melodies were actually pretty decent, nothing felt too repetitive. 2.9
This album does a brilliant job toeing the line between glam and art rock. It's very operatic in tone and there's a lot going on here overall in terms of the music, the melody, the overall weirdness. The influential side of things is clearly there in the likes of future musical acts like Elton John and Freddie Mercury. I think I could grow to really like this on future listens, but for me right now this is a 3 at best (didn't hate it, didn't love it).
Can't really remember anything. Nothing was bad, and this album would have benefitted if there weren't so many other early 70s rock records in here.
4.5
3/5. Definitely a lot better than I expected. Really brought in that rock tone that I wasn’t anticipating but also included the melodic, alternative style singing that made the album what it is.
one word - Colorful
Weird
This is interesting for the genre, but I won't revisit it. The songs all sort of blur together.
It was interesting but not really my style.
Wow, this one was different. I really had no idea what to expect as I didnt recognize the band name or album cover and given it came out in the 70s. I actually really enjoyed this music; it was unique (like Queen), poppy, playful, and overall enjoyable. (Caveat is this landed on a good day I was having, so that may have contributed to my positive reception; if I had been having a bad day, I cant tell if this would have helped brighten my day or just annoyed me.)
Fun album.
I liked it. Good female led pop rock group where the melodies are good enough to tap your feet to
Lots of great songs on this Sparks album, in particular the album closer Equator. Not as good as later work like No1 in Heaven but still a 5 star album (9/10) obviously
I can appreciate the liveliness of this record.
How this band escaped me I will never know. The sound of this album is still fresh after 50 years.
Wow - 1974? I would have guessed late 80’s based on the sound. And I would have guessed the singer was a woman, but alas, I was wrong. Oh, my, this is just great. I’m a new-wave fan, and I really, really enjoyed this album. It’s fun, it’s glam, and it’s wild. I just like everything about it.
It was pretty good, but it didn't keep my interest.
I thought the vocalists complemented the music really well. The songs themselves worked, the only one I didn't care much for was "Equator" which felt repetitive. "This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us" I've heard before (original and covered), but the rest of the album was almost as good as the one song. It's always worrisome that people like the one "hit" and the rest seems like b-sides to support the one song. But a lot of the tracks were as good. The starts and stops in the songs were unique (as were the songs themselves). I had watched a bit of the Sparks doc so I knew what I was in for. But I still id not know everything about them. I do think some of the songs start to sound a bit same-y, and I can see how the duo got tired of that format. Still, a good album. It definitely has some good stuff on it.
Sparks was late to the glam rock party, and maybe only invited so some music execs could cash in on the trend. But this is a damn fun album. Especially the start (This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us, Amateur Hour) and end (Thank God It's Not Christmas) to side one and the end to side two (Equator). The album reminded me a lot of the energy on T Rex's Electric Warrior - that album is still better overall but I enjoyed this album almost as much. Russell Mael's vocals are deliciously high-pitched and eccentric. Reminds me of the Darkness from the 2000's - a throwback glam rock band who maybe learned their stroke from these guys. Ron Mael's lyrics are quite cheeky and his keyboards combined with Adrian Fisher's guitar create such a big sound. I have to admit I'd never heard of these guys before but I was pleasantly surprised.
Had no idea what to expect and ended up blown away. Did I just hear a glam rock opera? This was awesome. Considered taking off one point for Ron Mael's Hitler mustache, but this album's just too good. You can hear how this band influenced subsequent bands like Queen and Cheap Trick (re: Queen, I think Freddie Mercury even stole some of Russell Mael's moves). Edgar Wright made a movie about the Mael brothers with the tag-line "your favorite band's favorite band." Unlike the Velvet Underground who also influenced a ton of bands, I can actually say I dig this one. Clever music, clever lyrics, outstanding musicianship. Favorite tracks - This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us ("As 20 cannibals have hold of you, they need their protein just like you" - lol), Amateur Hour (award for best use of "Yehudi Menuhin" in a lyric), Here in Heaven (love the dark humor of a suicide pact between Romeo and Juliet where only Romeo follows through), Thank God It's Not Christmas (a song with this title has no right being so cool)...ah, just put the name of every single song here (and add the lyric "Gonna hang myself from my family tree"). Great album!
This was such a strange album. I think that’s what I’m enjoying so much about this challenge - is finding music I never would listen to previously. I really enjoyed the unique sound. I added some songs to my playlist but I probably wouldn’t reliaten to it all in a hurry.
didn't really feel this one...
I'm all for interesting and creative rock, but this is just boring and often bad, sound like something I'd come up with as a 10 year old on a child's drum and keyboard set
Talent is an asset but so is audience retention
Frantic. "the greatest band you've never heard of" If you listen closely, there are guitar cords that will reappear on Queen's 1975 album A Night at the Opera. Turns Queen opened for the Sparks in '73.
There's something about it that irked me, I think it was the style of singing. Not something I'd listen to again.
Interesting but... didn't pull me in.
me recordo a kate bush y algo mas pero no me creo que es del 74
I liked this album. It was a good new sound.
Ummmmm.... what? It's kind of like Queen but... not.
While I wouldn't call this bad by any stretch of the margin, it didn't really click with me. I didn't even notice when the album looped back around to the first tracks.
Never heard of Sparks before. Started out confused, it bagan to grow on me, then the vocals got annoying
Pretty interesting. Had no idea these guys existed.
The music was great but the over-the-top vocals killed it for me.
Généralement un très bon album de glam, je ne m'attendais pas à autant aimer ça considérant que ce n'est pas un style qui m'attire normalement. Généralement du bon rock bien fait qui se laisse écouter sans être épatant non plus. Production et instrumentation bonne. La dernière chanson finie vraiment l'album sur une mauvaise note par contre (le Equator répété est plutôt énervant). 7/10
it took well over 800 albums before it finally generated one of my all-time favorite albums, Kimono My House by Sparks I can not recommend this album enough it’s too good to rate, but I guess five stars will have to suffice