Reviews (page 8 of 8)
Novel and unique at the start, but the eccentric compositions with the falsetto vocals are fairly exhausting after a while. Album is near average length, but it feels so much longer because of its relentlessness. Not an album I'd listen to all the way through again, but I'd listen to a song every now and again.
A fucking great album
Quite bonkers, their influence on subsequent bands very evident, and their likeness to contemporaries (esp Roxy Music) also clear. I didn't love it much as I hoped I would, but I will listen again.
Really very odd but pretty good. Like Cardiacs but with the faintest hope of selling a record
Weird kinda punk music. Not great
Sorta avant-garde jazz rock. Lots of the songs were fun to listen to and stood out from one another without being conventionally structured. Not an album you’d put on often, but definitely one should give a listen. 4/5
After hearing about Edgar Wright's movie on Sparks, I kept meaning to check them out and never got to it. Boy, this blew me away in a bizarrely delightful way. Happy to hand out my first 5-star review that isn't to one my tried-and-true classics.
Recognizable, good energy
3/5. A pretty unique and enjoyable album. Hard to get into at first but found a few new sounds on relistens.
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!
Very unique sound. Not sure how to describe...
Why does Hasta manana monsieur have like 90 minutes of dead time? The album doesn't really strike my fancy too much. Better than some others, though.
Weird and cool. It was really close to pulling a four, as the songs had an appealing operatic/pop/zappa/abba thing going for them that was continually interesting. Definitely liked This Town and Hasta Manana.
Pretty sure I’ve heard this album before. Definitely like This Town. Kitschy rock pop with cartoon guitars.
Fun listening
Uh….. 2/5
I kinda hated this album. I'm not saying that Glam Rock is easy to pull off, but there just wasn't really anything special about this one.
One absolute banger, and a whole bunch of meh
I guess I like glam. This album is fun and the cover is so cool. Interesting to learn that one of the models was the lead vocalist on the fabulous opening track on Scary Monsters. Some really good lead guitar floated in there. I normally don't go for high pitched male vocalists but this one works.
Vocals sound Queen-influenced, although these guys cut their first LP at around the same time (1970) so who knows. The music reminds me of early Roxy Music, but not as good.
In the 70s the local indie radio station, CFNY played a lot of Sparks, particularly This Town and Talent is an asset. They were quirky glam-rock tunes that was pretty emblematic of that era. Bowie, 10cc and Roxy Music were some of the bigger names also doing this genre back then. These two tunes are IMO the best on this album, but unlike their peers, their sound hasn't aged very well I'm afraid. The cheap pun in the album title also sub-par.
This album made me think of being at Disneyland on a hot day and finding myself in line for it's a small world just to get out of the heat. Nice idea, but taking the brown acid while waiting was not. The ride turned into kaleidoscope of colors and sounds and lots of ducking to avoid getting hit by wooden shoes thrown by demonic little girls with tulips in their hair. Escaping that brought no respite though as animatronic bears would not leave me alone and I ended up drinking moonshine with them while playing a washtub bass. In the end, I trudged from the park like a parasauralophus staggering into the faceplant of its final dirt nap. In other words, for me, this album was a long, strange, trip.
Sounds ahead of its time. It could have been a decade later with New Romantics. Love the song titles and humour Cover art 3/5
Cool album with cool sounds, reminds me of Supertramp, but nothing too great. Couple of decent songs.
I had never heard of Sparks until today, so I didn't know what to expect going into this listening session, however I was pleasantly surprised. The singer has a very uniquely high singing voice which reminds me of the band The Darkness, and their music has a similar sound to Supertramp or Talking Heads. I really enjoyed the music, but found the lyrics got buried sometimes below layers of guitar and crash drums. Favourite songs : Hasta Manana Monsieur, Talent is an Asset, Here in Heaven Least favourite songs : Equator, Complaints 3/5
Ok
Interesting album, hadnt heard of the band before
Oh, the whimsy.
Really different album, style and feel of the lyrics of music unique to anything else ever listened too. Really enjoyed and will be an album I will listen to many times again in the future.
Listened before: No Enjoyed: Not really Listens: 1 Just didn't do much for me
holy shit this was great
Didn't really like this one.
Catchy pop, unkown to me before now
Whoa, this album is interesting. Exactly the type of thing I want to encounter on this list. Glam meets art-rock with a dash of prog and avant-garde. This isn't novelty though, the songs are well constructed and catchy.
Absolute madness. Sounds like Art Rock that actually kind of rocks. "Amateur Hour" is a great tune and the whole album has aged remarkably well for something that came out in the mid 70s.
I can’t handle listening to Sparks every day, or even every week. But I love many of their songs.
Is this new wave? Experimental perhaps? Had to listen to it twice and to some of their later albums. Not my favorite, but certainly has a place.
Surprised me!
It’s a man?
Long break, catching up.
This was an interesting listen for me, since I didn't really like the opening track, despite it being the most well known off the album - the rest of it I ended up really liking. 4
De openingstrack is geniaal! Dat sfeertje blijft ook eigenlijk wel gedurende het album!! Voelt eigenlijk als een soundtrack van een pop-musical of zo. *****
super wacky and fun, no idea how to even classify this!
Very David Bowie, Supertramp, Devo vibes. It was fun, but I wouldn’t choose to listen to it again.
Bizarre and pretty fun at times.
If Sparks weren’t an influence for Amanda Palmer, I’ll eat a handful of coriander.
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.
Balancing the thin line between hyper-tense and insane, the Mael Brothers delivers a record that is the exact opposite of the B-52’s… Festive and fun in just the right way. While a few of the songs seem to miss the mark, I never feel bored - maybe it’s the excitement and energy in Russell’s falsetto or maybe it’s the playful songwriting. I’m entertained nevertheless. Best: This Town … / Thank God … / Equator Worst: Falling In Love … / Complaints
Sharp and witty, this is an enjoyable, energetic new wave album full of idiosyncrasies and quirkiness. Is there a higher meaning to the lyrics? Who cares? Just enjoy the ride.
I have not heard something quite like this before!
4.5
These guys just have it. They’ve got what it takes to make catchy, quirky, fun art pop songs that are refreshing in their sarcasm and complexity.
What the hell was that? Would not give it a full three star but maybe 2.5. Will settle for the 2 so I don't get lulled into listening again
Getting strong early Roxy Music vibes on this one and I'm having a hard time assigning stars on a first listen. Definitely going back to listen later because this sounds like something that can become a favorite
Was kind of hoping this would be a cool early J-rock band, but I should've known it was just a band using Japanese imagery given it was 1974. Music itself was forgettable, fine. 2.5.
not a fan of the voices but music is interesting and lyrics tool
A very unique album. Did not enjoy this one very much and was hoping it would end. The two singers have a distinct sound and I’d imagine you either like it or don’t. The instrumentals were okay. Sometimes I felt the sounds enjoyable but overall it felt a bit dated and generic. 2.7/10
A more pop-y Split Enz or Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band. Odd but likeable enough I guess?
Really cool album from a band I've never heard of. Will definitely listen again
I didn't really enjoy it, at times I found it quite annoying.
Pretty annoying. I guess this is for someone but it isn't me. Bad, but somehow not 1 star bad.
Good guitar parts mixed with vocals. Some of the circus and spooky sounding songs weren't my fav but it was pretty good.
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.
Kimono My House is the glammiest of glam rock albums. It's full of quirky lyrics and upbeat tempo and very, very high falsetto (guess it could've been a byproduct of the '70s tight pants too! haha). Overall, it was a decent glam rock album - even if that high falsetto threw me a little to begin with. Best: Equator Worst: In My Family
Talent is an asset Prefs: TOUT Moins pref: RIEN
It started out pretty fun, but it got a bit much by the end. The vocals bothered me throughout the entire album. I considered giving this a 3.5, and maybe I would have if the singing was better.
easy listening
very anime intro / outro esc
Good album
3/5
Was pleasantly surprised with this one.
I really wanted to like this more, but it kind of fell flat for me. 2/5
weird but i kinda found it intriguing. the best thing about the album was the cover though.
I liked this WAY more than I was expecting!
Dzisiaj bardziej popowe klimaty, ale nadal dosc ciekawie, bo nie tylko cos nowego, ale orginalnie brzmiacego, a to wszystko na Kimono My House, ktory jest trzecim studyjnym krazkiem hamerykanskiej bandy tworzonej przez duet braci Maelow i dodatkowych muzykow, plyta z 74, jak przystalo na artowego/glamowego rocka dosc skroma jesli chodzi o ilosc materialu, bo tylko 36 minut na dziesieciu trakach, sam sklad instrumentalny brzmi dosc typowo, jak kombo drumy, klawisze, bas i gitara, ale do tego dochodzi wokal pana Russella, ktory operuje taka skala wokalna, ze przez pierwsze trzy traki mialem wrazenie, ze slucham wokalistki, a nie chopa co tylko spiewa jak baba w celu podkreslenia ironicznosci utworow, wiec jeden z braci ma niesamowiscie ciekawy glos i potrafi z niego zrobic uzytek dajac energicznie i prawdziwie zywiolowe performensy, bo z tego co widzialem na livowych nagraniach, prawie ze skacze po scenie podczas wystepow, potrafi dynamicznie zmieniac tempo podczas trakow, co daje zespolowi pole do popisu jesli chodzi o instrumentale, bo pomimo tego, ze slychac pisanie pod klawisze, to nie zabieraja one calej sceny, a gitarowo zdarzaja sie ciekawe momenty, jak na thank god its not christmas, co do drugiego brata to gra on na klawiszach i jest glownym teksciarzem bandy odpowiedzialnym rowniez za kompozycje instrumentalne, wiec czuc tutaj, ze bracia rozumieja sie jesli chodzi o to co chca tworzyc, a na tym albumie slychac popowe acz tak wyszukane, ze czlowiek potrzebuje rozczytac sie o co moze tutaj chodzic, bo obok klasycznych lowerowych trakow, choc tutaj z przekasem zawsze, pojawiaja sie nawiazania do literatury, nauki, czy kina, wiec lirycznie miasz masz o wszystkim i niczym, ale zrobiony na modle artystycznego popowania rokowego, wiec tez nie dziwne, ze banda nie zrobila kariery w hameryce, a raczej byla jednym z tych zespolow na ktorych sie poznala europa i tutaj znalazla swoich sluchaczy, ale nadal zaliczylbym ten krazek do jednych z raczej undergroundowych pickow patrzac na ilosc odsluchow spotifajowych czy last fmowych, ale tak czy inaczej sluchalo sie tego przyjemnie, zwlaszcza ze wzgledu na niecodzienny wokal jaki mozna tutaj uslyszec, jedynie Bolanowy kojarzy mi sie z czyms podobnym, ale to i tak jeszcze jest nie to co tutaj, na plejke dodam openingowego this town aint big enough for both of us i amateur hour
Glam rock superstars. Great album.
I'm usually first in line for strange esoteric music but this one doesn't quite resonate with me. Equator stood out for me, and maybe it needs a few more listens but for now 3 it is.
Interesting to hear where This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us came from. Very odd album overall, but kind of fun.
I've always heard of Sparks and have wanted to listen to their music since they just had a documentary come out about them but never got around to it. This was a good introduction though because I loved this album. It was so unique sounding and energetic and all the songs were catchy. The first two on the album were my favorite though
Stuck between a 2 and 3 on this one (to avoid giving every album the same score). Decent amount to like, fun sections at times, but just not enough to move the needle for me.
Like Chris from Family saying Hi ominous monkey, this one sneaks up for a nice surprise. Some pretty good unions of all instruments
If you haven't already seen the Edgar Wright documentary on Sparks make that your immediate priority. Impossible to overstate their immense diversity influence on tonnes of genres
Knowingly quirky and not half as weird as it thinks it is - like the kid who wears bowling shoes or reads a book at a party. Best Tracks: This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us; Amateur Hour; Thank God It's Not Christmas
One of the more zany releases, but a very fun one. Favourites: "This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us", "Here In Heaven", "Thank God It's Not Christmas"
I've recently been "introduced" I guess to Sparks and started to become really interested in them. I've some of their tracks in the past and thought they were really fun and exciting. I am loving listening to this album. I can totally see why a lot of famous musicians say this is their favourite album of all time. There's something really different and interesting about the performance and I'd love to watch more videos of their performances. I'm not totally sure how I feel about two white guys passing in sound as a couple of Asian women and I'm not totally sure whether that's what they were doing... I also appreciate that wasn't really known to be an issue in the 70s. I love the voice and the range!! I love the energetic keys and variety of musical elements in each track. I'm dedicated to getting more into listening to this album properly and watching some of the live performances because they are hyped up to be wonderful.
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!
I can see how this is great and everything but I just didn't love it.
The instrumentals on this album slapped... But vocals ranged from unbearable to OK. Overall had some solid tracks that I can see myself coming back to.
Genre: Glam Rock 3/5 Kimono My House, one of rock's earliest forays into glam, is an absolute hoot. Our artists, Sparks, take rock 'n roll, fills it full of theatrics and bombast, and shoots it out of a cannon filled with glitter and sparkles. One of the happiest, and frankly cutest, little albums I've listened to in quite some time. The first side, including opening highlights This Town... and Amateur Hour, does a great job of painting a picture of what the rest of the album sounds like. Quirky vocals and lyrics, sometimes spouted in foreign languages, decent pop arrangements, and a vibe that's not been replicated since. The second half of the project is where it all seems to run out of steam. Eqautor is decent, though, and ends the album on a high note. Overall, as much as I enjoyed the first half, it's a 3 for me purely for the fact that its attitude can be a bit much for me at times. Cute, fun, clearly influential (Rocky Horror, T. Rex), just not replayable for me, unfortunately. Good album, though.
didn't finish
áhugavert band
Bemn diferente, não curti tanto mas criativo
This be pretty kooky, I wouldn't have placed this as 1974.
Cool rock album. Kinda kooky, almost reminds me of Tommy by the who with some of the lyrics. Overall though good album with awesome rock instrumentals
Not my favorite Sparks album, but still great. Their style is truly unique.
I enjoyed this. Really fun, poppy melodies and obviously a real precursor to the fantastic art pop we have today.
This one was a weird one. It wasn’t something I’d ordinarily listen to, at all. But I didn’t hate it. The music was catchy, and vocals were okay. Not sure it deserved a spot on this list though
I was not a fan. This got weird and it was hard to keep track fo who the singers and band even were because the sound/voices kept changing. Not for me.
Beetje ABBA-vibes, met meer gitaarwerk, en wat minder consistent qua genre. Wel amusante rockmuziek
quirky, upbeat, vibrant and catchy art pop from the early 70s. Didn't expect this one to be as good as it is, but between the constant sonic shifting and the endless catchy melodies it's really grabbed me. Off the wall for now, let alone the 70s
Listened Before? N Whooo boy where to start with this one? It was unique and fun at the beginning, but wow did it stall out about song 4. Pros: Unique and a couple bangers in the beginning. Cons: Falsetto and repitition... it feels like a novelty album. Added to Library? N Songs added to Playlist: This Town Ain't Big Enough for The Both Of Us
Roses are red, violets are blue, it wasn't that good so, hasta mañana monsieur. Rima je na rubu prihvatljivosti, al ne mogu nis drugo smislit.
Okej album. Ima dobrih stvari poput "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us, Complaints.." i koja mi se sviđa "Talent is an Asset". Ostatak je okej, ništa previše da me taklo, ali nije loše.
Iznenađujuće dobro i ugodno slušanje, a nikad čuo za njih. VOZAČU AUTOBUSA UBRZAJ KAO I RITAM!
I loved it! It was weird and novel. It was a fun listen.
Very poppy and fun album. Definitely something I could listen to again when I am feeling nostalgic.
More 70s crap.
Mostly a bunch of noise.
Sparks seem to be everywhere at the moment; the Annette soundtrack, the Sparks documentary (which I am halfway through watching), they seem to be having a real moment. This is one of those bands that has a real cult following, and I never really got. 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 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.
Strong 2, I do see the appeal but after a couple of songs I wasn’t digging it as much
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
weird and fun, would listen again but not all songs are hits for me
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.
I weirdly remembering reading about and hearing this album a while ago. I actually kind of like it, in a novelty kind of way.
Interesting one. Not really for me. Respect the hustle tho
Someone's jam
I have written a haiku: Mael may have done well But glam rock is not my rock So I bid farewell
Too flamboyant.
I didn’t love it
Only ok
awesome album cover and great glam rock sound
So annoying I wanted to die.
Not bad, I was quite surprised
Enjoyed this one quite a bit.
wel oke niet wauw
Ja een perfecte drie, zeker van genoten maar niets dat me wegblaast
Annoying singer. Wish I could rate 2.5
While I enjoyed the upbeat fun sound, the songs were way too similar. I don't like when I can't understand a word they sing and honestly thought they were speaking a foreign language. I was surprised that it was an American duo!
It's not bad but it's also not good. Am I better off from listening to it? No. Am I glad I heard it? Also no.
The songs were repetitive so this might be one better heard in smaller doses.
Okay?
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.
didnt really get it
It grew on me throughout the album. Was pretty thrown off at first.
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 bought this and the 'Propaganda' follow-up on vinyl for very little money during the great vinyl purge of the early to mid 1990s. I've never listened much to either album. They're a bit too much on the showtunes side of glam for me.
I honestly have no idea what the fuck is going on.
People say they are geniuses, and some say the foundations of synth-pop depend on them, but this is a hard listen.
Starts very hard! It sound very influential, like those NY Dolls, good one although it felt much longer than 40 minutes
meh
Pop-rock con aires japoneses.
Muy peculiares. Parece un musical - cabaret. Y suena un poco chinokimono. Muchos agudos y bajadas de agudos. Venga, un 4 por novedosos.
Fantastic! Helped me grind out a paper in h2 hours!!
This felt like weird kids music I kept expecting Carol vorderman to come out and teach me my 3x table
Geggjuð, tímalaus plata! Þarf að eignast!
First listen. Wish it was my last. Oh this is a painful album to listen to. It isn't good. I don't get it. I really gave this album a chance... I can't say that I enjoyed even one song. For me, this is 1/5.
I've never heard anything from Sparks, but I do know that there is a recent documentary about the band. It was good to have a chance to hear something from the band. "Amateur Hour" and "Talent Is an Asset" caught my attention, while "Equator" and I did not get along as well. The downside of the album for me was a feeling of repetition within some of the tracks. My curiosity about what else I might hear if I gave this album a second listen rounds my rating up to 4 stars.
Loved it. So glam in parts but some genuinely catchy tunes. Feels like the roots of a lot of modern stuff like Ariel Pink etc too
3, it was decent. Never heard of them and didn't know what to expect based on the album art. A pleasant listen, though not one I'd probably seek out.
Ce n'est vraiment pas mon style. Je comprend qu'ils ont eu un hit, This town aint big enough for both of us, mais le reste de la l'album est pas mal sur la meme lignée. C'est bien produit et les arrangements sont bon, mais encore un fois, vraiment pas un gros facteur de réécoute pour moi. 3*
When I first saw the cover I was like "Cool, maybe it's a Japanese surf band" then I realized the title was just a cringey pun by some old white guys in the 70s. This was a chore and I didn't make it all the way through this. Not a fan of the super-high falsetto vocals all the time. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood but the music also didn't speak to me. Trying to be both pretty and complex - almost baroque or something if that makes sense. This is the kind of album that makes we want to listen to something more roots-oriented like the blues or folk as a palette cleanser.
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.
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.
This Town Ain’t Big Enough… is the only reason worth listening
Lost and found is good, rest meh
Love a bit of glam and enjoyed this madness.
Wonderfully camp, Euro electro. Can only imagine what it must have been like hearing this deep in the middle of the prog and glam rock era.
Did not enjoy. Weird rock, sounded like Queen at times. Very difficult to undwerstand any of the vocals, it was all very high pitched.
I’m looking at the lyrics and I still can’t understand what they’re singing. The music is catchy and well done. I hear a lot of later artists in their melodies,m. Overall it’s pretty good but not an album I’ll listen to over and over.
Fun stuff
Didn’t like it
an excellent album
Fantastically weird quirky pop. Its pop music written by music theatre nerds who listen to Yes.
I'm not really in a glam rock kind of mood. this is a fine album.
Monday 30th August 2021 Started on the walk back from Nuffield health and finished while playing Mario kart on a chilled back holiday Monday. Very relevant at the moment due to Edgar wright's documentary on the Sparks brothers and the Adam driver film they've done the score for. I enjoy the anarchy and the fun they put in to their music.
Plays like a strange cross between the Sweet, Queen and a Broadway musical on steroids. Undeniably clever with a sense of fun and insidiously catchy in parts, but after several listens I’m still not not sure if I love this or hate it.
I get where they were going here, but I wasn't having a great time listening to this one. A couple of songs were cool, and I liked the energy, but it was exhausting.
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.
A poppy glam / prog rock album. The lead single and intro is by far my favorite, but all the other songs use experimental techniques that work very well. Love the vocals and symphonic instruments. Each gives off different emotions, like a circus feel in "Falling in Love..." or the horror of "Here in Heaven." Nearly half of the tracks are nothing crazy, but those strange techniques in many of the tracks grab my attention. I love the consistent high energy and fast pace that makes for a lively experience. So what makes this album so special to belong on this list? It was a massive influence to a million bands, such as Morrissey of the Smiths, Depeche Mode, RHCP, and Bjork. To me, this is a decent album, but I'm sure to professional critics or musicians, this is pure gold for inspiration.
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.
My God! I can't believe how many of the albums on this list are absolutely unbearable! I forced myself to listen to the entire album because I feel bad giving a low rating without hearing the whole thing but I will never get back the time I wasted on this noise.
Would’ve rated higher but some of the songs got annoying
Not my cup of tea.
I don't like it
It was definitely interesting?
It's a bad sign when you find yourself checking to see how many songs are left.
Cinco. Ascendo aos céus num cocktail de hipérboles, destinado a falhar algures na estação de serviço. São só palavras. São tudo. MotA: Amateur Hour "Zoo time is she and you time"
First song is decent then it's a bit meh
enjoyed this one quite a bit, pretty vibey.
Really enjoyed this ride. I am also now on a mission to find the earliest known use (this is 1974) of the god awfulness indie pop/soulless corporate sales jingle that is the first 30 seconds of “Talent is an Asset.”
4/5 Really nice voices and cool album
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.
Quirky rock album. Sounds like indie prog from the 70s
Very theatrical, I'm glad I heard it
Never heard of them before - very unique, fun, energetic sound
A bubbly, eccentric, bizzare Glam Rock album from the mid 70s. A few moments get so strange that I found it a touch off putting but generally the album was a ton of fun precisely because of how weird their brand of Glam Rock can get. Strange melodies, bizarre vocals, there is a ton going on here and thats a good thing for 95% of the album.
This is tough. Some cool guitar riffs but I couldn’t get passed the vocals. Put this in the category of I don’t get it.
GOOD
Fantastic album. 9/10
Un album correct de la part d'un groupe composé exclusivement de gros débiles.
meh album not my type of music
Huh, bestaat deze muziek ook? 'k was eerst positief, later minder, trois ponts. Eh, geen bruggen maar sterren. Hun laatste album (70-ers zijn het reeds, hulde) vind ik pruimerder.
An incredible, fun, campy, glam rock sound. Nothing else like. Russel's performance is awesome!
While some of the more Beefheart moments caught my ear, I largely missed the point and turned it off after 4 tracks
Last listened on Friday. Don’t remember a great deal from it other than a sense of Great Fun. The 70s really was a mental time for music eh? Seems like you could do anything. And that includes giving albums very bad titles.
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.
pretending to be asian is an American institution on par with the bill of rights Fr tho this shit is weird af, 'baroque falsetto' is a bit much even for me
Sure, got plenty of stuff going for it, but aint my kinda music.
70s glam rock. Glad I now know about Sparks.
Très sympa cet album de la voix française de Shark, notamment le moment où il échappe à la brigade de Port-Marie suite au match clandestin entre les Bleus de Tag et les Fantomes de la Cité de Ben. Étrange en revanche de ne pas apercevoir RIN sur cet album, qui a pourtant donné sa chance à Shark lors de son concert a Zürich en 2020.
Crap.
At first, I was like wtf! Then I was like hmmm.. I didn't get it until I got to amateur hour. How have I not heard of these guys? So inventive and ahead of their time. Blending genres like me at a froyo place. Absolutely scrumptious album, but I must say that I won't listen to this around other people. It does grow on you, but some grow faster than others. Those two reasons are what keeps it from five stars. Great album! I'm picking up their great hits after this for sure.
Good and very original.
Weird. Reminds me a bit of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, but an entire album.
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.
A lot of enjoyable, well written songs, it's almost a 4 but I don't have much of a desire to revisit it
Not bad but not really my thing
Production: 13/20 Songwriting: 15/20 Innovation: 16/20 Bangers: 5/20 Emotional response: 16/20 =65 This was belting fun
I'm totally unfamiliar with this band. Songs are OK, but seem pretty light and inconsequential to me. Good musicians.
1e nummer is echt leuk. Daarna vroegen de kinderen of die zenuw-muziek uit mocht..
For some reason this album reminds me of Halloween. It’s also really good. I didn’t enjoy it as much as I feel like I should have for some reason because it’s definitely a weird vibe. It’s very 80s for being from 1974 which is cool. It’s full of bangers that I will have to revisit. Many of the songs on the album are similar which isn’t necessarily a bad thing because there isn’t a song on here that I don’t like but not every track stood out to me. Favorite songs: Amateur Hour, Here in Heaven, Hasta Mañana Monsieur, Equator, Barbecutie, Lost and Found Strong 8/10
Glam pop? OK bright pop music.
Wazig plaatje, waar ik toch wel een beetje door geïntrigeerd was, maar op 3/4 was het wel genoeg.
Weird en beetje te kitsch voor mijn smaak.
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....😬
Het is absoluut weer een iets anders. Wel een hoog songfestivalgehalte.
not in the mood
enjoyed this, maybe 3.8
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
4
Sorprendentemente buenos. Buenos ritmos, melodías y voces. Rock muy setentero.
Good - but not really all my bag
Pop-rock con aires japoneses.
Glam rock, did not enjoy
Annoying
Quite a fun glam rock/art rock album, but nothing really stood out to me. Falsetto vocals are fine, maybe a bit tired by the end of the album. 6/10, best track is 'Here In Heaven'
Muy como vivir en un musical
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!
Funky.
Sparks are pioneers. Excited to see the Sparks Documentary directed by Edgar Wright this year.
frizzantino
Did not like the vocals at all
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
Not for me but i see its value
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
Music not too bad. Vocals suck more than my shop vac
2.5 - half a point extra for "this town..". i love that song the rest of the album sounds kind of the same
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
this town really carries it but good vibes
10/10
I can grasp the aesthetic of this and certainly see the artistry of it but to be honest I found listening to it kind of exhausting.
Queen but make it manic, maybe throw it into Rocky Horror.
This didn’t do much for me. Quirky 70s music.
Sounds very "musical" and Rocky Horror Picture Show. Some songs start out promising and then get kind of silly with the singing.
nice one
Interesting, some good organ vibes
Has some interesting sounds, but wasn't life changing.
Ugh, how quirky. If 10cc are Monty Python, these guys are Noel Fielding. Their one trick got old very fast.
Not heard all of this before but v good.
Not absolutely terrible. Very funny track titles and they got us good.
bem produzido, mas não é meu estilo favorito
Álbum ok. Amateur Hour é ótima.
Good album, with the sonority of its time. Very japanese like sound. Interesting.
Não gostei, mas os álbuns o Dustin disse que os álbuns mais novos são interessantes. Ouvir
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
It's interesting. I didn't hate it, but like Marley, it's just not my thing. A couple alright songs (namely Amateur Hour), but yeah. Might get better on another listen, if I ever care to re-listen.
Is Sparks the least of the Big 3 “artier” glam rock acts? Sure, they rock hard and there are some truly catchy tunes bolstered by their deliriously high pitched singing, but not much that truly wows me like “In Every Dreamhome a Heartache” or “Aladdin Sane.”
WHOA i love all of these
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.