New Sparks! oh yeah...



one track from their new album out in March (it's all I have)
"Metaphor"

mael://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2OIRIRW70862G39PZ94D34D6YB

Thought the whole album was posted in that YSI thread.


God, how old are these dudes now.

oops! must search before I post stuff...

No it's cool. I'm pretty sure it expired awhile ago.

the whole thing is leaked, i'm ysi-ing it right now for you. they also re-issued two albums in january (a woofer in tweeters clothing and sparks). sparks are just great. all their music is new to me-- the result of my january boredom with so few new releases.

Right on! Thank you! I've got those first two, plus Kimono My House, Gratituitous Sax & Senseless Violins and Lil' Beethoven at home if those are needed...I got into them pretty hardcore a couple of years ago...

excellent. i'll be listening in when i get home tonight.

i just discovered sparks maybe two years ago and have been absolutely loving them. totally underrated.

awesome. people are telling me to buy kimono my house next.

ok, johnny, i have to get going. i'm leaving my comp on while it sends. it will be up later this afternoon.

cool! i should be able to post some stuff later on tonight after 10, so be on the lookout!
merci!

sparks- hello young lovers

so what is the best Sparks album, exactly? I wanna hear a couple before the next two decade-skewed polls.

I love Sparks.
My three favorite Sparks songs:

" Mickey Mouse" ( I always picture the Reagans when I hear this)

"The #1 Song in Heaven"

" Throw Her Away ( And Get a New One)"


Their most played song is probably " This Town Ain't Big Enough", which is pretty good , also.

my favorites are no. 1 in heaven and in outer space, but kimono my house is popular as well. that album has eluded me, though, and i haven't heard it entirely.

okedoke - here's Kimono My House





h!!p://s38.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0KG565JO4Y3CT0RP2966TFEK2W

wish I had the room for that

and here's one more for now...Lil' Beethoven. Lights out Ibiza!



hxyp://s63.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0RF1OUT0PTPBY2765EZ59NHK5T

favoloso, johnny ;)

I think "Hello Young Lovers" is more consistent overall than "Lil' Beethoven" was, without a few of the weak tracks, but also with a less pronounced theme and no peak as high as "Ride 'Em Cowboy" or "My Baby's Taking Me Home."

Regardless it makes for a pretty strong back-to-back oughties revivial for the group.

I'm really liking the new album...Perfume and Metaphor are my two faves right now. Thanks again for reposting it, S.G.!

Here's the other Sparks cd I have - Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins . It's from 1994, so it has more of a Euro techno feel...but pretty strong overall! Personal faves - "When Do I Get To Sing "My Way,"" I Thought I Told You To Wait In The Car," and "Now That I Own The BBC".




hmmm://s39.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0M3KB71BBUFZP11DAMKR0CZBRU


PS Does anyone have either the 'Profile' comp or 'Propaganda'?

We are delighted to announce that the online auction to sponsor the Sparks Spectacular is now open.

The Sparks Spectacular is taking place in London from May 16 - June 13 and will see Sparks playing 21 albums in 21 nights. The first 20 albums, starting with the 1971 album Halfnelson and running through to 2006's Hello Young Lovers, will be performed one album per night at the Islington Academy.

On June 13 Sparks will relocate to Shepherds Bush Empire for the first live performance of their new, and 21st, album.

The sponsor of a show will

* Have his / her details included on the relevant page in the Spectacular programme. NB these details can be personal or corporate
* Will receive two tickets for the show
* Receive a Spectacular programme signed by Sparks
* Meet Ron and Russell Mael before the show and, subsequently, receive a souvenir photograph of the sponsor with Ron and Russell.

To place a bid on a show register your details with us and then choose the gig(s) that you want to sponsor. Enter the amount that you wish to bid. If you are outbid you will receive an advisory email.

The auction will close at midday (GMT) on Monday April 14th 2008. Winning bidders will be notified immediately and payment will be processed within 5 working days. Failure to pay in time will result in the "lot" being passed to the underbidder.






Great idea.

Do these guys even tour much? And they remember how to play/sing 21 albums? Shiiiit.

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They don't tour the US much and if so only the big cities.
They still tour the UK.
I remember hearing Neko Case on either Sound Opinions or BBC Radio 2 and she was pysched that she'd just gotten to see Sparks in London.

No doubt. Two very excellent albums. albeit, to some people's ears, very off putting.

My faves still have to be the first 3 though. Kimono My House, Propaganda and Indiscreet.

Yet, another vintage 1970's WMMS regular, where pretty much, in the US, only Cleveland was hip to the band.

I think a lot of '80s kids got turned onto Sparks by the video I posted above. Most probably thought it was a cool song and that was the end of it. Aspiring music geeks went out and found as many Sparks records as possible in the used record stores. They almost made a dent in public consciousness in the early-mid '80s. Showed up on SNL, and "Eaten by the Monster of Love" was used prominently in Valley Girl. To anyone looking for something ear-bendingly different, yet somehow not threatening, Sparks was a perfect solution. My brother had their first album on vinyl - we played the shit out of it.

Yep, they seem to play london at least once a year, seen them touring each of the last couple of records. They're still fantastic live and, as you'd expect of Sparks, they invest a lot of thought in making it a 'show' - film, props, choreography etc. Last time out they did the whole of 'Hello young lovers' in sequence and then a 45 minute set of 'hits'. Value for money there.

On pretty pink vinyl

^Most color conscious music purchased I've ever made.

So they have a new full album floating somewhere?
I can't find it. All I get is Jordin Sparks.

Looked under Imports?

The thread may be misleading because it was started over two years ago. The "new" album discussed above is Hello Young Lovers.

Ah...how'd I miss that...oops.
Well, then I'm all caught up.

And...oh...import section....ha...those were the days.

But like Mitch said, they're debuting songs from a new album at this 21 day concert.

Thus!

It's like the Maels have been lurking here.

The residency to end all residencies:

05-16 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Halfnelson)
05-17 London, England - Islington Academy (performing A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing)
05-18 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Kimono My House)
05-20 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Propaganda)
05-21 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Indiscreet)
05-23 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Big Beat)
05-24 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Introducing Sparks)
05-25 London, England - Islington Academy (performing No. 1 in Heaven)
05-27 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Terminal Jive)
05-28 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Whomp That Sucker)
05-30 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Angst in My Pants)
05-31 London, England - Islington Academy (performing In Outer Space)
06-01 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat)
06-03 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Music That You Can Dance To)
06-04 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Interior Design)
06-06 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins)
06-07 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Plagiarism)
06-08 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Balls)
06-10 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Lil' Beethoven)
06-11 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Hello Young Lovers)
06-13 London, England - Shepherds Bush Empire (performing Exotic Creatures of the Deep)

I agree that Kimono is excellent. I'm also a big fan No. 1 In Heaven.

(Apparently I need to hear Propaganda & Indiscreet.)

I still near to hear No. 1 In Heaven. And everything else that isn't Kimono My House.

So, just listened to Ron and Russell on the Jonathon Ross radio show on BBC Radio 2.
They have just started their 21 album residency in London.
Also, their new album (funny how this thread was actually started for their last album) is out today. At least the site says it's available on iTunes, Exotic Creatures Of The Deep. Anyone heard any of it yet?
Ross played a song off of it but I was a bit preoccupied to give it a good listen.

You don't know how annoyed I am to be in Scotland this week and not able to go to the Kimono show. I haven't heard the new album yet but will do soon, thought the last one was pretty good, especially "Dick Around"

Ex. Creatures:

Okay record. Too many sub-Ween one-joke novelty numbers.
FWIW: Made me want to listen to L7 next.

I will listen to this album!

You know what, I listened to this once and decided that it was boring and pretty much like the last two albums without the interesting parts.

Then Mark Prindle made some MySpace bulletin where he talked about how he STANDS CORRECTED ON THIS NEW SPARKS ALBUM because...



So I played it again (as I was planning to at some point), and holy hell, for hardly paying attention to it the first time through, these melodies are suddenly all familiar and infectious and I enjoy this record very much. Maybe even more than I enjoyed Hello Young Lovers on the second listen!

I had "There's No Such Thing As Aliens" in my head a few days ago, I'm going to listen to it right now.

yeah he sent me an email about that before he posted that myspace bulletin and i basically replied "idk man lol"

this album is really good, but my problem with recent "sparks" is just the sameyness

From Lil' Beethoven on, I think their idea is to have a sameyness. It's of a piece, not unlike, say a symphony.

Hey it's still fun. "Lighten Up, Morrissey" may be repetitive but it's still fun and a great chant for this summer.

man propaganda is a helluva record