Sparks – MAD! (Transgressive) (13th Floor Album Review)
A case can, and should, be made for Sparks, as one of the most underrated, original and consistently entertaining bands…ever. And MAD!, their 27th studio album, makes that case as strongly as anything in their massive catalogue.
I first became aware of Sparks in 1972, when, as a teenager, I was visting my grandparents in England. That trip opened my eyes (and ears) to the likes of David Bowie, Mott The Hoople, Hawkwind and Sparks.
The deal was sealed when I saw them in concert two years later during their Propaganda tour in early 1975. At the time, I loved songs like B.C., Achoo and Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth., but, to be honest, I thought they were something of a novelty act, destined to be a flash in the pan, what with their quirky sound and even quirkier image.
How wrong I was. Fifty years later and brothers Ron And Russell Mael are still going strong.
And during that long and winding road they almost single-handedly (well, them and Donna Summer) invented synth-pop with their 1979 Giorgio Moroder-produced No1 in Heaven album, setting the stage for the 1980s.
With a brief cooling off period in the 1990s…only two lps during the decade…Sparks have been incredibly prolific and incredibly creative and their new album, MAD! indicates that Ron and Russell, ages 79 and 76 respectively, still have plenty of gas in the tank.
Newly-signed to Transgressive, after a brief return to Island Record, MAD! debuted at #2 on the UK album charts, the highest in the band’s career.
And a quick listen to opening track, Do Things My Own Way, tells us why they are still a force to be reckoned with.
Russell’s singular shrill voice has mellowed a bit as lyrics like, “Not a fad, is that so bad? Gonna do things my own way” are a statement of purpose as much as part of a great pop song.
The dozen new tunes are uniformly thrilling. Musically, the self-producing brothers use strings, synths and whatever else they fancy to give their songs the love they deserve.
And after more than fifty years it seems they still have plenty to write about.
Hit Me, Baby hints at the terror of waking up in today’s political climate…the American-born brothers are now based in Paris…while I-405 Rules sings the praises of a California Interstate. A Long Red Light continues the automotive motif…these guys even find fun and inspiration in waiting for a red light.
I could go on, but instead I’m gonna go back to my Sparks collection. With 27 studio albums bouncing around I’m sure I’ve missed something along the way.
Talent is indeed an asset!
Marty Duda
MAD! Is out now of Transgressive Records.
