I think all of the first five Sparks albums are masterpieces of oddball pop, an absolutely unprecedented mix of melodic pop, energetic guitar rock, over-the-top theatricality, vaudeville music (Ron’s piano in particular), a sarcastic lyrical attitude with occasional forays into outright surrealism (WTF is “Saccharin and the War” even about?), all topped off by Russell’s giddily eccentric voice, a sort of demi-operatic, rock & roll Al Jolson on helium. I can only wonder at the reaction of unsuspecting hippies hearing the Halfnelson album when it originally popped up in freaking 1971!
Nowadays, I tend to prefer the complete insanity of A Woofer in Tweeter’s Clothing, though that may just be because I’m a little burned out on Kimono My House from overplaying. That’s not to say it’s bad, far from it, for many years it was my favourite Sparks disc and I still think it’s an essential purchase, “Thank God It’s Not Christmas” and “Equator” being two of my most-loved Sparks “deep tracks.” Of course the singles are brilliant; to think that there was ever a time and place where such weird creations could have ever been top 10 hits!
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MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")
‘“What blow, Goblin?” said Corinius.’ --E. R. Eddison
N.P.:“Gentle Push”-Hoelderlin/New Faces
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