Who are Sparks? What is Sparks? Are they a band? These are all questions I’m sure many of you all have, just after reading this article's title. Lucky for you, the recent movie answers all of this in the first minute. And, before I saw the documentary, I was wondering the same thing. To sell you on why you should listen to Sparks and possibly even watch the documentary – they are good. Imagine if the Beach Boys were led by Freddie Mercury or if Queen was led by Paul McCartney. 1970s Bohemian grandeur meets the 1980s front men duo.
I imagine I’ve sold you on at least streaming a song or two. But this review will be a little different. Rather than analyze an album, I’m going to briefly review the band’s career up to this point: 5 decades of work – 21 albums... I promise I’ll keep it short (unlike the documentary, which is my only complaint about watching 2.5 hours of a band I never knew anything about but am now a fan of). And, if you do become interested in Sparks and want to see who they are and what they’re about – give the documentary a watch (link here). It is directed by Edgar Wright – Baby Driver, Last Night in Soho, etc – you get it.
Many celebrities attest the band’s weirdness to what makes Sparks spark. And, I have to agree. But, maybe the spark to Sparks is that they are brothers and share an intimate creative bond that comes with knowing, sharing, and creating with someone for over 60 years.
They started out in the 1960s groovy Beach Boy era and quickly transitioned to the weird 2nd British Wave which brought many interesting sounds and hairstyles. They flew under the radar in the US but had a following in the UK. So, they left and became a euro-centric band. They found success and returned to the US later on in their career (late 70s early 80sish). The 80s worked for Sparks and highlighted who they were – but they could never catch fire with a larger audience. After two decades of work they gained an already cult following and almost scored an animated feature directed by Tim Burton in the early 90s. The feature never came and the brothers almost considered it quits. But they rebounded. The cult following had their back. And they’ve been touring, creating, and growing the cult following to a larger fan base since the 2000s.
Sparks themselves are weird. Their music reflects that. But, depending on the mood, there’s an album for you. Here’s the guide:
- Singles to give a listen: "Wonder Girl", "This Town Ain’t Big Enough for the Both of Us", "When Do I Get to Sing, 'My Way'", "My Baby’s Taking Me Home" (my personal fave).
- The Best Albums: Angst In My Pants, Lil’ Beethoven, Kimono My House. These albums define Sparks.
- The Early Stuff: Sparks, A Woofer In Tweeter’s Clothing. These albums are weird, new for the 70s (and still now), and are great if you like Queen and the Beach Boys.
- The Gr8 Middle Stuff: Angst In My Pants, Music You Can Dance To. Queen-esque with a definite American 80s disco vibe.
- Our Era (90s-Now): Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins, Lil’ Beethoven, Annette (the animated feature which eventually gets made). Think Coldplay meets Nirvana meets Pink Floyd.
These guys have flown under the radar and influenced your favorite bands. Your favorite niche celebs are fans. They’re good for a reason. They aren’t for everyone – but with such an extensive discography, you are bound to find a song you'll like. Give them a listen. I’ve joined the following. And, maybe you should too.
What did you think of the Sparks Brothers Documentary? Holler at us in the comments below or over on Twitter!
- Botts
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