What Are You Listening To?

[Music Head]

from my library (vinyl)



Debut album and the brothers are still at it. Ron and Russell Mael are Sparks. No doubt about it. With Russells falsetto vocals and Rons statuesque playing and that downright scary stare they have always fascianted me. Though a group is on the cover here, it was still all about them. Their style has been all over the map through their career and it's hard to peg them. This album and the group were originally known as Halfnelson. Not sure why the name change. Discovered by Todd Rundgren who signed them to his Bearsville label and produced this album. It failed to hit the charts in the states, but the single of Wonder Girl was a minor hit. Overall the brothers have experienced more success in the U.K. than here, and they have recognized that by spending a lot of time there, even though L.A. is home. This is not one of their greatest albums, but it still holds up. Not much available for clips, with only a sample on my fav and a bad live clip for Slowboat.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Fa La Fa Lee

Best Track - Simple Ballet

In the city, in the country, in the towns throughout the world
All will join in, in the big scene,
So won't you please take off your shoes?

It's a ballet, simple ballet, so let's dance on
Pick a partner, take a tall one, take a small
one, take a fat one and let's dance on

Crews will film it, add the music
while the world has its feet engaged
Some critics love it, yet some pan it,
some say "it's likely to cause a rage"

There'll be long shots, there'll be close shots, there'll be mid-shots
Simple ballet was an idea, then a novel,
next a movie, soon on T.V.

It's promotion of a new way of thinking
Instead of "Hey, orange drink," vendors
will say, "get your souvenir posters of the ballet."

Do a plie' for the D.A. when he comes round
Your alleged conduct with the director has
raised some questions that he wants
answered (Good for the ratings)

It's a ballet, we thought a ballet and we danced on
We had no idea you'd hang out your coat on an
issue thin as tissue so we danced our ballet

And we danced our ballet
And we danced our ballet

1) Wonder Girl - ** - live
YouTube - Sparks - Wonder Girl and Do Re Mi
2) Fa La Fa Lee - *
3) Roger - *
4) High C - **
5) Fletcher Honorama - **
6) Simple Ballet - *** - audio
Sparks ? Simple Ballet ? Video & free listening at Last.fm
7) Slowboat - ** - live
YouTube - SPARKS Halfnelson / Sparks Slowboat
8) Biology 2 - *
9) Saccharine And The War - **
10) Big Bands - **
11) (No More) Mr. Nice Guys - **

3's - 1
2's - 7
1's - 3

Rating - 1.8