It’s time to take the flags and bunting down from the loft and open that bottle of Blue Nun you’ve been keeping for a special occasion. Sparks will release their 26th album, “The Girl is Crying in her Latte”, on May 26th.
Re-energized after the Franz Ferdinand collaboration, and with a couple of strong albums and the Edgar Wright documentary under their belt, their career has momentum. Which, as all Sparks fans know, is precisely the cue for them to change musical direction, leave the country, release a pointless covers album and generally horse things up.
Except I don’t think that will happen. All their albums this century have been good or great, and they’ve settled into a nice groove of making baroque pop albums. That this album will be good is as inevitable as Manchester City winning the league except it’ll be a lot more fun.
So let’s welcome back the band who gave us the couplet “Can I fix you breakfast? / I hope it’s just your laugh that is infectious”.
I used the box.
This is good news.
However, I had decided that I wouldn’t see them this time round in Manchester.
Why? Well, because there WASN’T a new album out, I don’t like the venue (Bridgewater Hall…not keen on sit down gigs.) and finally, the gig last year at Albert Hall was so good and so memorable, I can’t imagine they’ll hit those heights again.
Obvs I might have to reconsider.
Hold on Freddy, are you saying that one of the reasons you don’t want to go and see them live is because they were so good last time? That’s a reason for NOT seeing them?
I’m starting to understand why people keep going to see Bob Dylan.
I’m more surprised by giving it a swerve because it’s seated. If that was the difference between 2 gigs I’d take the seated one every time, and pay a premium for it if I had too. But we’ve been here before I think, and chacun à son goût.
I’m beginning to think I’ve made a terrible mistake!
If it’s any consolation, the tickets seemed to have sold out almost instantly.
Having caught them last March in Dublin, hoping they would play here again. Sadly, they’re not and when i looked into flying over for a UK show, all the tickets had gone
If it’s any consolation, the tickets seemed to have sold out almost instantly.
Having caught them last March in Dublin, hoping they would play here again. Sadly, they’re not and when i looked into flying over for a UK show, all the tickets had gone
I think I’ve seen Sparks at a seated venue 4 or 5 times. The RAH in May will be seated. I’d take standing any day. I’ve said it before but I preferred it 10 years ago when they weren’t famous!
They’ve never been “famous” surely…?
Apart from briefly after that TOTP appearance…
But it was announced at the same time that there would be a new album out. They said sometime last year that it was finished.
I missed that! I did look on the website about a month ago and couldn’t see any mention of a new album. Must be getting old.
…or it could be that I read far too much about Sparks! Their twitter feed is a mine of info I’ve a friend that gets the fan club emails and passes a lot on so I wouldn’t know where I read about it. I rarely visit the website so I’m sure it wasn’t there I saw it.
Well, sort of yes!
Last years gig was ace. It was emotional and this is from someone who isn’t prone to showing their feelings too much, especially at a rock n roll gig. There was a lot of love in the room for Sparks, the set was brilliant (even if they didn’t play Perfume…) and it was a perfect venue for them.
Just think it would be hard to match up to that.
I’m not a fan of Bob Dylan btw!.
All Sparks 21st century albums good or great? Do we include Annette in the list? If so, I’d have to take issue with the your claim. I’m a huge Sparks fan, I’ve seen them more often than any other band…. I like two or three of the songs on the album but I’ve only made it to the end a few times and have never managed to get to the end of the full version.
If we exclude Annette, the claim stands and I’ll be in the RAH a few days after the new album comes out anyway.
Excludes Annette, but includes Ingmar Bergman.
I’ve not heard Annette. I’m really not doing well, am I?
John is right Freddy, you’re not missing much.
Erm. How can I put this? I’ve not heard Ingmar Bergman either…
I do like Sparks though, honest I do.
It’s not for everyday listening but there are several good tunes on there.
Sparks doing a pointless coves album could be an interesting exercise. They are somewhat contrary in all things, so would expect to see Judy Garland butting up to Judas Priest on such a release.
The collaboration with Franz Ferdinand on paper could’ve been terrible. It wasn’t.
Even included the track “Collaborations Don’t Work” and they so obviously did.
Kimono My House may be considered the default choice, but I think A Steady Drip Drip Drip is as good as anything they’ve done