Well -- first off, I would NOT recommend the first two Sparks albums to anyone interested in their glam era sound -- SPARKS and WOOFER IN TWEETER'S CLOTHING are warped post-psych albums with the influence of The Kinks, Small Faces and others subverted into to something willfully weird. Great stuff, but not always (particularly in the case of WOOFER) pop. Really, KIMONO and PROPAGANDA are it. INDISCREET has some of those elements on certain songs, but it goes in a lot of directions, aided by Tony Visconti's production. As for INTRODUCING -- 1) it's still vinyl only (used bins) and 2) it's not really power pop -- but David is right -- it's their 'normal' album. I would suggest, after KIMONO and PROPAGANDA, trying 1982's ANGST IN MY PANTS - not the same sound, but a cool new wave sound that is in a somewhat similar vein. If you like that, get WHOMP THAT SUCKER. Another route would be to get albums from contemporaries who have that sound -- Jet and The Quick -- Not Lame carries them both. And if The Features would ever put out a full CD -- they are a Nashville, TN band who has that sound too. Mike Bennett NP: Chris Butler -- MUSEUM OF ME Record reviews and more at http://fufkin.com >From: "David Bash" >Reply-To: audities@smoe.org >To: "Audities" >Subject: Re: Kimono Props >Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2003 10:29:58 -0700 > >--- In audities@yahoogroups.com, "Seaman, Dave" wrote: > > > > Speaking of Sparks, I have heard a lot of interesting things about >their > > > latest, Lil Beethoven. Also, I'd like to expand my Sparks collection. >I > > > have Kimono and Propoganda on LP, love Kimono, really like Propoganda > > > (especially Something For the Girl With Everything), and hope to > > > eventually get these on CD. Are there any others in this style >(strong > > > and distinct pop melodies, powerpop/glam heavy guitars and drums)? I > > > understand they changed styles not too long after Propoganda. What >other > > > Sparks lps would you recommend and why? > >I would definitely recommend their first two, Sparks (also titled under >their original band name, Halfnelson) and A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing. >Not quite as glam oriented as Kimono My House or Propaganda (my personal >favorite) and definintely quirkier than either of those two, but certainly >strong on pop melodies and completely over the top lyrically. > >I'd also recommend Introducing Sparks, which is probably their most >straight >ahead pop album. To be sure, it's still quirky and goofy in many places, >but everything's relative and if one of their albums has to their most >"conventional", this one gets my vote. >I just wish it was issued on CD. > >I am not much of a fan of the albums in between Propaganda and Introducing, >which are Indiscreet and Big Beat. To me they both come up short >melodically. Mike Bennett probably feels differently. :-) >-- >Pop Rules!!!!! >Take Care, >David > > _________________________________________________________________ STOP MORE SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail