Kimono My House

Fun rock album!

kimono my house mon amour

Pretty interesting and I can hear a lot of artists i listen to in them. Mustve been an inspo

Pretty cool sound design. The production could be better, but it works. It's new wave with some musical-like sensitivities. I could see a play with this soundtrack.

I listened to this entire album thinking this was a female band and was surprised to find it is a duo of brothers. And I have heard about the Sparks brothers because of the more recent album and movie that was released about them. Listening to this, I couldn't help thinking how unique the sound was. This is an interesting album and I ended up liking most of the songs because it really isn't like a lot of other music. And to know this was made in 1974 also blows your mind because it sounds so ahead of its time.

Don’t think Iv ever actually listened to sparks before, this reminds me a lot of the current in the moment band the last dinner party. Really good a theoretical deserves to be on the list.

Sparks doing Sparks things, influential and years ahead of the rest.

Had no idea what to expect and ended up blown away. Did I just hear a glam rock opera? This was awesome. Considered taking off one point for Ron Mael's Hitler mustache, but this album's just too good. You can hear how this band influenced subsequent bands like Queen and Cheap Trick (re: Queen, I think Freddie Mercury even stole some of Russell Mael's moves). Edgar Wright made a movie about the Mael brothers with the tag-line "your favorite band's favorite band." Unlike the Velvet Underground who also influenced a ton of bands, I can actually say I dig this one. Clever music, clever lyrics, outstanding musicianship. Favorite tracks - This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us ("As 20 cannibals have hold of you, they need their protein just like you" - lol), Amateur Hour (award for best use of "Yehudi Menuhin" in a lyric), Here in Heaven (love the dark humor of a suicide pact between Romeo and Juliet where only Romeo follows through), Thank God It's Not Christmas (a song with this title has no right being so cool)...ah, just put the name of every single song here (and add the lyric "Gonna hang myself from my family tree"). Great album!

I'm not sure I've ever heard any album with this much energy before. Riding the glam wave but very much in their own way.

barbecutie
lollol

I mean it was alright. Very theatrical. Every song sort of felt like an intro that never went anywhere. It’s was like Rush but without the excellent musicality that makes Rush so good.

Such lovable weirdos. Like a way goofier version of Queen. They maintain such a ridiculously high energy level it just puts a smile on my face. Easily their best album.

Kinda feels like knockoff Queen tbh. It's fun though. The falsetto thing is a bit much for me personally but I can see the appeal.

Very weird and not very good. The world is better for Sparks existing, but I'm not a huge fan. Better than a lot of the dross on the list, but not by much.

The Best Album of All Time

Okay, admittedly I'm exaggerating a little, as the best of all time is yet to come from this very band, but if anyone ever said this was it, I wouldn't only believe them, I'd shake their hand for such a magnificent take.

This album was my introduction to Sparks, as it was for many people, and I remember getting it via a random album generator and thinking I wasn't going to think much of the album. The album cover reminded me of one those more out there post punk, new wave albums like Germfree Adolescence, which would've been fine, but nothing to write home about. But instead, I put on the first track, and instantly fell in love.

I thought Russell was a girl the first time I heard him sing, and only learned otherwise once the first two songs had sold me and I was already looking at the band's discography. He's a very attractive man, I'll tell you that much. His brother, Ron, is no slouch either, as not only is that persona of his to die for, but the man can WRTIE. These are some of the funny, most clever lyrics of all time, and most if not all the riffs coming from the keyboard are instantly iconic. That isn't to downplay any of the other band members here, who are new recruits, and while as not quite as iconic to the canon as the original line-up, all of them are magnificent. I mean, listen to that guitar, bass, and who can forget Dinky Diamond.

Album cover is now to me as eye catching and beautiful, something that Sparks is very good at doing with their art, and it perfectly shows their charm to the world.

While I won't do a track-by-track review, just know every single song here is a five star, and all stand out on their own. Sparks is the only band I know where they consistently do whatever is the most satisfying melodically and lyrically, and also knows the perfect lengths for their songs. Thank God It's Not Christmas is, ironically, the perfect Christmas song, Talent Is an Asset is a lyrical powerhouse, and Equator is equally funny and haunting that no other band has ever balanced. I love this album so much, and even if this was Sparks' only good album, I would still sing their praises evermore, it's that good.

Luckily, this is not the case, as Sparks not only stayed on this high point with their next album, but their best (IMO) is yet to come still. Just know that my life would be completely different were it not for this band, and I'm eternally grateful. Thank you Ron, Russell, anyone who has ever performed for them, and thank God it's not Christmas!

I had never heard of Sparks until today, so I didn't know what to expect going into this listening session, however I was pleasantly surprised. The singer has a very uniquely high singing voice which reminds me of the band The Darkness, and their music has a similar sound to Supertramp or Talking Heads. I really enjoyed the music, but found the lyrics got buried sometimes below layers of guitar and crash drums.

Favourite songs : Hasta Manana Monsieur, Talent is an Asset, Here in Heaven

Least favourite songs : Equator, Complaints

3/5

These guys just have it. They’ve got what it takes to make catchy, quirky, fun art pop songs that are refreshing in their sarcasm and complexity.

I really wanted to like this more, but it kind of fell flat for me. 2/5

Wonderfully camp, Euro electro. Can only imagine what it must have been like hearing this deep in the middle of the prog and glam rock era.

I'm not really in a glam rock kind of mood. this is a fine album.