Sparks – A Woofer in Tweeter’s Clothing – 1972
Sparks gets much closer to perfecting their brand of glam and goof on their sophomore outing. Once again the record is front loaded as “Girl From Germany” is a splendid way to start but it’s at about 3 songs in with the scattershot and epic “Nothing is Sacred” coupled with the string festooned “Here Comes Bob” that the album gets its fun on. “Moon Over Kentucky” completes the first side and shows the pathway to greatness that the forthcoming “This Town Ain’t Big Enough for the Both of Us” would exemplify.
Side Two opens with a looney yet earnestly rocking version of Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Do-Re-Mi” which would almost kill were it not for Russell’s insistence on using that faux french accent which works later on “The Louvre” but is too distracting to ever convert anyone expecting mainstream pop to these guys. A denser and more rewarding record than their first, Sparks makes it clear that they are not for everyone but if you get them, they can be a real treat.
Grade B
A Side: Girl From Germany
BlindSide: Nothing is Sacred, Moon Over Kentucky
DownSide: Angus Desire, Whippings & Apologies
