Sparks – Introducing Sparks

Mojo (362-Jan 2024) featured Sparks as that months "How to Buy" top ten as voted by Mojo readers, including this album. I love all of Sparks albums (some more than others of course) but was surprised at some of those that made the top ten.

1 - Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins
2 - Kimono My House
3 - Music That You Can Dance To
4 - Lil' Beethoven
5 - Propaganda
6 - Hello Young Lovers
7 - Introducing Sparks
8 - The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte
9 - No. 1 In Heaven
10 - Big Beat

A true Sparks classic and a rare chance to hear them with the "LA sound" of the 70's. The ironic 'introducing' title hints at the attempt to re-introduce them to American audiences, and the studio royalty behind the scenes pull out all the stops. Huge production, wild solos and a strong collection of witty pop classics from the Mael brothers. One of my faves.

Solid release from Sparks! A Big Surprise, Occupation, Forever Young and Goofing Off have got to be my favorite ones on here! Very underappreciated album from them, great stuff!

Referencing Sparks - Introducing Sparks - time has been relatively kind to this 1977 album's rather restrained production, and the songs are (almost) all Mael brothers classics. This cassette release doesn't do it many favours, however. Both treble and bass sound as if they've been filtered out. Stick to the vinyl LP.

It is unclear as to whether this was officially released.

The name is very misleading as it's Sparks's 7th album (or 5th if you ignore the Halfnelson discs). At this stage the band was well past the storming success of Kimono My House which had established them in the UK as a major act, and the title seems to be a reference to their attempt to re-establish themselves in the USA. Although reviews at the time slammed the record and suggested that "Goofing Off" (the 6th track) was somehow a summing up of the band's attitude, this is grossly unfair. Listening again nearly 30 years later, "Introducing..." is in fact one of the best albums of the band's career, full of the Maels' characteristic wit and musical variety - some great guitar work and not a glimmer of the Euro Synth-pop that was to follow. Deserves to be rehabilitated and celebrated (unlike their genuinely terrible 1988 disc "Interior Design")

Not the best, but certainly has some great tracks like "Ladies," "Forever Young," "I'm Not," "Those Mysteries," etc.