Sparks: Exotic Creatures of the Deep

by Less Lee Moore

“Ron’s lyrics are humorous, but they have a deeper side. Though they make you smile, there’s a darker undercurrent.”
—Sparks’ Russell Mael in Current Planet Sound, May 2008

I’ll admit it. I waited until the last possible second to write this review. I’ve struggled with the task of cramming all my love for this band into a few hundred words. Yes, I realize I am reviewing only one album and not Sparks’ entire oeuvre. But because this album is the latest from a band who’s been making amazing music as long as I’ve been alive, I can’t take those previous 37 years lightly. Through their tenacity and talent, Sparks have earned the right to more than a few succinct phrases and a numerical score or set number of stars.

After hearing their 2006 album, Hello Young Lovers, I babbled endlessly about the immense joy that the album (and Sparks’ music in general) had given me. If Hello Young Lovers was joyous, then Exotic Creatures of the Deep is absolute ecstasy. It opens with a lovely motif which re-emerges halfway through and then again at the end. Not only does this create a musical microcosm, it creates such a longing that by the time you reach the end of your first listen, you can’t wait to hear the whole thing again. And after your hundredth listen, you can’t wait to hear the whole thing a hundred more times.

“Good Morning” and “Lighten Up, Morrissey” are way more infectious than any songs have the right to be, with hilarious and pointed lyrics. The latter is a teasing tribute to one of Sparks biggest and most enduring fans whose own hilarious, pointed lyrics are frequently characterized (incorrectly) as morose.

Even the songs that don’t seem obviously addictive manage to worm their way into your brain and refuse to leave. There is both conflict and resolution in the mini-movie of “The Director Never Yelled ‘Cut'”; the sonic version of a “happy dance” that takes place after the director in question is finally satisfied with the actor’s performance is as charming as it is humorous. While some might chuckle at the lyrics of “I’ve Never Been High,” those of us who could sing them with honesty are laughing out loud, amazed at the song’s grandiose, symphonic swells, including tympani and tinkling piano.

“This Is The Renaissance” goes even further, adding synthesized strings as Russell plays the part of a sideshow barker and transforms alternate pronunciations of the word “renaissance” into a absurd joke that shouldn’t be funny (but which is).”I Can’t Believe That You Would Fall For All The Crap In This Song” is incredibly sexy, exposing the clichés of its subject matter by impersonating (and surpassing) the very thing that it mocks.

Ron Mael is a master at pitting ridiculously unforgettable tunes against sardonic, subversive lyrics while Russell Mael’s voice is the spark that ignites these contradictory forces into flaming glory. Although his falsetto is frequently (and rightfully) praised, here he pushes his multi-octave range to its zenith. It is this vocal perfection which makes the flawed humanity depicted in these songs so incredibly compelling. Like its predecessor, this album also explores the flip side of joy.

The beautifully constructed “Strange Animal” has organ flourishes and multi-tracked vocals but its repetitive chorus is haunting. Five minutes in, there is one stray “ah,” and this is what turns a great song into a magnificent one. The exaggerated panic of “Photoshop” is both amusing and oddly troubling because its subject matter is not far-fetched in the slightest. And then it comes: that piano solo towards the end that takes my breath away as it tugs at my emotions.

Hello Young Lovers proved how skilfully and rapidly Sparks can switch from comedy to tragedy, but with “Likeable” they blend the two with such lightning-fast subtlety that I am rendered helpless. The following lyrics eluded me completely until I’d heard the song a few times: Wonder what it feels like to be in love? / How would you describe it, like a push or shove? / Guess I could pretend that this is all I need / Wanting more than what I have might appear as greed. When I finally caught them, I was stunned.

The outro, repeating the motif of I don’t care if you love me / Just so you like me is like pouring salty tears into fresh heartbreak (and somewhere Morrissey is also crying hearing it). “Likeable” is not just the culmination of an album, it’s the culmination of a career, and along with the rest of Exotic Creatures of the Deep, it’s the most profound slice of beauty Sparks has ever created.

Additional Resources:

Sparks are currently in the middle of the Sparks Spectacular, during which they are performing all 20 of their albums on 20 consecutive nights at Carling Academy Islington in London, UK. You can watch the shows via live video streaming at CD Pulse.

Exotic Creatures of the Deep will make its live debut on June 13 at Shepherds Bush Empire. For more information, please visit AllSparks.com or the band’s MySpace page.