313. Sparks - Kimono My House (1974)


















Track Listing

1. This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us
2. Amateur Hour
3. Falling In Love With Myself Again
4. Here In Heaven
5. Thank God It's Not Christmas
6. Hasta Manana Monsieur
7. Talent Is An Asset
8. Complaints
9. In My Family
10. Equator

Review

This is an amazing album, I had heard of Sparks, I have even seen the Never Mind The Buzzcocks episode with them in it, but I had never really paid attention to their music, and only now am I seeing how much I have missed. This one really goes on file with Scott Walker as one of the greatest discoveries on the list.

This album is what pop can do at its best, it can be funny, intelligent, provoking, enjoyable and innovative all in the same song. Actually I was thinking what are my favourite tracks on the album and I kept getting all of them.

An amazing thing about this album is not just the music but the lyrics, they are some of the more whimsical, cultured and fascinating things to ever have been on the list. It is really worth listening to this album with the lyrics in front of you, getting all the nuances of word play and referencing. It also sounds surprisingly modern, a bit like a happy version of Siouxie and the Banshees and it is not surprising that the first track on the album has been covered by them. It sounds like some slightly creepy carnival of the most amazing music. This album is really about a decade ahead of its time, but nothing was as tasteful in the 80's. So really get this, it is one of the best musical experiences I have had in the last few years. Get it at Amazon UK or US.

Track Highlights

Let me say that this is perfectly random, my favourites keep changing in this album.

1. This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us
2. Here In Heaven
3. Hasta Manana Monsieur
4. Amateur Hour

(I feel I just made a disservice to the album by picking 4 songs, it's Sophie's Choice all over again).

Final Grade

10/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

With Adrian Fisher on guitar and Dinky Diamond on drums, in the midst of power strikes and a threatened vinyl shortage, they recorded their breakthrough Kimono My House in 1974, scoring a number 2 hit with the single "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us", despite Elton John betting producer Muff Winwood that the song wouldn't break into the charts. This hit led to an appearance on the BBC's flagship music show Top of the Pops. Russell's hyperactive movements were in sharp contrast to the keyboard-bound, soberly-dressed Ron's expressionless squint, whose toothbrush mustache and neatly parted hair gave him more than a passing resemblance to Adolf Hitler. Gordon was sacked the day after the band's appearance on the show with no explanation at the time, although years later, Hewlett admitted to him that the brothers had found him intimidating.

This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Two Of Us: