Sparks
Exotic Creatures of the Deep

The Sparks in 2008: questioning whether they are still worth it is absolutely legitimate, given that there are much more recently founded musical realities that already have no reasons (artistically speaking) to continue existing. However, one must not forget who they're dealing with, who the Mael brothers are: the times of "Kimono My House" and "Propaganda" are not destined to repeat themselves, that type of freshness and inspiration is naturally destined to decay after a more or less short period. It’s a law that applies to everyone, but the true edge of Sparks is their flexibility, intelligence, and irony. I, who would give up much more willingly the sense of touch or smell rather than my "sixth sense," can only appreciate these innate qualities, when one doesn’t feel like prophets, almighty figures, charlatans but rather like shrewd jesters and entertainers, everything becomes easier, more beautiful, and time smiles at you instead of unmasking you, turning you into a pathetic self-parody. And so, the Sparks come out in 2008 with this "Exotic Creatures Of The Deep," slapping on the cover a charming chimpanzee in a tuxedo, a "tribute" in their own way to then American president George W. Bush; that when I think back on all the lucrative theater staged around his figure and his astonishing exploits by Green Day, Madonna (the lowercase is purely intentional) and other shady characters, I almost find him likable. Anyway, what I meant to say is that the chimpanzee is seriously cool and rocks just like the Sparks.

Theatrical, pompous, volcanic, and irreverent, "Exotic Creatures Of The Deep" shows that the Mael brothers are still a joyous war machine, armed with a baroque pop filled with pianos and classical reminiscences: from the pressing opener "Good Morning" to the spectacular orchestral contortions of "Likeable", it is all a continuous and joyful bombardment of ingenious and bizarre tunes for an album conceived as a cabaret show, a comic opera. There’s also room for the funny tribute/parody of "Lighten Up, Morrissey" with its riff that echoes "Glamourous Glue," the flirtatious and pseudo-sensual electro-glam of a fantastic "I Can’t Believe That You Would Fall For All The Crap In This Song", the sarcastic frenzy of "Let The Monkey Drive" with its neurotic piano lines and the head-on clash between swing and hard rock of "Strange Animal", but it’s the more "classical" episodes that dominate the scene. Whether it’s the pompousness like "This Is The Renaissance", the nearly ballad "I’ve Never Been High", and especially the epic and hilarious "(She Got Me) Pregnant" rather than the sly and spaced-out approach of "Photoshop" and "The Director Never Yelled Cut", fun is always guaranteed.

Russell may no longer have the explosiveness of the "Something For The Girl With Everything" days, but his unmistakable style hasn't changed a bit, still a great singer and brilliant performer, while Ron is still a puppeteer (as on the cover of "Pulling Rabbits Out Of A Hat") capable of subtleties and surprising ideas, as well as perfect pop melodies; decades of activity that seem not to weigh on the two Californian brothers, still capable of producing inspired and entertaining albums like "Exotic Creatures Of The Deep." The Mael bros remain faithful to the (their) family values, and knowing them, this explains quite a lot, explains why fossilization is a risk that does not even touch them, there’s really not much else to say and a lot to listen to.