SPARKS thoughts and impressions

[drinksmithwicks]

I know this doesn't exactly pertain to the music, but I got 2 copies of the deluxe edition from 2 different stores. What I found really odd is that one of them doesn't have the Roadrunner Records logo anywhere on it.

Has anyone else come across one of these? I wonder what the deal is with that.

[nicrn77]

I just looked at my copy which I purchased through the band's store and there's no mention of Roadrunner Records. Odd.

[fictionplaner]

I think 'Sparks' is a brilliant album. It is very different from LSOTB. While this may turn some people off, I applaud them for taking a new direction. If this album doesn't get them more attention from the masses, I'm not sure anything will.

[harembee]

Great comment fictionplaner!

Sparks is true, from the heart FP. Listening to it takes me on a musical journey. It teases me into fond familiarity with guitar riffs, drum rolls and vocal styles reflective of each of the band's previous albums, then smacks me in the face with something entirely new. It's a dash, it's a dot, with a p**** cat on the top! Love it! ;D

My copies are without record company credits also.

[nicrn77]

My faves of the day are now Angel Eyes and Telephone Unknown. Have been listening to them on repeat every time I get in the car!

[jen]

[glow=red,2,300]I love this album! [/glow]

[drinksmithwicks]

I find that it is really fun to listen to out of track order. Each track presents new surprises that way. ;D

[harembee]

Yep, I'm a compulsive shuffler!

[hermione]

I'm addicted to most of the tracks on Sparks, but particularly love Russian LSD and Out Of My Face. Awesome album!!!

[principessa]

I was late for work today because of listening to Sparks. I just could not leave the house until I had heard it all the way through, twice!

[Sapphire]

I hope your boss was understanding!?
Listening to Sparks makes my exercise routines much more bearable. Angel Eyes is my fave track of the week.

[eaglealan]

Pelt me with olives but I haven't heard the new album yet. Will buy it at the London gig this week.

[fictionplanefanii]

:)I finally got my copy from Amazon yesterday, and I have to say I'm happy, for the most part: On my 1st hearing, I was somewhat disappointed, because I was hearing this in comparison to the kind of album I wanted them to make that had been in my head for over a year. I've since had to view the album for what it is, and not what we collectively wanted wish list-wise. For me, the album is certainly an advancement of the sound from their 1st 2001 private label CD to LSOTB. I'm surprised by some who think this work is some sort of departure from their established sound. To me, it's right in line w/ it...only pushed further a bit, and somewhat more complex, and certainly darker (though that has always been a prevailing theme in FP music). I actually wanted the album to go much further in breaking new ground and new genres. My favorite tunes: Zero, Out of My Face, Sadr City, Humanoid (classic Gothic tale of psychosis), Push Me Around, Two Sparks, Tommy (I can't help but think of The Acid Queen interlude/movement from The Who's rock opera whenever I hear this and read the lyric), and La La La.

I think that the Limited Edition CD track listing should be the official release version of the album, because the bonus tracks are essential to the rest of the album and they fit the running time of a standard CD= 80mins. The album loses a substantial strength w/out them. I was thankful for those 3 songs, for they show sides that don't exist on the rest of the album proper. I'm just disappointed that they weren't sequenced into the album's running order (like Wolfmother's double LP did); and that we're denied lyrics to them (I thought this was a deluxe version?).
In my head, it would've ran this way (if anyone at all cares):

You Know You're Good
Out of My Face
Angel Eyes
Push Me Around
Talking
Revenge
Two Sparks
Tommy
Telephone Unknown
Sadr City Blues
Humanoid
Zero
Russian LSD
Denied

I'll say this much: Joe's voice has reached its full height and power on this album (am I the only one who thinks that on many of these songs he naturally/unintentionally channels his Dad's voice and energy along w/ brief Bono/U2 appearances?...that's the great thing about this group: echoes of the past in the present...only Frank Sinatra, Jr. has the same corner on the market), and his lyrics are the same.

The radio singles should be:
Push Me Around
Zero (This screams Top 10 single!)
Out of My Face
Sadr City Blues
Humanoid
You Know You're Good
Denied

I agree that this should be the launch off album for them, since it can't get much louder than this. My only fear w/ them now is that they get locked in this hard rock/punk/alt. room that limits them (please don't get me wrong -- I LOVE HARD ROCK/PUNK ROCK/ALT. and don't want them to EVER stop that sound), when they have so many other possible genres working in their veins to display: Pop, Jazz, R&B, Dance, Country, etc. But, again, that would've required an album of probably 25 songs on two discs (SIGN ME UP!), and there's so many things that are unrealistic about that venture (however sonically and artistically satisfying).
Maybe, if they become big, they'll be able to branch out further...I'm sure all of us would love that.

:)So, I'm very pleased w/ the album, and already call some of the tracks CLASSICS. American Radio, GET WITH IT!

:(However, I think I should stop listening to the demos the band keeps giving us on this site. It's frustrating to hear what could've been, only to find out it wasn't.

But, hey! We all got a "shout out" in the liner notes of the album. It felt like a personal recognition.

Until the next Fiction Plane opus...

[principessa]

I have been driven crazy with Russian LSD in my head all day today - the track not the drug of course!

[woody]

It is a most worthy ditty that one. 'Tommy' is top of my list though.