Label: Island Records (UK), IMCD 198
Style: Art Pop, Art Rock, Glam Rock
Country: Pacific Palisades, California, U.S.
Time: 43:10
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 279 Mb
Charts: US #101, AUS #22, CAN #58, NLD #10, UK #4. UK: Gold.
Brothers
Ron and Russell Mael or, as they are better known, Sparks, are among
the most prolific and original artists to ever arise from the sun-soaked
streets of California. Throughout their six-decade career, the band
have explored every genre under the sun, from art rock to techno and
everything in between. Before they were a global success, with nearly 30
studio albums and an Edgar Wright-directed documentary, there were
simply two brothers and Kimono My House.
First released in 1974,
Kimono My House had some stiff competition, with the early 1970s rock
scene dominated by truly iconic artists such as Roxy Music and David
Bowie. Unphased, Sparks successfully managed to create an album unlike
any other. Kimono My House is fearlessly individualistic and pioneering,
much like the band themselves. Although the record provided Ron and
Russell with their breakout success, you get the feeling that this
commercial success was not entirely by design. Sparks were fairly
content to operate away from the mainstream, playing by their own rules.
From
the first bars of the opening track, ‘This Town Ain’t Big Enough For
The Both Of Us’, Ron and Russell establish the mood for the vibrant and
eclectic album which will follow. Arguably their defining track, the
opener is awash with proto-new-wave influences and art rock tendencies,
with the undeniable tones of singer Russell acting as a guiding voice
through the sonic menagerie. Evoking the gun duels of a Clint Eastwood
flick, the song also speaks to the cinematic nature of Sparks, something
which they would later develop while writing the soundtrack to the 2021
Leos Carax film Annette.
As the tracklisting of Kimono My House
progresses, Sparks repeatedly affirm their endearing eccentricity and
seemingly endless ability to craft pieces which are equal parts
innovative and pop-centric. With all songs composed by the moustachioed
master Ron Mael, Kimono My House is a true masterpiece of songwriting.
When taking into account not just the tracks on this album but the rest
of Sparks’ extensive discography, it does not seem at all outlandish to
list Ron as being among the most profuse and gifted writers in pop
history.
Stand-out tracks on the record come in the form of ‘Amateur
Hour’ and ‘Talent Is An Asset’, with Russell’s distinctly un-American
singing style becoming increasingly captivating as the album progresses.
Sparks also establish their unique sense of humour on this record too,
through the ‘Bah, humbug’ anthem of ‘Thank God It’s Not Christmas’ and
‘Complaints’. This sense of humour, that has followed Sparks throughout
their discography, is one of the things that make the group so special
to their legions of fans.
While the brotherhood of Ron and Russell is
undoubtedly the driving force behind Sparks, their infallible backing
band should certainly not be forgotten. On Kimono My House, for example,
the incredible guitar stylings of Adrian Fisher form the basis for many
of the album’s stand-out moments, particularly on ‘Hasta Manana
Monsieur’ and ‘Here In Heaven’.
With 26 studio albums under their
belts and a career spanning over five decades, it is easy to get lost in
the excellence of Sparks. However, Kimono My House remains a stand-out
project within their discography. With the benefit of hindsight, it is
easy to see why it acted as the gateway to their long history of
commercial success, but even if that was not the case, Kimono My House
is undoubtedly one of the greatest albums to arise from the art rock
scene of the 1970s.
(faroutmagazine.co.uk/sparks-kimono-my-house-album-review/)
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