Sparks - Indiscreet (1975)

ladyislingering

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What happens when you mix big bands, swing numbers, perversion, glam, and a hint of new wave's predecessor? Ask Tony Visconti, who produced the fifth album by Los Angeles natives Ron and Russell Mael (collectively known as Sparks) during the fall of 1975.

Living up well to its name, the album was called "Indiscreet". Despite the fact that it wasn't as successful as "Kimono My House" (1974) or "Propaganda" (1974) it reached no. 18 on the UK album chart during the year of its release. It was Sparks' 3rd album with Island records and their first working with Visconti (who had also produced multiple albums for the likes of David Bowie, T-Rex, The Moody Blues, and recently Morrissey).

"Indiscreet"'s cover is as unique as the majority of Sparks' past and forthcoming records, featuring the brothers in the wreckage of an airplane. Russ, having been ejected from the plane in the event of a perceived crash, and Ron staring puzzled, wondering where it all went wrong.

sparks1975indiscreet.jpg

Its cover/sleeve, cleverly arranged as the music inside, was issued by default a gatefold sleeve. On the inside, lyrics to all the songs on the album, and the photo featured below:

sparks-indiscreet-09.jpg


Sparks' lineup was much the same since "Propaganda", featuring brothers Ron and Russell Mael, Ian Hampton (bass), Norman "Dinky" Diamond (drums), and Trevor White (guitar).

Beginning rather quietly with "Hospitality on Parade", the vocals are at first very prominent; the production is gentle enough to give way to the lyrics, first and foremost, which are constantly up in debate. My perception of the song is that it's the story of consumerism. According to Russell (feigning a very nice accent here) in this video it's a brief "history of the United States of America, wrapped up in about two verses."



How best to act a king when always treated like a king.

"Hospitality" is but a warm-up for the next track, "Happy Hunting Ground", a piano-heavy hyperactive account of a man's desire to get back to his younger days. Ladies of his age group have grown stale, boring, and bland.

The lyrics are delivered with blindingly fast precision; the entire band appears to be involved in this giant production of perverse desire. A few of my favourite lines from this song:

I've gotta get back inside there. Back where at least they're alive.

I've danced and I've worn out my shoes.
Now I'm in trouble, I know it.
Oh, please, let me back into school!


As soon as a girl leaves their refuge, out go the reasons they're great.

A more mellow, though equally piano-heavy track follows. With a sweetly forced French accent and a little bit of vocal swagger, the vocals once again give way to the incredible lyrics.

"Without Using Hands" (which I once wrote a parody of, called "Without Wearing Pants") is a tune that proves difficult to analyze for the many concepts it could possibly cover.

From the outside, at least, the story begins at the Ritz hotel, telling of the elegance, prosperity, and wealth of its patrons. They act with such eloquence and grace, for "the only way children are punished, unlike old times, is without using hands". Putting on heirs and smiles, they gather together for a gathering or party of some sort.

Without warning toward the end of the song, the listener is greeted with this charming little lyric:

When the explosion rocked the lobby of the Ritz hotel,
nobody moved for fear of learning that they weren't all that well.
Is there anybody missing?
Answer only if you're well!
Only the manager suffered, but at least his face looks well.

Ending with this quip (suggesting that the jig is up, and there's going to be no more BSing) :


The manager's going to live his entire life without using hands.

The song's title is then repeated several times, just above a whisper, and in such a way that you can almost SEE the pouting of Russell's face.

"Get in the Swing" should nearly be introduced with a dance troupe. Reaching #26 in the UK that year, Sparks performed this on multiple occasions, including TV appearances aplenty.

Seen here on ToTP (golly, would you LOOK at those thighs?!)



Brass, drums, whistles chants, and an earworm of a chorus. Would anyone really ask for more?

A few of my favourite lyrics from "Get in the Swing":

The night is younger than the girl who's got the touch.
But not by much.

But they have their friends
and have a warm bed waiting
just like I do with you
I'm happy, I'm happy, oh happy . . .

Aside from being a pleasant tune, the lyrics seem to have a sinister approach to describing the perks of social isolation. Of course, that's all up to debate as well.

With a string arrangement provided by producer Tony Visconti, "Under the Table With Her" is frisky as its title. It's all strings and Russell's finely tuned dog-whistle voice. A snarky, sleazy account of a dinner party follows "dinner for twelve" as it turns into "dinner for ten" when the protagonist slips under the table with a pretty girl belonging to the guest family.

He's able to get away with this because "nobody misses diminutive offspring, not when there's bigwigs there".



Two and a half minutes is all you really need. Or can possibly handle, for that matter.

My favourite lyric from this track:

I give a yelp and they throw me a cutlet.
Somebody pats her hair, hair.
Everyone's nice to the subhuman species -
I'm under the table with her.

Sleaze runs much higher in the conclusion of side A of "Indiscreet", featuring a protagonist that wants to take a girl home, working off her best interest alone, smoothly allowing her to lead him on.

"How Are You Getting Home?" stands alone: "no, I'm really only curious - how ARE you getting home?" With a traditional guitar n' drums type of sound, this track is just as crazy-hyper as the majority.



A few of my favourite lines:

We've got one thing in common, baby.
We're too good to be at this party.
We're too good to be anywhere but inside my car.

What I like is your independence.
Real spunk, real independence.
And there's my car.

(side B is coming up next.)
 

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I haven't been able to get into Sparks, but very nice write up:D
 

jackory

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Nice, thorough overview. Good to know that people are still listening to those old Sparks records. I first saw them on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert in the early-mid 70's and became enamored of Russell Mael's unique style, both musically and in his oddball appearance...I think it's Russel that plays keyboards, right? The other Mael brother has a great voice and the songs are as catchy as any you're likely to hear anywhere. I started out with Kimono My House and stopped with Big Beat. Not awfully keen on the albums after that. Propaganda is my favorite of the lot, but Indiscreet is a close second. I had them both on 8-track and they were stolen out of my car while it was parked in the high school lot (along with 18 other obscure titles).
 

ladyislingering

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Since the conception of Sparks, Russell Mael had a knack for writing songs. At one point he also played bass, but much like his brother, Ron, he has a way with words - even when writing songs about tropical fruit.

"Pineapple" speaks for itself, opening up side B of "Indiscreet". A cheery song with much guitar (and low vocals by Ron during the chorus) it explores the many benefits and upsides of pineapples.

Oh, Russell.

A few of my favourite lines:

Pineapple: for the siamese twins.
Pineapple: to heal those who have sinned.
Pineapple fulfills every need.

Sure, it ain't strudel (they're nice)
but it helps you balance on ice
puts you back on the winning trail.

Such silliness is met with even more silliness when "Pineapple" follows into a controversial little number called "Tits".

"Tits" tells the story of a man whose wife isn't putting out anymore since their child has been born.

For months, for years, tits were once a source of fun and games at home.
but now, she says, tits are only there to feed our little Joe.

Our protagonist is at the bar telling all this stuff to his friend, Harry, who he encourages to "drink, Harry, drink" so that he might be able to spill the beans. After all, our protagonist is sure that Harry is the reason his wife's been cold toward him.

He says:

Harry, I know it's you who's breaking up our home.
Harry, don't say a word. Just drop me off at home.
Harry, please. Forgive me, Harry, let's have just one more.



Fun fact about "Tits": the song is censored on the majority of the album's pressings, cut down to just "T*ts".



A fiddle mastered by guest instrumentalist Mike Piggott glitters all about in the next song, "It Ain't 1918", a story about Johnny, his wife, his Stanley Steamer, and everything he's cherished for the better part of his life. Because he and his wife are so poor, "the people of St. Louis" decide:

Wouldn't it be nice to help out Johnny?
Kind of play a real life Santa Claus?

They bought Johnny and his wife a car, a comb, a scarf, and other such things. Johnny politely declines, because he'd rather things stay as they are. This angers the townspeople, who offer the retort:

It ain't 1918 for us, or for you!
If we can't enjoy it,
then neither will you!

To which the song ends abruptly, then leads into the track that I grabbed my username from: "The Lady is Lingering".



A serenade about a man wondering what the lady is thinking, the song is smooth from beginning to end. Not too much noise; not too much of anything, but just the right amount of whimsical pleasures.

Seemingly a case study, a man is watching a woman in wonderment. Why is she lingering? I assume it's because she's waiting for the party to be over; she pays no attention to the antagonist, perhaps because she's wanting to seduce him for tomorrow's next meal.

(To put it nicely.)

Encouraging, encouraging,
and not the customary bill of fare.
Can't you see the lady is lingering?
[. . .]
And you cannot believe the reason why.

A few of my favourite lines:

Unprepared, you watch in rank amazement
as she lights her cigarette and stirs.

Every question is a means to draw long answers.
Play the fool; it doesn't hurt.

Risky business, all this waiting, wondering.

Sauntering emotion draws way to a blood-boiling presentation of quick wit, and ultimate enchantment with "In the Future".

A song that mostly speaks for itself, this is something we can all relate to. It's mostly a cranial overload, much like life in the future, or today's result of consumerism and the desire to have the next best thing.



The most definitive line, in my opinion:

Convenience and pleasure
all blended together.
And culture, and madness.
You've think you've seen it all.

Runner-up:
You'll be there if you don't do nothing foolish.

"Looks, Looks, Looks" has everything swing bands didn't have, but nothing less. Piano, brass, drums, guitars, and a gorgeous member of the Mael persuasion make this track a memorable one. It was a minor hit in the UK, reaching #26 on the charts. I even have an original picture of Russell sitting on Ron's piano from this performance on UK show Supersonic:



Some of my favourite lyrics:

At night she masquerades her passion covered by a veil of calm.
It's not very hard to make history,
just some cavalry and a good uniform
that fits in places where everyone tends to look and marvel
at the way you lead them on.

This is one of my personal favourites from "Indiscreet". A true original with brilliant lyrics. It was also a part of a re-release of this album in the early 2000s with a live version (with some lyrics cut out, as Russell was being attacked by the audience).

After this mind-blowing display of overproduction comes a real sleeper: the endpiece.

"Miss the Start, Miss the End" is nothing to be especially fond of or amazed by. It's a tale of having to see both ends of the picture to get the entire picture, because no other pieces matter.

Point in case:

They don't need the total picture, just a drawing of each other
hung inside their bungalow, where wondrous things
are all discovered
You and I must see how it starts and ends
And tell them what they missed once again

Thus concludes "Indiscreet". It was the 3rd Sparks record I added to my collection, and the one I've probably played the most. It's a true work of art; as always the brothers Mael know how to orchestrate anything they can think of, while bringing an original piece to the table for a fresh feast. Such is the wonder of this record, unlike anything of its time.

Suggested listening from this record for first-time listeners:

"Happy Hunting Ground"
"Get in the Swing"
"Pineapple"
"Looks, Looks, Looks"

Give it a try if you've never before.
 

ladyislingering

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I haven't been able to get into Sparks, but very nice write up:D

Ah, you should. They've covered years and years of music, and they're still going strong. They're really keen and wise to what's going on in music but still have their own ideas as to their own direction. They've been there, they've seen it all, but they're certainly not done with anything yet, or for a very long time. I hypothesize they're from Mars; there's no way in hell anyone who's got 30+ years on me could ever have that much youth and whimsy.

Nice, thorough overview. Good to know that people are still listening to those old Sparks records. I first saw them on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert in the early-mid 70's and became enamored of Russell Mael's unique style, both musically and in his oddball appearance...I think it's Russel that plays keyboards, right? The other Mael brother has a great voice and the songs are as catchy as any you're likely to hear anywhere. I started out with Kimono My House and stopped with Big Beat. Not awfully keen on the albums after that. Propaganda is my favorite of the lot, but Indiscreet is a close second. I had them both on 8-track and they were stolen out of my car while it was parked in the high school lot (along with 18 other obscure titles).

Lucky you!

Russell is the vocalist; his brother, Ron, is the keyboardist. Both are multi-talented; if I remember properly Russ was also once a bassist (and he can also speak fluent French despite having grown up in America!). I love both of these guys; they seem to be so much different than each other but there's obviously so much brotherly love (it's incredible and so admirable).

How two Americans can be so gorgeous is beyond me.

I was born around the time they were doing a side project with Les Rita Mitsouko. (Alas, the Lady never tells just how old she is.) :D

If you didn't care so much for their synth-driven material, you might possibly want to become acquainted with their first couple albums before "Kimono". The first one will make you want to take a shower. :bonk:
 

Magic

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Again, Lady, you have done a marvelous job with your review. Top notch :)
 

LG

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I agree very well done...as usual dear Lady.:bow:
 

jackory

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If you didn't care so much for their synth-driven material, you might possibly want to become acquainted with their first couple albums before "Kimono". The first one will make you want to take a shower. :bonk:

As a matter of fact, I do have both of those albums. I dl'ed them from a sharity blog and burned them to CD. I haven't gotten around to listening to them yet, but I will bump them up on the list at your reccomendation.
 

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