Sparks (1972) Whippings and Apologies - LOST 70s GEMS

1972's Wolf in Tweeter's Clothing was the official coming out party to the industry for Sparks after their promising self titled debut. Girl from Germany is another of their patented mix of 50s good time bops and European carousel melodies; the pretty chorus melody is delicious. Beaver O Lindy starts as Glam Waltz complete with church organs and cellos before an explosive drum roll leads us into a raucous T Rex styled hard rock song with shout out vocals, subtle bass rhythm, circus organ interludes and some smashing guitar slashes. Nothing is Sacred starts with a roundabout vocal and some robotic guitar part before a Baroque pop verse that reminds me of Nilsson, there is a jittery rocked out version of Moon over Kentucky, a quivering pop version of Do Re Mi with oompah rhythms mixing with punk rock guitar, wet steel drum parts.and a very long coda. Angus Desire is a delightful yearning song with a wishy washy organ cadenza and climbing backing vocals. Underground features Russell Mael's clearcut wavering falsetto at it's most strident surrounded by country bumping bass line and twinkling synth and guitars. Batteries not Included was a little ditty about being a kid done in their perverse, schizo-operatic style.
Whippings and Apologies follows on from Biology 2 from their first album with high pitched chipmunk vocals reappearing on this track with such a vaudeville falsetto absurdity to it; it's also very punk rock that this easily beats the formulaic Ramones tracks that were considered so 'revolutionary', give me a break I'll take Whippings and Apologies any day with it's jet packed animalistic garage rock!