Sparks (1975) Lady is Lingering - LOST 70s GEMS

Indiscreet is a mixed album from Sparks, released in 75 it starts with Hospitality on Parade; a carousel, circus music tune with an odd circular backing harmony like a treatise on brainwashing, followed by Happy Hunting Ground which is full of sweet keyboard and pop guitar melodies, Get in the Swing sounds like Nilsson with vaudevillian vocals shifts and fun fair atmosphere. How Are You Getting Home is a heavily powered punk tune, Pineapple is catchy old timey jazz with nonsense for lyrics, Tits is built around a Spanish flamenco melody with powerful heavy punk interjections, The tunes get better during the second half, for instance; Looks, Looks, Looks is excellent, with accessible lyrics all about favouring brains over beauty with some sharp witticisms and perfect wording set to a Gene Krupa styled big band music. Profile is distinguished by a jerky beat driven mix of Russell's croaky falsetto and operatic phrasing with plodding rhythms, marching band beat and plenty of theatrical dalliances, not to mention a sweet little guitar solo. The Wedding of Jacqueline Kennedy to Russell Mael maybe the creepiest phone call you've ever heard as we hear him propose via is usual glam singing voice via a crackly telephone line to the answering message to Jacqueline Kennedy; bizarre, in a good way. In the Future is madcap Glam pop with comically high pitched response vocals clashing with Russell's stringent lead like the 'Bismilla 'mid section of Bohemian Rhapsody, released in the same calendar year.


My two favourite songs from the album appear on the second half of the album with The Lady is Lingering with it's twisty pop, it's quite catchy while the bands' characteristic surrealist lyrics are backed by their usual backing of Ron's crystal piano strokes and eloquently delivered by Russell's extraordinary pipes along with meaty guitars and sweet synthesizers.
It Ain't 1918 is a violin and handclap laced poetic rap with Russell going from quick talking verses to revered, operetta hooks and even an old monkey grinder organ, though it is distinctive delivering some post war baby boomer commentary in a telegram type of meter.