Sparks (1976) I Bought the Mississippi River - LOST 70s GEMS

Sparks's 1976 album Big Beat may have strong drums but there is a terse hard rock sound akin to black Sabbath and Kiss strangely present for a very Theatrical Pop Rock act, Big Boy mixes their flouncy lyrics with the meat and potatoes speed metal of bands like Deep Purple with heavy fuzz distortion and funky, needle point bass similar to Roger Glover; the multi-tracked solo is pure Brian May.

 They were clearly trying out Classic Rock for a more commercial sound, for example; Nothing to Do is a Kiss sounding track with chugging distorted guitars and a messy mix as Russell sings in a more direct rock voice with a driving verse but a circular chorus melody that leaves much to desire. The title repeatedly sung with no real weight, gong through the motions it would be a common occurrence in their music; bland refrains of the title as seemingly on the nose statements. Throw Her Away (And Get A New One) follows in the Raspberries power pop and Paul Stanley sound of Nothing to Do with another inane chorus but interesting lyrics, Russell sounds like Geddy Lee while the abrupt stops, thudding drums and layered synths remind me of Rush. 

 Confusion is 70s Glam Rock wrapped in 80s New Wave Power Pop with a memorable sing along melody, I Bought the Mississippi River is playful arena rock with another driving melody and Knight rider bass thumping along with a some animated backing vocals and a Rocky Horror Picture Show piano turnaround. Mississippi Rover also has an exquisite Jimmy Page style guitar solo, but it doesn't compare to the Black Sabbath fuzz guitar foundation for I Want To Be Like Everybody Else, the sparse shuffle to the droning suspended chords and that incredibly fat fuzz tone and the haunting guitar vamps around the 1.50 point as well as the soaring blues guitar and the anti-conformity lyrics makes this; Sparks do Black Sabbath.

White Woman is a bawdy, old timey music hall track with a crisp drum sounds and Russell's throaty growl about 'gotta be White women!Everywhere', the entrance of a low organ or aria voice yodelling away in the background is the true highlight over the plodding funk guitar and 'scissor snip' tom tom effect. Screwed Up is based around another druid guitar march, chunky monolithic chord attack favoured by Judas Priest and Sabbath et al, a bizarre combination with Russell's fluttery vocals. Fill-Er-Up is screaming Sabbath like no other track with a a boogie based around Sabbath' Rock n Roll Doctor from the same year, the crunching guitar with it's Southern rock riffing interjecting is exhilarating.