This is one fan's devoted love letter to Sparks. Packed full of interviews with other fans, famous and otherwise, and with the one true constant in Sparks, the brothers Mael. This documentary by Edgar Wright takes you on a rough and ready trajectory through the 25 album ( and counting) output of this truly remarkable band. Having success, not having success, then more success, the fallow periods, followed by another creative renaissance. They keep moving on, whilst staying recognisably Sparks.
As a lifetime fan myself, there were moments in this movie when I felt immense pride in them, sad for them, frustrated for them, and deeply moved by them. Going chronologically through each of their recordings, you see there are great albums, there are so so albums and genre defying albums. It is a single minded career trajectory they have persued, and its not always been an easy one. Particularly when you've been so influential on many forms of pop music, but receive little credit from those who owe you the most. Time you owned up Pet Shop Boys!
Edgar Wright manages to find a visual style to complement their music, it captures some of the essence of them, their fizzy, wacky, eccentricities, artiness, pop references, wit and parody in their output. This comes from both brothers, but a special mention for the pen of Ron Mael is required, who is such a versatile songwriter. He can, after all, write a moving song based on the repetition of one line over and over again. Now both in their seventies, producing music appears to be what's keeping them creatively lively and spiritedly rejuvenated. Long may this last.
If you are not yet a fan, watch this movie and prepare to be amazed and impressed. If you are already a fan, you are in for a two hour treat. At the end of the movie the brothers cheekily state there are now no mysteries left regarding Sparks. They then proceed telling you a list of preposterous fake statements about themselves. Sparks remain as mysterious and baffling as ever, despite apparently 'sharing' so much. Never a band to take completely at face value. Sparks are a band for whom the words 'tongue in cheek' was surely invented.
CARROT REVIEW - 8/8
No comments:
Post a Comment