KIMONO MY HOUSE

Sparks have apparently been a part of the Prog Archives family for quite some time. Unfortunately, no one have had the pleasure of telling me about it until now. All I can say now is --- let the reviewing begin!

I've been a huge fan of the band ever since I've heard Kimono My House sometime around 2001. After 10 years, 11 albums and two live concerts, it's safe to say that I'm still very much an admirer of Mael brothers and their crazy project of a band. They've had quite a career over the past 40 years and even though far from everything produced by the band can be considered great/essential, there has always been a certain charisma within the band's work that transcended even the lesser albums.

Kimono My House was the band's breakthrough album and features many of the essential Sparks masterpieces like the anthem This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us and Equator. Both of these compositions pretty much define the band's work in the '70s, but unfortunately the album is far from a perfect experience since it's a bit uneven around the edges and has some filler tracks. Best example of this is Thank God It's Not Christmas, which might seem like quite a fun little track title but it clearly shows that Sparks material from this era wasn't meant to go beyond the 5 minute mark.

Likely there are enough highlights to make Kimono My House a highly recommended release. I would especially like to recommend Hasta Mañana Monsieur and In My Family, two fun and quirky songs that shows us just how versatile the band could be.

***** star songs: This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us (3:05) Hasta Mañana Monsieur (3:52) Equator (4:42)

**** star songs: Amateur Hour (3:37) Falling In Love With Myself Again (3:03) Here In Heaven (2:48) Talent Is An Asset (3:21) In My Family (3:48)

*** star songs: Thank God It's Not Christmas (5:07) Complaints (2:50)