SPARKS RELEASE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED NEW ALBUM HIPPOPOTAMUS OUT TODAY
TICKETS FOR U.S. TOUR DATES AVAILABLE NOW!
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"With a propulsive, synth-driven drum sound and Russell's melodramatic voice and layers of backing vocals, keyboards and delightful trills, Sparks' music is campy-cinematic, drum-tight and joyous." -Paste Magazine
"One treats high art as nonsense, the other treats nonsense as high art: a perfect description, perhaps, of the cultural dialectic which drives Sparks' protean creativity." - The Independent - 5 stars
"Two hundred years from now, the dictionary definition for brilliantly eccentric pop will remain the same: Sparks" - MOJO - 4 stars
"Sparks remain all about tomorrow... [Hippopotamus] could lift them once more above the cult parapet" - Record Collector - 5 stars - Album of the Month
"No end of delights..." - Uncut - 8/10
"A truly magnificent record that showcases Sparks' many facets." "One of the finest albums of the year so far!" - Louder Than War Magazine - 9/10
"Fresh, inventive, quirky and instantly recognisable." "They're continually coming up with new ways to keep us intrigued." - Vive Le Rock - 9/10
"Sparks are true originals... the Mael brothers are back, and as delightfully oddball as ever...Hippopotamus represents everything you've come to love about Sparks, while demonstrating how it's never too late to join them..." - Classic Pop - 4 stars
"It is, without question, a five-star classic...This is pop of an all-too rare form: clever, witty, and catchy as hell....Sparks remain a genuine treasure in this world of manual evacuation passed off as popular music." - Diffuser
"Hippopotamus (like all Sparks albums) often functions like a short story, with each song reaching a narrative or thematic conclusion that often leaves the listener amused and/or befuddled, but always the wiser of some little overlooked absurdity in life." - Under The Radar - 8/10
Today, Sparks (Californian brothers Ron and Russell Mael) have released their critically acclaimed new album Hippopotamus - out now via BMG.
Recorded in Los Angeles, Hippopotamus sees Sparks take the pop form, shake it up, and create an album that is adventurous, fresh, and idiosyncratically 'Sparks.' Described as "the smartest, most consistently evolving band in the history of rock", and internationally-acclaimed as pop pioneers, Sparks' music has always been innovative and instantly identifiable.
Last week, the band released a beautiful stop-motion video for single "Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me)" which was meticulously directed and designed by animator Joseph Wallace. Watch the official music video below.
Additionally, tickets for the group's US dates are now on sale. Full dates below.
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Official Artwork
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Official Tracklist
01. Probably Nothing
02. Missionary Position
03. Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me)
04. Scandinavian Design
05. Giddy Giddy
06. What The Hell Is It This Time?
07. Unaware
08. Hippopotamus
09. Bummer
10. I Wish You Were Fun
11. So Tell Me Mrs. Lincoln Aside From That How Was The Play?
12. When You're A French Director (featuring Leos Carax)
13. The Amazing Mr. Repeat
14. A Little Bit Like Fun
15. Life With The Macbeths
International Tour Dates
09/10 - Ateliér Babylon, Bratislava, Slovakia
09/11 - Lucerna Music Bar, Prague, Czech Republic
09/12 - Columbia Theatre; Berlin, Germany
09/14 - Paard van Troje; Den Haag, Netherlands
09/15 - Den Atelier; Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
09/16 - Ancienne Belgique; Brussels, Belgium
09/18 - Waterfront; Norwich, UK (SOLD OUT)
09/19 - Boiler Shop; Newcastle, UK
09/20 - Queens Hall; Edinburgh, UK (SOLD OUT)
09/22 - O2 Ritz; Manchester, UK (SOLD OUT)
09/23 - Rock City; Nottingham, UK
09/24 - O2 Institute 1; Digbeth, UK
09/26 - O2 Academy; Bristol, UK
09/27 - O2 Shepherds Bush Empire; London, UK
09/28 - 02 Shepherds Bush Empire; London, UK
10/01 - La Gaîté Lyrique; Paris, France
10/24 - Kinema Club; Tokyo, Japan
10/25 - Kinema Club; Tokyo, Japan
US Tour Dates
10/10 - Le Poisson Rouge; New York, NY
10/11 - Le Poisson Rouge; New York, NY (SOLD OUT)
10/14 - El Rey Theatre; Los Angeles, CA
10/15 - El Rey Theatre; Los Angeles, CA
10/17 - El Rey Theatre; Los Angeles, CA
10/20 - The Chapel; San Francisco, CA (7PM)
10/20 - The Chapel; San Francisco, CA (11:30PM)
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