ReviewIt might have been thought impossible for the Mael brothers to have met the standards of 2017's Hippopotamus, but they have not merely succeeded, they have exceeded the quality of that album.
All the Sparks trademarks are there: the varied musical styles and influences (Left Out In The Cold is in a distinctly Latin style, The Existental Threat is based on klezmer); the oblique takes on reality (Stravinksky's Only Hit postulates what would have happened if Igor had decided to write pop songs instead, for example); and the glorious battiness (Lawnmower, Onomato Pia).
But there is a surprising melancholy underpinning many of the tracks Pacific Standard Time being the standout example. Perhaps this is what we can expect from a couple of septuaginarians.
The musicianship and production are excellent, with the brothers clearly knowing who they can bring in to provide tight and dynamic playing.
The outstanding track is iPhone, in which - in turn - Adam, Abraham Lincoln and Mrs Steve Jobs wrestle with the difficulty of trying to communicate with their audiences (Eve, the crowd at Gettysburg and Mr Steve Jobs respectively), hence the chorus, "Put that fucking iPhone down and listen to me!"
Quite possibly Sparks' strongest ever album and a sure-fire classic.