On my voyage through all the Sparks albums, some of which I haven’t heard in 20 or 30 years, here is my review of ‘Big Beat’.
From what I’ve gathered, this is an album that many Sparks fans don’t like all that much. It’s much more straightforward than the prior records. Maybe it was a response to all of the dance hall music on ‘Indiscreet’ and they wanted to prove they were rockers.
Also, what’s up with the cover?
1. Big Boy
Sure, whatever guys. I don’t mind this song, but it sure isn’t great for me. The chorus is kind of…dumb sounding. That’s not something I expect from Sparks. Very straight ahead, kind of plodding feeling. 6/10.
2. I Want to be like Everybody Else
Should have started the album off with this song; I bet it would have been better received. I like this song quite a bit. The guitar part is boring, and doesn’t have a great tone, I’m missing Martin for sure. The drums too, are very plain and 70s sounding. This for me is quite a good song, and it would have been a great song if the last band had played on it. 8/10.
3. Nothing to Do
I have almost exactly the same comments as the previous song. It’s a good song with just not that great of musicianship. I like the vocal. 7/10.
4. I bought the Mississippi River
I’m not sure what sort of person would think of this concept for a song, but I like it. Again…I hate to keep repeating, but the band just isn’t that great. The guitar solo is boring. I don’t like wah-wah all that much, and I really don’t like the way the guitarist is using it; keeping it cocked almost all the way the whole time. 7/10.
5. Fill-Er-Up
Here’s another one where Russel is just going for it. It’s not all that much of a song, but he’s saving it. 6/10.
6. Everybody’s Stupid
It’s…fine? I don’t mind it. The song is 95% just the chorus. I’m really not sure why they’re saying everyone is stupid, but they’re sure saying it. Over and over again. It’s just not much of a song. 6/10.
7. Throw Her Away (And get a New One)
I don’t like this song. I don’t get any feeling of irony or social commentary. Maybe I’m missing it, but it just seems so mean and dehumanizing. No thank you. You can do better than this. 4/10.
8. Confusion
Reminds me of Adam and the Ants (before they were a band). I like this song, it has kind of a desperate feel to it, and good lyrics. I like the weird keyboard solo, and this song has more bass to it than lots of the songs on this album (not a super interesting bass part, but it’s there). 7/10.
9. Screwed Up
Another one that could have been on ‘Indiscreet’. I like this song; probably the best one on the album. The melody moves more than most of the songs on here, and I like the stops in it (the drum breaks leading back into the song are stupid though). 9/10. That’s probably too high.
10. White Women
Again…probably they’re trying to make some sort of anti-racism statement here. It just doesn’t really come across that well though. I’d be embarrassed to be caught listening to this; they probably played this at KKK rallies in 1976. It’s not that great of a song either. 4/10.
11. I Like Girls
Umm. Okay. This album did not end well. ‘But the Greece of old collapsed ’cause no one liked their girls.’ Really? 4/10.
There’s some okay stuff on here. It’s hard not to see a very steep decline from the prior records, and it’s the first one that has songs on it that I don’t like. I hadn’t heard this record in absolutely ages, and it’s not all that hard to see why. Definitely a couple I’ll be returning to though. Album rates 6.1/10. Next up, ‘Introducing Sparks’.