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 ‘Angst in my Pants’.
This is the first Sparks record I ever bought. I’ll say upfront that my main problem with this album is just the way it sounds. It sounds like they spent very little money on this record. The whole thing is very muffled sounding, and has some not very good sounding reverb or something over the whole mix. It sounds like they didn’t have enough tracks to work with and kept bouncing tracks until everything sounded very flat. I’ll also say my rating scale is pretty subjective. Something like 10/10, the song comes with me to the desert island, 8/10 is a song I really like, 6/10 is still a song I like. Etc.
1. Angst in My Pants
What is the song even about? It sounds like Russel is gritting his teeth and is very concerned with some problem he can’t seem to deal with. I don’t get it. I like this song, despite another 80s fadeout. Nice strong backbeat, it sounds good and danceable in 1982 terms. It reminds me of being 16 or so, in Geometry class, which I didn’t like, with lots of time to daydream. 7/10.
(just kidding, I know what it’s about).
2 – I Predict
Holy peak 80s production. I’ll probably change my mind about what peak 80’s sounds like when I listen to the next album. I’m not going to keep saying this, but this would be such a better song if it just was a little clearer and had a little sparkle to it. The lyrics are quite funny and I like the beat. The ending is hysterical, especially after all of my complaining about fadeouts. 7/10.
3 – Sextown U.S.A.
Here we go. Funny lyrics, lots of energy, and Russel completely out of his mind. The drumming is more interesting in this song, and the guitar sounds nice. This is great. Sometimes when we’re on vacation, I’ll sing to my wife ‘Sextown USA! We can go anywhere and it becomes!’ She’s generally unamused by this. 9/10
4 – Sherlock Holmes
I like this song. I don’t know what it’s about, but I think it’s just about atmosphere, which it has in spades. It’s another one I find myself singing when it’s foggy out. I like how varied this album is, especially after listening to Terminal Jive and how samey that whole thing is. I like the way the rhythm and tempo changes at the bridge. 8/10.
5 – Nicotina
I generally liked the last album, but I like this one more. Super dramatic, western sounding guitar right at the top of the mix, and Russel completely over the top singing about cigarettes. I really like the transition between the verses and chorus, and the kind of orchestral sounding keyboard in the chorus. It’s great. 8/10
6 – Mickey Mouse
Silly, but infectious. Total earworm. I like the different percussion, the claves and cowbell etc. Fish…A Goldfish…Mouse. 8/10.
7 – Moustache
I remember a video for this one, I’m not sure if it’s the official video, where 3 Rons shave during the whole thing, and he flashes a great grin at the end. The song is fine, the lyrics are funny, and I like the vocals. I sort of wish they hadn’t put it back to back with Mickey Mouse, the songs have a very similar vibe. 8/10.
8 – Instant Weight Loss
I have no idea what this song is about. I like the chorus, but otherwise it doesn’t do much for me. 6/10.
9 – Tarzen and Jane
Is this an Adam and the Ants song? It sounds like it could have been. I like the way the keyboard thickens up in the second verse, I like the drumming, and the silly background vocals. I didn’t think I’d like this song at the start of it, and I wish there was a little something more to the chorus, but it still got me. The vocal delivery is perfect. 7/10.
10 – The Decline and Fall of Me
This song makes me think of Alzheimer’s Disease and a person dealing with it. I’m not sure that’s what it meant to them with the ‘goodbye future Mrs. Mael’ lyrics but songs are what the listener makes them. Another bouncy bubbly tune, and the dichotomy between the music and lyrics is wonderful. There’s some funny lyrics too, which helps the song topic a lot I think. ‘Check out my pizzas!’ The staccato delivery of the lyrics I think is intentional and serves the song well. 8/10.
11 – Eaten by the Monster of Love
This is one of those songs for me. I absolutely love everything about it, the drumbeat, the lyrics, the sentiment, the background vocals. I love the keyboard line that keep weaving in and out. The vocal delivery is wonderful. He just sounds so…earnest while singing lines about love taking a nip at him. It’s kinda new wave, kinda pop, and and a tiny bit punk all at the same time. 10/10.
This gives the overall album rating 7.81/10.Next, In Outer Space.