Sparks (Sparks album)
Sparks, originally titled Halfnelson, is the debut album by the Los Angeles rock band Sparks. The album was first released as Halfnelson, the band's original name, and reissued a year later as an eponymous album by Sparks.
| Sparks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 1971 (as Halfnelson) July 1972 (as Sparks) | |||
| Recorded | 1971 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 40:23 | |||
| Label | Bearsville | |||
| Producer | Todd Rundgren | |||
| Sparks chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 1971 release | ||||
| Singles from Halfnelson/Sparks | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
Release
Halfnelson was initially released on Bearsville Records in 1971. Shortly after the release of the album the group changed their name to 'Sparks'. The album was then re-released by Bearsville Records in 1972 as Sparks.[4] The new version of the album featured new artwork that was simpler, displaying the group in more of a classic pose superimposed against a red brick pattern. The single to this reissue "Wonder Girl," became a minor regional hit in Alabama and appeared on the lower end of the Cashbox chart at #92. The tracks "Roger" and "Saccharin and the War" are re-recorded versions of songs from their untitled 1969 demo album, which is erroneously referred to as "The 'A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing' Demos".
Re-issue
Sparks has been re-released numerous times since 1972. It is often packaged with the follow-up album A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing. One such re-issue was released in 1975 to capitalize on the group's success in the UK. This version was titled 2 Originals of Sparks and was packaged as a double-LP in a gatefold sleeve with a 14-page booklet.
The most recent re-issue was produced by Rhino Encore and released in 2008.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Wonder Girl" | Ron Mael | 2:21 |
| 2. | "Fa La Fa Lee" | Ron Mael | 2:53 |
| 3. | "Roger" | Russell Mael | 2:37 |
| 4. | "High C" | Ron Mael | 3:13 |
| 5. | "Fletcher Honorama" | Ron Mael | 4:15 |
| 6. | "Simple Ballet" | Russell Mael, Ron Mael | 3:53 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7. | "Slowboat" | Russell Mael, Ron Mael | 3:54 |
| 8. | "Biology 2" | Earle Mankey | 3:10 |
| 9. | "Saccharin and the War" | Russell Mael | 4:02 |
| 10. | "Big Bands" | Ron Mael, Russell Mael | 4:16 |
| 11. | "(No More) Mr. Nice Guys" | Jim Mankey, Ron Mael | 5:49 |
Personnel
- Halfnelson
- Russell Mael - vocals
- Ron Mael - keyboards, piano, organ
- Earle Mankey - guitar, lead vocal on "Biology 2"
- Jim Mankey - bass guitar
- Harley Feinstein - drums
- Technical
- Thaddeus James Lowe - engineer
- Ron Mael - artwork
- Larry Dupont - photography
References
- "Sparks - Biography by Jason Ankeny". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
- Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 13, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- Allmusic review
- "Sparks Discography - Albums and 7" Singles". graphikdesigns.free.fr. Retrieved 28 April 2019.