NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts

Sparks (2023x67)

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It's hard for me to comprehend what a newcomer to Sparks would make of seeing brothers Ron and Russell Mael for the first time. Ron, the mustached one behind the keys, looks like he once was a silent film star and just fell off the silver screen (and is a bit grumpy about it.) On the other hand, Russell, with his upbeat posture, sings about a girl crying in her latte. Hopefully, by the time Russell introduces us to the second tune, about a 22-hour-old child seeing the world and wishing to go back to whence he came, the innocent viewer/listener will understand the twisted humor Sparks has been dispensing for over 50 years across a few dozen albums.