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I can't help but notice that the singer bears an uncanny
resemblance to Weird Al Yankovic. Weather or not the band takes
this as a compliment or not is completely up in the air.
Sparkwood's Jalopy Pop is a whirlwind
of silly pop songs in the vein of Partridge Family meets Queen.
I can see paisley, rainbows, and the Yellow Submarine.
So, with that said, if you're in the mood for this, then by all means dive right in! If you're not, then kill yourself. Because this record is very happy. I could stand to listen to this in very certain, particular situations: like eye surgery, going to the bathroom, and dancing (which I don't do).
I would imagine, however, that the band is another story live. The album
is so saccharine that it's annoying, but the songwriting is good. The songs
are short and sweet, and the subjects aren't too complicated or confusing.
It is what it is. Songs about relationships, having a good day, and summer
breezes.
For bands like this, I think a lot of the appeal is the actual sound of the
band. Perhaps triggering memories for band, as well as audience; memories that
are therapeutic and soothing. I personally didn't grow up with this stuff,
so it means nothing to me. If I did see any of it, it was purely retro at the
time, not to mention shoved down our throats on Nick at Night reruns. It seems
very passé for me. But if I was older, this might speak to me. For people
younger than me, they see this as the That 70's Show era throwback,
complete with bad jokes and FOX branded humor. Not very appealing.
Sparkwood is for a particular crowd. I don't see them changing sounds anytime soon, and I don't see them really succeeding as a huge band. I do see them performing alongside other like acts, as somewhat of a novelty. It's not all bad, and there is an audience for such a thing. They've produced a tightly focused, fairly well recorded record that is fun and sometimes enjoyable.
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