Sextown USA by Sparks from the LP 'Angst In My Pants'

[Goldentony]

What an excellent song! I got the album by chance because of a Spotify random selection that went to Eaten By The Monster Of Love and obviously the whole album is amazing, and could have started this about Moustache or more or less anything on the record.

Anyway I want to talk about Sextown USA just because it's good, and the only live recording I can find of it is on the Sparks live comp from the 70s and 80s. Nothing from the Sparks Spectacular either, one of the songs that didn't seem to be filmed either which brings me to this question - does Ron sing the

"NEVER MIND JUST SING THE TUNE"

Bit?

[The Mollusk]

Yeah fuckin enormous tune. "Angst" has always been one of my favourite Sparks albums. It sounds like creamed crap (despite being one of the greatest and most consistent pop bands of all time they've always had widely differing production styles on their albums which have been less than great) it is fucking bombastic and bonkers and just brilliant.

[Goldentony]

I don't mind the sound of it overall, I didn't like Whomp That Sucker as much with the same group first time round but i'm going to give it another go.

I internally sometimes rate how long you can get into an album before forwarding something and it's up til Instant Weight Loss with this which is a good run. Even the first Bad Brains album only gets to about 5.

[non capisco]

I don't mind the sound of it overall, I didn't like Whomp That Sucker as much with the same group first time round but i'm going to give it another go.

I agree that Angst In My Pants is the better of the two overall but 'I Married A Martian' off Whomp That Sucker is one of my very favourite Sparks tunes.

In another dimension Angst In My Pants had as many hit singles taken off it as Thriller. How is 'Moustache' not an all time pop standard? 'Mickey Mouse' as well.

[Goldentony]

yeah I don't get how Moustache isn't better known, it goes hard as FUCK

[MrSerious]

Whole album is pretty pumping tbh. The only one I'd swap out is Mickey Mouse.

The secret tracklist winner is The Decline And Fall Of Me. It's surprisingly affecting for a song that has the lines "Now I have a hobby/I collect frozen pizzas/check out my pizzas"

[Goldentony]

Yeah that's an absolutely gorgeous one, Sherlock Holmes too, similar. Mickey Mouse though! looking for live material from this I saw they did a song they had an official Disney thing called Minnie Mouse

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMLqA2yhxB4

[DrGreggles]

Funny Face is probably my favourite from Whomp That Sucker, despite it being fucking heartbreaking.

[MrSerious]

Funny Face is probably my favourite from Whomp That Sucker, despite it being fucking heartbreaking.

"Everyone wanted a face just like mine/Nobody wanted me"

Yeah, there's probably not anyone that gets the same perfect balance of silliness and gut-punching human frailty Ron so often manages.

[PaulTMA]

I'd take Angst over even Kimono etc.  Agreed that it sounds like shite though, plus they appear to be one of these bands that have huge parts of their catalogue mistreated horribly in every digital version that emerges.

[DrGreggles]

I prefer the Plagarism version of Angst In My Pants anyway.

[Phil_A]

I'd take Angst over even Kimono etc.  Agreed that it sounds like shite though, plus they appear to be one of these bands that have huge parts of their catalogue mistreated horribly in every digital version that emerges.

Fucking single CD version of Sparks/A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing, with half the tracks on AWITC sped up to fit both albums on one disc.

[PaulTMA]

Fucking single CD version of Sparks/A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing, with half the tracks on AWITC sped up to fit both albums on one disc.

Hate that.  Think it's just the last three songs though.  Attempted numerous times to find a good vinyl rip but can't remember if I got there (life is kinda short).  From what I've read they continued using the speeded-up version on subsequent issues...blurgh

[MrSerious]

Hate that.  Think it's just the last three songs though.  Attempted numerous times to find a good vinyl rip but can't remember if I got there (life is kinda short).  From what I've read they continued using the speeded-up version on subsequent issues...blurgh

The box set from a few years back has the correct versions of the dodgy Woofer tracks, but I've never heard them because I'm not paying for an expensive box of stuff I already know, and it's never appeared on Spotify :(

[DrGreggles]

The '21st Century' remasters are of the original vinyl versions, I think.
Never heard the first CD release.

[Jittlebags]

I prefer the Plagarism version of Angst In My Pants anyway.

Ditto with Funny Face, although maybe it's the video for the original which is a bit creepy that puts me off.

[Sin Agog]

Sherlock Holmes is the one that stands out on that album for me.  I usually can't help but just let lyrics wash over me, which is disappointing when someone as incisive as Ron Mael is writing them, but that song really affects me, especially for an almost throwaway track with a chintzy sub-rockabilly break.  It's Mael lambasting how everything for him is indecisive and foggy, unlike his hero Sherlz for whom everything is always in 4K clarity without even a shadow of doubt.  Personally, I think he'll find that fog-clearing clarity would be pretty useless when it comes to existential malaise and difficult interpersonal relationships.

Quite like this live version from several decades later: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqE7b4vRd3o

[sutin]

Whole album is pretty pumping tbh. The only one I'd swap out is Mickey Mouse.

The secret tracklist winner is The Decline And Fall Of Me. It's surprisingly affecting for a song that has the lines "Now I have a hobby/I collect frozen pizzas/check out my pizzas"

Whaaaat!!! Mickey Mouse is the best song on the album!!!

[Nowhere Man]

I concur, Mickey Mouse is absolute class

[The Mollusk]

Yeah, I enjoyed the album immensely as soon as I discovered it but that was the first one I instantly fell in love with. A total air-punching belter.

Love that live "Sherlock Holmes" vid linked above as well, thanks for sharing it.

[Nowhere Man]

Someone in the comments for the above live video said that you can really hear the influence their sense of melody must have had on Suede, which i'd never really thought of, but makes total sense. It's mad to think of how widespread their influence is compared to their relative obscurity. Much like XTC in that regard I think.

[DrGreggles]

Someone in the comments for the above live video said that you can really hear the influence their sense of melody must have had on Suede

Shame they didn't influence Suede in to having someone who can sing in the band...

[non capisco]

My favourite Sparks deep cut is 'Occupation' off no-one's favourite Sparks album 'Introducing Sparks'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDDVGDd4GZg

There's such bounty in Sparks' back catalogue that even their records that sold absolutely fuck all and have never really been reappraised have songs as catchy and fun as ^that^ on them. My favourite bit is the backing vocals at the end that list a load of potential occupations in alphabetical order, one of which is 'Orson Welles'. And the irresistible "oooh-ooh-oooh" hooks on the verses.

[sutin]

My favourite Sparks deep cut is 'Occupation' off no-one's favourite Sparks album 'Introducing Sparks'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDDVGDd4GZg

There's such bounty in Sparks' back catalogue that even their records that sold absolutely fuck all and have never really been reappraised have songs as catchy and fun as ^that^ on them. My favourite bit is the backing vocals at the end that list a load of potential occupations in alphabetical order, one of which is 'Orson Welles'. And the irresistible "oooh-ooh-oooh" hooks on the verses.

Hard agree. Even Sparks' lesser albums have classics on them. The much-maligned Interior Design has A Walk Down Memory Lane, Balls has Calm Before The Storm, Pulling Rabbits Out Of A Hat has A Song That Sings Itself... They really are the best band ever.

[PaulTMA]

I have tracked down a link for a supposedly good vinyl rip of Woofer if anyone wants it, send a PM if so.