The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte: Standard

Another brilliant album from one of my best ever group's SPARKS

I cannot be trusted to write an unbiased review of any Sparks album. I just love 'em. (Balls is poor, true). I kept this for several days before I could listen undisturbed. Worth the wait. All out Ron designed electro classic sounds aligned with typical Sparks lyrics. Early winners are We Go Dancing and Nothing Is As Good As They Say It Is. The last three Sparks albums have really encompassed their genius in the ability to change with subtlety while embracing everything that makes them the World's greatest band.

They are not like everyone else. Their songs are offbeat, wacky and original. Where do they get their ideas from?This album sounds like the last two to me, but that's down to the fact that they are using the same equipment and band to record. I'm the guy that's going to say there are too many songs on this album. It's too much to take in in several sittings.For you new people. I envy you discovering Sparks. Get into their back catalogue. It is terrific.

Clever, funny lyrics and great music

I liked it on first play - found it quite "immediate" and thought that maybe 10 of the 14 tracks were potential singles.For me, Take for a Ride is fantastic (my CD doesn't like going past that track) and I'm glad I'm not the person being referred to in When You Leave.

All songs are brilliant. Love Russell and Ron.

Terrific!

Was looking forward to this album hugely, after the incredible Hippopotamus and A Steady Drip Drip Drip, which both stand proud alongside the brothers' 70s classics. And there's a couple of songs near the beginning which hold up OK and are quite memorable, but after the halfway mark it tails off into unmemorable fillers. Still very Sparks, which is never a bad thing, but whereas their last couple of albums proper were packed with classics, this one just lacks any killer tunes. Bluntly, it feels they made this record too soon after Drip Drip Drip, and I'm hoping this album is merely a blip blip blip.

Sparks – The Girl is Crying in Her Latte (Island)Now well into their seventies, the Mael Brothers (keyboardist Ron and vocalist Russell) are showing no signs of slowing down or of resting on their laurels. In fact, with each new CD they seem intent on progressing yet never forgetting what has gone before.In the lyrical style of recent recordings, they repeat themselves so that the words become like musical notes. Yet the repetitions also become mantras for the absurdity of our worries and paranoias, and of the manic absurdities of our lives. Such as the forlorn party goer who refuses to leave because he’s certain the party will get better when he’s gone, thus ensuring a bad time for everyone.Musically, the rock ensemble that accompanies Ron is reminiscent of their early forays (“Propaganda”), but the keyboard work stems from his work in “Lil Beethoven”, avant-garde and even classical in nature, with the sounds of an orchestra much like the work of In the Nursery.It is a tongue in cheek look at ourselves and well as a spectacular work of musical composition.Highly recommended.(5 stars out of 5)MC Mahan

Fast delivery. Great CD if you're into the Sparks.

Wenn ich im Begriff bin zu schreiben "beste Sparks-Platte seit Jahrzehnten", könnte fälschlicherweise der Eindruck entstehen, ich würde nicht jede der letzten Platten innig lieben. Okay, in den 90ern hatten sie mal ein paar Durchhänger, aber selbst die höre ich ab und zu ganz gerne. Und trotzdem: "The Girl..." gefällt mir nochmal um ein paar Ecken besser als seine Vorgänger. Liegt vielleicht daran, dass gutes Songwriting für mich einen höheren künstlerischen Stellenwert hat, als das Genre "Kunstlied" oder wie auch immer, egal wie gut. Vielleicht auch an was anderem. Auf jeden Fall kommen sie hier noch treffsicherer als sonst auf den Punkt. Und das will, wie gesagt, was heißen.

Sparks est un groupe inouï depuis si longtemps ! Les deux frères Mael semblent inusables, voix inimitable de Russel, melodies et paroles toujours au top, jeu de scène de Ron. Un des plus grands groupes actuels avec une discographie unique et des morceaux cultes. Longue vie à eux ! Regrettablement ils n’ont jamais eu le succès qu’ils méritent (en particulier aux USA, leur pays d’origine, sans doute car trop décalés pour là-bas) même si beaucoup ont encore leurs hits dans l’oreille après des années, et malgré l’influence qu’ils ont eue sur leurs pairs (cf. Rita Mitsouko, Franz Ferdinand, Depeche Mode, mais aussi Queen a mon avis, qui fit leur première partie en concert au début des seventies).

They are still at the top of the game here, showing how its done.They never fail to impress. Wonderful album.