Review of Sparks: Lil` Beethoven Live In Stockholm

Introduction

Surely it`s not thirty years ago that I first saw this un-categorisable duo take to the Top of the Pops stage for a corking version of their indescribably manic `This Town Aint Big Enough`? And surely not twenty years ago that they had their `comeback` with `Number One Song in Heaven`? Of course it is - and the truth is that they`ve never been away!
Brothers Russell and Ron Mael made a strange duo. One with wild curly hair and a pretty-boy face, the other like a comical Adolf Hitler or Blakey from on the buses.

In June 2004 this glam duo (who don`t look a day older damn them…) recorded this live show in Stockholm, showcasing their latest critically acclaimed concept album `Lil` Beethoven`.

There`s always humour in the air from this band who never quite take themselves seriously and yet who consistently produce great work. Despite the fact that Ron still sports the toothbrush moustache and emotionless, robotic stare - and even uses bizarre fake arms during a piano solo - doesn`t make this band the US equivalent of `The Wurzels`. The music is terrifically inventive. Your Call`s Very Important to Us is a very minimalistic techno, but titles like `Ugly Guys With Beautiful Girls` and `Suburban Homeboy` illustrate their clever satirical wit.
All this new stuff is terrifically good but as a special treat (lest we forget), there are a healthy number of bonus tracks that are a real blast from the past, reworked and modernised, but with all the right pieces in all the right places.

The show takes place in a neat little Swedish theatre and the entire performance has an air of carefully controlled and contrived charm about it. The stage is minimalistic yet attractively lit, with groups of colour co-ordinated lamps used throughout rather than a rock`n roll mish-mash. It rather reminded me of a Kraftwerk performance, a parallel that would probably not displease the brothers Mael. They appear to have an appreciative audience in Sweden.

Here`s a complete track listing:
01. The Rhythm Thief
02. How Do I Get To Carnegie Hall?
03. What Are All These Bands So Angry About?
04. I Married Myself
05. Ride `Em Cowboy
06. My Baby`s Taking Me Home
07. Your Call Is Very Important To us. Please Hold
08. Ugly Guys And Beautiful Girls
09. Suburban Homeboy

Bonus Live Tracks:
01. It`s A Sparks Show
02. National Crime Awareness Week
03. Here In Heaven
04. The Number One Song In Heaven
05. Nothing To Do
06. The Calm Before The Storm
07. The Ghost Of Liberace
08. Talent Is An Asset
09. Hospitality On Parade
10. Charlie Parker
11. This Town Ain`t Big Enough For Both Of Us
12. When Do I Get To Sing `My Way`
13. Amateur Hour

Video

Very nice. I think it may be digital video but has been carefully adapted in post, giving much of it a lovely saturated look with deep, theatrical colours and textures. Very nice indeed.

Audio

Really quite superb and offered in Dolby Stereo and 5.1. The 5.1 mix makes good use of the spread and brings a very live atmosphere to proceedings. You get the impression that this level of attention to detail is typical of the band.

Features

There are a few related extras here. The first is a strange little monologue, nicely shot in the theatre using a locked off camera that sees Ron and Russell changing seat positions as Russell tells the tale of Lil` Beethoven. Inexpensive yet imaginative and nicely done.

There`s also a sound check piece that starts with some nice Stockholm exteriors before going through to some fairly standard `setting up shots` which do little but take the magic away from the actual show.

The audience vox-pops are typically Swedish and typically restrained, though all contain much praise for this remarkable duo.

`Sparks Facts` are a text and image based biography and discography, and the backstage material is interesting enough as background.

Conclusion

For fans of the band, who maybe remember 1970`s hits `Amateur Hour` and `This Town Ain`t Big Enough`, or 1980`s hit `Number One Song in Heaven`, this represents a really great opportunity to catch up the with the band today. They clearly retain a small but dedicated following and based on this performance I may find myself joining it! This may not have had a huge budget but every aspect of the production exudes care and quality. Even the menus use a nice animated effect to fly you through your chosen theatrical arch. The music is witty and melodic and the two still retain an amazing on stage charisma, and an approach that is uniquely theirs. Thoroughly recommended to fans of the band, and anyone curious enough to give it a go.