Spinning Platters

When you possess the musical longevity of a band such as Sparks, the quirky, tongue-in-cheek, orchestral-pop-electronic-smorgasboard sensation that spawned forth from the creative minds of brothers Ron and Russell Mael, it’s best if the question of what to do after 40 years of work is “what next?”, as opposed to “is this over with yet?” The latter has been embraced by many an act of yesteryear, but the Los Angeles duo showed no signs of stopping as they plunged into the new millenium, and over a decade later, they are still going strong. With the first ten years of a new era behind them, it seemed thusly appropriate to try something new and unexpected (something which, of course, has never been something that Sparks has attempted — surely not), and for their 2012/2013 tour, the pair stripped down their act to the core essentials. Absent of a band, of backing vocalists, even of a drumkit, the live version of Sparks became a new animal in the form of the “Two Hands, One Mouth” tour, so named for its simplicity of performance: Ron at the keys, and Russell at the pipes. The result is a show that, on paper, seems simple and almost comical in scope, and in presentation is just as delightful as any of their records.

Continue reading “Fauxchella Review: Sparks: “Two Hands, One Mouth” at The Chapel, 4/9/2013″