Via HHV

Julia Azzouz

Creative Writing Editor

Despite their influence on the likes of Queen, Joy Division, The Pet Shop Boys, Morrissey, and Björk, the Los Angeles based band Sparks has remained relatively unknown throughout its 54-year-long span. Since the band’s formation in 1971, the duo of, brothers Ron and Russell Maels, have experimented with rock, disco, and electronica, leaving a major yet undervalued impact on glam rock, punk, EDM, prog-rock, and art pop. Recognized for Ron’s witty lyrics, Russell’s falsetto vocals, and their eccentric personas as well as ever-changing musical style, the Maels have perennially prioritized their creative vision over mainstream success, amassing a cult following in the process. Their personal philosophy is best expressed in a lyric in “Pacific Standard Time” from their 2020 album A Steady Drip, Drip Drip: “Our inconsistency is our consistency / Our insincerity is our sincerity.” 

Still striving for innovation, Sparks released MADDER!, a four-track EP on October 3^rd, 2025, to accompany their 28^th studio album MAD!, released in May of the same year. Critically praised by MOJO and Record Collector amongst others, MAD! exhibits a more robust though cleaner sound than their previous work. As a whole, it reads as a compilation of theatrical synthscapes laden with energetic keyboards, distorted guitars, and layered vocals. Their songwriting is more direct though characteristically absurd (a song called “JanSport Backpack” explores breakups and relationships in an age of commodification), with words almost becoming like notes blending into the competition. In this album, repetition takes prominence as a foundation of the songs’ structure, enforcing themes of societal pressure, dedication, and authenticity in a world framed by daily performance.

  Though MAD! has its own distinct sound, I think it’s weak in certain areas. Stripping down the lyrics to their bare essence, Ron gets the message across but with less flourish. The intricacy in this album lies in the instrumentals, but I was searching for their more evocative and  narrative lyricism (1974’s Kimono My House best epitomizes Ron’s writing) to complement it. Some songs in MAD! like “Hit Me, Baby,” “A Long Red Light,” or “Drowned In A Sea of Tears” seem to rely heavily on what I can only assume to be an ironic subversion of musical clichés. 

As the first ever Sparks EP, MADDER! contains four tracks — “Porcupine,” “Fantasize,” “Mess Up,” and “They.” The EP’s opening, “Porcupine” tells the story of a bristly woman who “rubs folks the wrong way” and is “rough around the edges” over a playful synth melody. Russell sings in his signature falsetto as drums and guitar round off the chorus. It’s lighthearted, it’s catchy; what’s not to like? 

The next song, “Fantasize” is… not my favourite. It begins with a monotone drone of repeated no’s booming against a backdrop of post-punk electronica reminiscent of Depeche Mode. Ron’s lyrics on this one seem juvenile in contrast to other tunes as Russell sings “How can I make you realize/ That all I do is just fantasize/ All anew, all anew, all anew/ About you, about you, about you.” The chorus of no’s grows louder and continues behind the lyrics. Maybe I don’t get it and I’m willing to leave it at that. 

Then comes “Mess Up,” a rhythmically complex tune (please help me find the time signature) in which the speaker addresses someone who makes the wrong decisions and camouflages them with lies rather than admit to error. Over a bouncy yet off-kilter electronic mix, the speaker frames shame as the reason for “running away” and suggests confessing these mistakes as a solution. I really loved this piece’s wonky sound and its mockery of failure as a psychological weapon. 

As a grand finale, “They” wraps up the EP with a darker atmospheric sound. Russell’s voice is layered to create harmonies as he sings about an unsatisfiable audience who hoped for an all-night performance. He lists an assortment of dances “they” wish to see like the Twist, the Cha-Cha, and the Twine though “they felt so let down” and so “did not stay”. It offers a sharp contrast to the playfulness of “Mess Up” but follows in a similar vein. They both discuss the perfect ideal putting pressure on performance — for everyday people and artists alike.  All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by this EP. Although MADDER! makes sense on its own, its ties to MAD! are vital to its artistry. Both explore similar themes, exhibit a stronger sound (produced by the duo since the late 1980s), and carry some great songs incomparable to anything else being released now. I don’t think either one is perfect or self-assured as there are definitely a few skips in each, but I recommend a listen anyway.

“It’s not like anything you’ve heard or anything else they’ve made.”