SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SPARKS – THE GIRL IS CRYING IN HER LATTE

Sparks
The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte
Island Records

The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte is Sparks 25th studio album, and their first since 2020’s very successful A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip. They have gained a new audience, thanks in part to the wonderful documentary of them (The Sparks Brothers, 2022) and the accompanying soundtrack compilation. Add to that, the fact that Sparks are back on Island records, where they experienced their first success in 1974, one can see there is a lot riding on this album.

Sparks not only live up to the expectations, they surpass them.  The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte is 2023 Sparks with the classic Sparks sound. The album has a bit of a harder edge to it and is much more electronic-based than their last studio album, but Russell Mael’s vocals have pretty much stayed the same and he handles the songs with ease and seemingly effortlessly. “Veronica Lake” is a great example. Russell’s vocals are spot on and he hits those high, almost operatic notes in the song. And for a song about a 1940s film noir actress, it is very electronic and demonstrates Sparks’ more adventurous side with music and layered vocals. It is an incredible song. “You Were Meant For Me” is similar. It has wonderful melodies, but a much more aggressive sound from Ron. However it works.

Not every song is aggressive or hard. “Take Me For A Ride” is an energetic song that would not be out of place in a musical, while “It’s Sunny Today” has a beautiful, yet melancholic melody that does tug at the heart strings. It is a lovely song. “It Doesn’t Have To Be That Way” stands out as an acoustic song, and much more traditional in its sound than the majority of the album. This is straight ahead rock/pop with a tune that does not leave the listener once it has been heard. The closing song, “Gee, That Was Fun” is a moving song, despite the almost sarcastic title. Ron Mael can write beautiful melodies that combine nostalgia and originality. It is a very unique and wonderful skill.

Lyrically, Sparks continue expressing their own distinct view. “Not That Well Defined” is a brilliant song about shades of grey, “We Go Dancing” allows Sparks to offer their observations of current day attitudes. “Gee, That Was Fun” is a song entirely about regret and lost chances. Again, the lyrics in combination with the powerful makes it a masterpiece. Then there are straight ahead dance songs, where the lyrics are much more playful, such as “Escalator” and even with the title track, “The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte” (what is she crying about?).

The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte is a fantastic album. As is the norm with Sparks, the album is full of different styles and different sounds. With The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte they have created a masterpiece. To these ears, this is their best album, which is saying something, since they have been making music for 50 years. Yet, they show no signs of slowing down, or resting on their history. No, Russell and Ron Mael keep growing and developing. They are aware of current styles but in the end, they create their own distinct and wonderful sounds. Ron’s playing has never been better and Russell’s vocals are some of the strongest in his career. This is fantastic album.

SPILL FEATURE: THE GIRL IS CRYING IN HER LATTE – A CONVERSATION WITH RUSSELL MAEL & RON MAEL OF SPARKS

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