{"product_id":"5063176067241","title":"Sparks - Mad! - Import Colored Cassette Tape","description":"\u003cp\u003eCredits:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSparks \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eSparks, the pop duo of cult-favorite brothers Ron and Russell. Their first album on Transgressive, \"Mad! and released on Transgressive.\n\n\n\nSparks (brothers Ron Mael and Russell Mael) will release their new album \"Mad!\" on Transgressive Records. A playwright, cartoonist, novelist, filmmaker, historian, and more, he is like Moliere, Hogarth, Fitzgerald, Altman, and Swift. Ron just happens to work in the medium of popular song. His brother, Russell Mael, has a gift for expressing Ron's observations in a uniquely engaging way, captivating as a frontman and blessed with a countertenor's voice of extraordinary range.The alchemy of keyboardist Ron and vocalist Russell, who evoke one of their tour names, \"Two Hands, One Mouth,\" is exactly what they are doing. And almost never has this been done better than on the band's 28th studio album, MAD! In MAD!, Ron and Russell examine cultural phenomena such as brand-name backpacks, tattoos, performative devotion (to God, lovers, celebrities, sports teams, etc.), the hegemony of jokes, and the rise of influencers. The satire is never direct and always leaves enough ambiguity for the listener to fill in the blanks. In addition, a very unusual vocabulary (the word \"epistemology\" is not heard on many other albums this year) and cultural references jump in with each listen. Musically, the album pays homage to new wave, synthpop, art rock, and electronic opera. These are all genres pioneered or invented by Sparks.Listening to the sounds made by other artists, from Air to Shostakovich, one is reminded that they were Sparks' influences in the first place (except maybe Shostakovich). Ultimately, however, \"MAD!\" is a modern record, one that belongs to and speaks to the modern world. The album opens with the song \"Do Things My Own Way.\" This is a typically forward-looking progressive pop song that serves as the album's lead single. But the song is also something of a manifesto for the Mael brothers themselves. Because Sparks is a band that has always done things their own way.\u003cp\u003eTracklisting:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Do Things My Own Way2. JanSport Backpack3. Hit Me, Baby4. Running Up A Tab At The Hotel For The Fab5. My Devotion6. Don't Dog It7. In Daylight8. I-405 Rules9. A Long Red Light10. Drowned In A Sea Of Tears11. A Little Bit Of Light Banter12. Lord Have Mercy\u003cbr\u003e1. Do Things My Own Way\u003cbr\u003e2. JanSport Backpack\u003cbr\u003e3. Hit Me, Baby\u003cbr\u003e4. Running Up A Tab At The Hotel For The Fab\u003cbr\u003e5. My Devotion\u003cbr\u003e6. Don't Dog It\u003cbr\u003e7. In Daylight\u003cbr\u003e8. I-405 Rules\u003cbr\u003e9. A Long Red Light\u003cbr\u003e10. Drowned In A Sea Of Tears\u003cbr\u003e11. A Little Bit Of Light Banter\u003cbr\u003e12. Lord Have Mercy\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Transgressive","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51389477814561,"sku":"5063176067241","price":4390.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0568\/8482\/2076\/files\/5063176067241.jpg?v=1750174972","url":"https:\/\/cdsvinyljapan.com\/products\/5063176067241","provider":"CDs Vinyl Japan Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}