Page 35 - the Noise November 2017

ALBUM REVIEWS
BY BEVERLEY NAPALM
Latitude L’atitude
(Royal Oakie Records)
It seems from the casual observer’s view that you can’t throw a rock in the Bay Area with- out hitting an exciting new band right now. Latitude are previously unknown to me. It was appealing to me not to have a reference point or a preconceived comparison already in place. I am sure many of the band members probably moonlight in other bands, after all, the Bay Area is famous for individual musicians playing in at least 10 bands at a time. But I don’t recognize any of the names attached to this project. In fact, just poking around the web, I haven’t actually found much out about the band at all. Which I admit, I also find appealing, exciting and a little mysterious. Leave the reviewer wanting more, huh? Exactly!
The band are very firmly placed in the power pop genre and have a nifty line in tight spar- kly tunes. There are definite late ‘70s/early ‘80s production values that are super pleasing to my ears. It initially brings to mind The Cars or The Knack, from a production viewpoint, but is unapologetically a little more glam rock in places. Stylistically the band sounds like Blondie playing the hits of Big Star. However what sends these songs fizzling into a new dimension for me is the fantastically warm enticing vocals of front-woman Amy Fowler. Flirty and confident, and effortlessly reminiscent of the young Debbie Harry in places, Ms. Fowler’s vocals seem tailor-made for the band arrangements. It’s retro pop without sound- ing too derivative. The album’s second track “Say What You Mean” is as good a pop-song as anyone will write or hear this year. You’d have to have several pairs of cloth ears not to toe- tap along to such a massive tune. It’s tightly arranged, and all the instruments appear to be carefully placed in order to compliment the band as a unit, without treading on each other’s toes. The dual guitars jangle and tangle in a celebration of melody. Underpinning which, a fantastically subtle whiny keyboard, (very ‘80s, I love it), and a solid uncluttered clap-along drumbeat. “I Don’t Mind” is another faultless and catchy pop hit, with a very Blondie-esque vibe. I think my favorite among the eleven tracks is “Kitty Likes R’n’R,” another flowing ear- worm flitting between gentle verse and upbeat chorus.
I get a very democratic feeling from listening to Latitude. Although the band are all clear- ly great musicians, it appears to me there’s no ego getting in the way of the band’s progress as songwriters. Which is not often the norm with most bands. Usually, someone expresses the desire to be louder than everyone else. Not so with Latitude.
I could be wrong, but i’d be willing to put money of the fact these kids play Rickenbacker guitars, wear stripey t-shirts, skinny jeans, white sneakers, and record on analog equipment. There aren’t too many female fronted power pop bands that come to mind, other than the fantastically undiscovered Shivvers from the early ‘80s. So, I feel Latitude are onto a win- ning formula, and are certainly a band I will be keeping an eye on in the future.
latitude.bandcamp.com
Sparks Hippopotamus (BMG)
It staggers me to think that Sparks have existed for almost 5 decades now. From the get- go, their intelligent lyrics and sophisticated take on art-pop propagated a stylistic ap- proach that has confused and delighted many. Additionally this has had the band pegged as goofballs since their psyche-inspired debut recordings in 1969. The originality of the band’s chameleonic history centers around the tight symbiotic relationship of the two band members, Ron and Russell Mael. Ron is the musician and songwriter, famed for his manic stares and dodgy mustaches, and younger brother Russell, skinny as a rake, armed with androgynous charm and a stratospheric falsetto.
The band’s longevity and creativity hinges on the fact that Sparks are essentially a duo, accountable only to each other. They are not locked into the predictability that other lifer rockers such as The Who or The Stones are at this point. Anyone going to see The Who in 2017 would possibly expect their money back if they didn’t get to hear a 73-year-old Roger Daltrey telling them with a choreographed elegance how he hopes to die before he gets old. But with Sparks, it has always been a case of expecting the unexpected.
In the early 1970s, feeling that the band had hit a brick wall and exhausted the scene lo- cally in their hometown of Los Angeles, the brothers upped sticks and moved to the UK. It was an inspired move as Europeans quickly latched on to their quirky brand of glam-rock, and the band reaped almost instant critical and commercial success. “This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us” propelled the band into the UK top 10, and onto small-screens across Europe. Once the European pop-kids caught a glimpse of this odd looking pop band, there was a genuine fervor surrounding the band. The full-length masterpieces of Kimo- no My House (1974) and Propaganda (1975) that swiftly followed presented a career high point in terms of chart revenue. But it wasn’t just 14-year-old girls who were taking note. Pomp-rockers Queen were huge Sparks fans, and “borrowed” much of Sparks’ flamboyance, repurposing it for their future successes. Yet, in what was to become a defining feature of the band, feeling they had exhausted their approach, the ever restless Sparks turned their backs on their winning formula, re-shuffled their band members, moved back to LA and abruptly changed their musical direction.
More hits followed, of particular note, 1979’s No.1 Song in Heaven (single and LP) and“Beat The Clock” single, where the band found themselves back in the European top 10. Sparks predated and morphed into what was to become a much-favored approach throughout the 1980s – a synth-pop duo. In an inspired and bold move, in the wake of punk when disco was somewhat of a dirty word, Sparks teamed up with German producer, Gorgio Moroder for a stunning run of disco-synth pop hits that were tailor-made for Moroder’s production wizardry. (Moroder is best known for his production on Donna Summers’ “I Feel Love.”)
In the ‘80s and ‘90s the hits continued around the globe, although the band was less visible in the primary markets of the UK and USA. For those not paying attention, you may have been forgiven had Sparks slipped your mind, but in reality, the band never stopped
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