Previously the frontman of indie punk also-rans
Vatican DC and co-writer of
the Prodigy's frenetic bonus album track "Wild West," Swedish singer/songwriter
Tommy Sparks' self-titled debut album eschews the anarchic nature of his previous output for the kind of streamlined '80s-influenced pop sound favored by fellow countrymen
Alphabeat,
Robyn, and
Annie. Indeed, apart from the brief but instantly memorable two minutes of "I'm a Rope," an urgent blend of
Klaxons-esque nu-rave and spiky
Kaiser Chiefs-inspired Brit rock, its 12 tracks offer very little evidence of his former
Pixies-inspired, grunge-loving,
Bloc Party-supporting past, even with the presence of
Arctic Monkeys and
Foals producer
Mike Crossey on board. His D.I.Y. ethics are still firmly intact (
Sparks plays every instrument on the album, recorded in a studio next to his mother's house just outside Stockholm), but they're accompanied by a number of hook-laden, fun-packed, and highly addictive tunes which create the feel of an early Now That's What I Call Music compilation. The driving grooves, funky guitar licks, and
Sparks' jerky vocals on opening track "Much Too Much" recall the quirky art rock of
Talking Heads; the unsettling "Velo Arktis" combines the menacing synths of
Gary Numan and the corny singalong melodies of Eurovision winners
Bucks Fizz with bizarrely engaging results, while the clubby "Weekend's Over" fuses Two-Tone ska riffs with lolloping
New Order-style basslines and an inspired use of the vocoder. Elsewhere there are flashes of
the Cocteau Twins ( "Health Club" ),
Prefab Sprout ( "Miracle" ) and
the Psychedelic Furs ("Brand New Love"), but
Sparks provides enough invention of his own to avoid being labeled just a clever '80s tribute act. Signature tune "She Got Me Dancing," recently used on an iPod advert, is perhaps one of the most joyous and immediate singles of the last few years, thanks to its playful, squeaky synth intro, infectious handclaps, and tight disco riffs, while his collaboration with house producers
Filthy Dukes on the album's finale "Messages" is a floor-filling exercise in kaleidoscopic electro. On paper,
Tommy Sparks could have been just another indie rocker jumping on the electro-pop bandwagon, but his genuine fondness and unashamed enthusiasm for all things '80s shine through on one of the more cohesive and consistent recent retro offerings. ~ Jon O'Brien