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between_time_and_42Not a great day today. Not that anything necessarily bad happened, but I'm just not in a great mood. Yeah.
On the plus side... I actually ended up signing up for NaNoWriMo *gasp*. And I've decided to be a rebel this year and write... TWO stories at once, instead of trying to choose between one or the other. I'll split the 50,000 words between them and see how that goes. The stories are Never Heard That One Before and the untitled story based on the music video for Sparks' "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way?'" (I'm just going to use alternate names and change some of the more specific details that make it obvious who I'm writing about). Seeing as I do have a job, plus a band, plus a social life and other creative projects I want to work on (like finishing up the demos for my new album, recording some covers, writing new songs, making gifs/videos when I feel like it), I don't know if this will pan out at all... but hey, it's perfect timing since next month is when I quit Instagram and I'll need something to do that's not scrolling through social media. Plus my band doesn't currently have any shows lined up- the only thing I know that's happening in November is the Chris Thile concert.
In other news, I re-ranked all 25 of Sparks' albums, and I feel like sharing that in this post.
25. Interior Design- granted, I do need to re-listen to it when I'm not driving, with headphones on, so maybe it will end up sounding more interesting and less generic to me
24. Music That You Can Dance To- I'll listen to it a third time, I guess, but I really can't remember anything from it (and the version I listened to did not have "Change" on it so that couldn't salvage it)
23. Big Beat- okay, it's not terrible but it's SO not Sparks. Feels like a put-on the whole way through. I don't understand why people hate the production so much though, I think it sounds fine sonically speaking. The vocal performances are a particular highlight.
22. Terminal Jive- I actually adore the sound of this album, the synths used and the melodic structure of the song. And it has one of Sparks' best songs on it (though they themselves do not agree with that assessment). Only thing is, I still think "Young Girls" is cringe of the highest order (they should have gone all-out with it if it was intended as satire, like Spinal Tap's "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight"), and the two songs that follow "When I'm With You" are almost Lil' Beethoven-levels of banal repetition, although there's no obvious conceit behind it like there is with Lil' Beethoven and so it just comes off as rather annoying.
21. The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman- It's not bad. Really. It's just difficult to assess, being an opera with multiple roles and a cohesive story. I find the story kind of thin and not-gripping anyway so...
20. Plagiarism- I actually really like this album, and am ranking it low because it's all stuff I've heard before (even if some of the renditions are even better than the original- that choral version of "Propaganda" though! That orchestral "Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat!").
19. A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing- listening to this with my father helped me appreciate it more, but... *shrug* Not a favorite.
18. Indiscreet- Yes, I'm still putting Indiscreet pretty far at the bottom because... I dunno. SOMETHING doesn't grip me here. Definitely my least favorite of the mid-70's trio, although there are some very strong songs.
17. A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip- shocker, I know!! Some of my favorite Sparks songs are on here, and yet... It's too long. Half the album is far less interesting to me than the other half. I so dig the production work here though, and of course the songwriting, like I said.
16. Balls- why'd I put Balls so low the first time?! What a good album!
15. Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat- this REALLY shot up there in my rankings after I'd listened to it a few more times. Some REALLY strong songs that I love.
14. Sparks/Halfnelson- not a favorite, but I love it. Again, thanks to my dad.
13. Propaganda- I've started appreciating this one a lot more too. A super solid effort.
12. Whomp That Sucker- not quite as fun as another album on this list, but still very fun.
11. Hello Young Lovers- it took me a while to really get into it, but now I LOVE IT.
10. In Outer Space- The epitome of fun. I can't possibly hate an album that makes me this happy.
9. Introducing Sparks- This wasn't in my top ten at first, but I've listened to it so many times now, I can't help but love it.
8. Exotic Creatures of the Deep- oh boy. Don't get me started. We'll talk about this one in a later post.
7. Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins- I feel like this was maybe higher in my rankings before, but I still love it.
6. Hippopotamus- this sank from number 2 in my rankings because I feel similarly towards it as I do towards ASDDD- too long and not all of the songs compel me. But, the production work though! And some of my favorite Sparks songs are on here (including my #1, "Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me)").
5. Kimono My House- This is actually a perfect album and I'm surprised I didn't realize that before (even if side 2 is weaker than side 1).
4. No. 1 in Heaven- I still want to drown in the glorious synths.
3. Angst In My Pants- Definitely a little higher than it was before, but I realized that this too is a perfect album.
2. Lil' Beethoven- <3 <3 <3 <3
1. FFS- Duh. I know this is basically cheating because it's a collaborative album, but I dare you to find a better album that's not called The Phosphorescent Blues (yes, FFS is now one of my favorite albums of all time... it always should have been, really).
On the plus side... I actually ended up signing up for NaNoWriMo *gasp*. And I've decided to be a rebel this year and write... TWO stories at once, instead of trying to choose between one or the other. I'll split the 50,000 words between them and see how that goes. The stories are Never Heard That One Before and the untitled story based on the music video for Sparks' "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way?'" (I'm just going to use alternate names and change some of the more specific details that make it obvious who I'm writing about). Seeing as I do have a job, plus a band, plus a social life and other creative projects I want to work on (like finishing up the demos for my new album, recording some covers, writing new songs, making gifs/videos when I feel like it), I don't know if this will pan out at all... but hey, it's perfect timing since next month is when I quit Instagram and I'll need something to do that's not scrolling through social media. Plus my band doesn't currently have any shows lined up- the only thing I know that's happening in November is the Chris Thile concert.
In other news, I re-ranked all 25 of Sparks' albums, and I feel like sharing that in this post.
25. Interior Design- granted, I do need to re-listen to it when I'm not driving, with headphones on, so maybe it will end up sounding more interesting and less generic to me
24. Music That You Can Dance To- I'll listen to it a third time, I guess, but I really can't remember anything from it (and the version I listened to did not have "Change" on it so that couldn't salvage it)
23. Big Beat- okay, it's not terrible but it's SO not Sparks. Feels like a put-on the whole way through. I don't understand why people hate the production so much though, I think it sounds fine sonically speaking. The vocal performances are a particular highlight.
22. Terminal Jive- I actually adore the sound of this album, the synths used and the melodic structure of the song. And it has one of Sparks' best songs on it (though they themselves do not agree with that assessment). Only thing is, I still think "Young Girls" is cringe of the highest order (they should have gone all-out with it if it was intended as satire, like Spinal Tap's "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight"), and the two songs that follow "When I'm With You" are almost Lil' Beethoven-levels of banal repetition, although there's no obvious conceit behind it like there is with Lil' Beethoven and so it just comes off as rather annoying.
21. The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman- It's not bad. Really. It's just difficult to assess, being an opera with multiple roles and a cohesive story. I find the story kind of thin and not-gripping anyway so...
20. Plagiarism- I actually really like this album, and am ranking it low because it's all stuff I've heard before (even if some of the renditions are even better than the original- that choral version of "Propaganda" though! That orchestral "Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat!").
19. A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing- listening to this with my father helped me appreciate it more, but... *shrug* Not a favorite.
18. Indiscreet- Yes, I'm still putting Indiscreet pretty far at the bottom because... I dunno. SOMETHING doesn't grip me here. Definitely my least favorite of the mid-70's trio, although there are some very strong songs.
17. A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip- shocker, I know!! Some of my favorite Sparks songs are on here, and yet... It's too long. Half the album is far less interesting to me than the other half. I so dig the production work here though, and of course the songwriting, like I said.
16. Balls- why'd I put Balls so low the first time?! What a good album!
15. Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat- this REALLY shot up there in my rankings after I'd listened to it a few more times. Some REALLY strong songs that I love.
14. Sparks/Halfnelson- not a favorite, but I love it. Again, thanks to my dad.
13. Propaganda- I've started appreciating this one a lot more too. A super solid effort.
12. Whomp That Sucker- not quite as fun as another album on this list, but still very fun.
11. Hello Young Lovers- it took me a while to really get into it, but now I LOVE IT.
10. In Outer Space- The epitome of fun. I can't possibly hate an album that makes me this happy.
9. Introducing Sparks- This wasn't in my top ten at first, but I've listened to it so many times now, I can't help but love it.
8. Exotic Creatures of the Deep- oh boy. Don't get me started. We'll talk about this one in a later post.
7. Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins- I feel like this was maybe higher in my rankings before, but I still love it.
6. Hippopotamus- this sank from number 2 in my rankings because I feel similarly towards it as I do towards ASDDD- too long and not all of the songs compel me. But, the production work though! And some of my favorite Sparks songs are on here (including my #1, "Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me)").
5. Kimono My House- This is actually a perfect album and I'm surprised I didn't realize that before (even if side 2 is weaker than side 1).
4. No. 1 in Heaven- I still want to drown in the glorious synths.
3. Angst In My Pants- Definitely a little higher than it was before, but I realized that this too is a perfect album.
2. Lil' Beethoven- <3 <3 <3 <3
1. FFS- Duh. I know this is basically cheating because it's a collaborative album, but I dare you to find a better album that's not called The Phosphorescent Blues (yes, FFS is now one of my favorite albums of all time... it always should have been, really).
