there's a plan for a cd printing soon and possibly a vinyl pressing. here's an over-the-top rave review of worm moon waning, which was released last week. i've updated their myspace page with some fresh images, formatting & code. i'm also doing a beta page for the album site.
Through The Sparks -
Worm Moon Waning
What better way to celebrate a fabulous show at SxSW than to release a smashing album of gorgeous songs. Through The Sparks has done just that with Worm Moon Waning.
TTS has been given its fair share of comparisons to Wilco in the past; on WMW, one will undoubtedly hear some familiarities to Summerteeth and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and singer/lyricist/multi-instrumentalist Jody Nelson’s lower register does sound a bit like a cross between Jeff Tweedy and Alex Chilton (though his higher register is reminiscent of Bob Geldoff in his finest moments). But WMW is not a Wilco tribute or homage. It is unique and singular and plays to the strengths of the band and songs as a whole.
The songs range from orchestral ethereal pop (“Hot Rock Constellations”, the first half of the gem “Statue Scared”) to roots rock (“Turn Everything Off”, “Buddy Holly’s Gun”, and “Sad Sad Rock”) to simple power pop (“Like A Dove” and “Oyster Eyes”). Nelson’s vocals pull every feeling from his intelligent, beautiful lyrics (“We were branches cracking slowly”), and can take the listener from heartbreaking highs to easy-going lows, sometimes within the same song.
Nelson’s creative use of multiple keyboard, organ, and piano sounds keeps the album interesting and challenging. Rhythm section Greg Slamen (bass) and Thomas Mimikakis (drums) are at their best when the songs demand more rock, and they deliver. And the guitar work by Nelson and James Brangle is skillfully fitting.
But the real stars of this album are the songs themselves, most notably the near-perfect arrangements. Too many artists fail the songs they write because of hasty production or the God-awful use of excessive layering and gloss, killing the possible beauty within - not Through The Sparks.
TTS layers, all right. But the careful arrangements allow for chimes, horns, pianos, percussion, organs and jangling guitars to intermix with layers of vocals and harmonies, never engulfing the actual compositions. And while some songs on WMW get close to productions akin to The Wall or anything by Queen, they never go there completely, never obscure the craft of the songwriting. (I’m not saying Queen and The Wall are bad, but it’s too easy for a band to strive for that type of sound and wind up hiding the songs.)
What the listener has with Worm Moon Waning is a lyrically beautiful, gorgeously arranged album of excellent songs, written and recorded with thought. TTS fans have wondered why it has been three years since their last release. I don’t know the answer, but this album seems to say that those years were spent handling great songs with great care.
~David