Thursday Thirteen
13 Songs I’ve Enjoyed Lately (in no particular order) (Edition #18)
1. The Ting Tings’ “Shut Up and Let Me Go”
2. Gabriella Cilmi’s “Save the Lies”
3. Coldplay’s “Lost!”
4. The Presets’ “Yippyo-Ay”
5. Madonna’s “Miles Away”
6. Rihanna’s “Rehab”
7. Lady GaGa’s “Just Dance”
8. Sam Sparro’s “21st Century Life”
9. The Ting Tings’ “That’s Not My Name”
10. The Ting Tings’ “Great DJ”
11. Dizzee Rascal & Calvin Harris’ “Dance wiv Me”
12. The Presets’ “Talk Like That”
13. Rihanna’s “Disturbia”

A version of this article appears on Subba Cultcha.

2008 may well be the year of the Sparro. The world straddling, Aussie born soul singer has been destroying the charts with the phenomenon that is ‘Black and Gold’. Following a year on the road that has taken him across the world Sam and his merry band are continuing to take the party wherever the bus stops. The ascendant success of his eponymous debut album and in particular single ‘Black and Gold’ has seen him recently collecting a string of accolades in the year end award season, including 5 Aria nominations from his native Australia. Sam took some time out before a recent Norwich show to discuss awards, Lindsay Lohan, duets and new material.

Hey, so first off I wanted to talk about the big news at the moment being the awards nominations you’re getting, namely the 5 Aria’s you’re up for and I was going to ask you what your reaction to that was and how you take it?

Um, it’s great to be nominated for things like that, especially in my home country of Australia obviously, because I haven’t been back for so long, and actually they’ve really taken to me and been really king to me. Going back to Australia has been really good. It’s been a really nice surprise actually how much they’ve latched onto it in Australia…I mean awards are nice, it’s a nice validation. I mean I don’t really watch them very often, so I’m kind of indifferent to the actual event, but going back to Australia will be nice so that’s cool.

It seems like from an artists perspective the cool thing about Awards ceremonies is the chance to get together with your peers and see people who you may not get to see all year because of touring commitments or whatever?

Yea, that is cool. It is good to get together and see people and get some booze and just have some fun, but it is kind of like work, it is work doing those things, but it’s kind of like the last day of school vibe.

So how is the tour going?

Well we’ve just pulled in Norwich ready for tonight. It’s going well, yeah this has been a really fun tour. I couldn’t really be happier with it. Each show… it just keeps getting better every night.  You know we’ve been playing together for a while now and we’ve got to the point where we are just really, really comfortable on stage together  as a band you know and it’s just a lot of fun, we enjoy playing the songs and …I don’t know, it’s just good fun.

Do you have anything special planned for the final night of the tour in London? Any special guests?

Nothing too out of the ordinary really, we’ll just have our costumes , oh actually we might do a couple of extra kind of vibe things for the London show. Just kind of people who might be in the audience that we were talking about we might throw some of their songs in just for fun. I don’t want to say too much really.

How do you get on with the day to day business of touring, how do you keep yourselves entertained?

Oh well we just have a lot of fun really, we’re always joking around, I mean me and the backing singers are always singing and making up songs about  everyone. But IO mean I like to read and go to the gym, do some writing, check online to see what there is to do, like keeping up with business stuff on emails and shit like that, but um, you know it actually goes really quickly by the time you wake up, get off the bus do sound check go grab some food.  The day’s pretty much gone.

Do you  like the touring, transient lifestyle, is it something that excites you waking up and seeing a different place everyday, or do you find yourself craving a bit more grounding and some more home time?

I wouldn’t mind some more time at home actually. I haven’t really been at home at any point this whole year so I am kind of getting to the point where, yeah I do love travelling but it’s not like I can’t really desperately can’t wait to go to Norwich to check out the greenery.

You played, well you attempted to play Bestival recently but due to stage subsidence you had to actually pull the show. Do you like the festival circuit or do you prefer to be playing club shows like your current tour, and is that the weirdest gig experience you’ve had so far?

Well we didn’t get to play which is the bad thing about that, but I actually love festivals I actually think that our best show to date was Glastonbury this year. I don’t think we’ve topped that yet, but yeah obviously I mean they are a totally different vibe. I like the small indoor show as well because you’ve got control over the mood and you get to experiment and really show off the nuances of the music a bit more and it’s got a bit more soul and you can pay more attention to the pitch of your voice, whereas with a festival show I’m just trying to be loud and bold and deliver as much as possible so the people 60rows back are getting just as good a show as the people on the barrier.

So what’s next for you once you’ve finished this leg of your UK tour?

Well we’re pretty much touring until February, we’re going to Japan, and doing  a European Tour, spending some time in the States and then doing a festival tour in Australia in the summer, well in their summer.

Cool, Big Day Out?

We’re doing Good Vibrations which is the more kind of electronic, dance, soul kind of vibe tour, which is a really good one actually, I think that last year Kanye West and Calvin Harris headlined it and this year, well this year I’m headlining it and it should be really cool. After that I’m going to get to lay lo for a while and start cooking up the next album which I’m pretty keen to take my time on it.

Ok, so in terms of that new record and writing material do you find that you are the kind of artist who writes constantly, who has ideas on the road etc and so it’s a case that when you come back off a tour you already have an idea of where you’re going next or do you need to be grounded and focused and in one place to do your best work?

I think that I do my best work when I’m relaxed and comfortable. I’m like a creature of comfort when I’m recording because I just work better that way for some reason. I just find it difficult to write on the road. I mean all the pre-production and the recording I’ve done before was done in my bedroom, so you can’t really get more comfortable than that!

Is that something that you want to replicate going forward or do you have a yearning to try the mega studio approach and really go to the opposite end of the spectrum on the next record?

Well my plan is to actually start building my own studio, which is kind of going to focus on when I come back to recording. I mean based in LA you can get cheap studio time so I’m going to do that in the meantime and just concentrate in setting up my own studio. But I mean I do like big studios as well. There’s one we just recorded in a couple of weeks ago in London called…I think it’s called the Toybox or the Toyshop it’s where Oasis recorded ‘What’s the Story Morning Glory’, and it’s just this room full of vintage keyboards and  precussion instruments and so you know maybe starting it in my home studio and finishing it in a big studio like that.

Sounds awesome…so do you have any idea of people you might like to work with, like producers etc? Or even other artists? Would you have any interest in doing something like the Jack White and Alicia Keys  Bond theme duet? Does that kind of collaboration interest you and would it be more of a one off thing or something you might bring under the banner of a Sam Sparro album?

Who was it? Jack White and Alicia Keys, is it true? I haven’t heard that yet actually but I really want to…I mean yeah I would be interested in doing stuff like that, but kind of on the side, I like for my own work, for my body of work like an album to be kind of self contained. Probably even moreso on this record than on the first album really. But I definitely love working with people and doing bits and bobs on the side, like doing something with Adele would be fun or Roisin Murphy, somebody like that.

In terms of videos you’ve had some pretty interesting treatments. How involved do you like to get with that and does your acting past feed into that if at all?

Well I’m kind of a control freak when it comes to that aspect of things as well. Most of the time I’ve been pretty involved with the treatment and working with the Director on the video. Which I enjoy. You know I’ve been very fortunate to work with people who I get on really well . Though theirs is one video which we shot which has never been released and we had to put away.

Which song was that for?

It was for the latest single, ‘21st Century Life’, so we went away and did another one which I was much happier with. But, yea the first one never saw the light of day.

Cool, given the marriage of video and music and the fact that your songs have been used on various TV shows, as well as your fathers soundtrack work, would you ever be interested in doing soundtracks, either as composer or compiler, maybe in an RZA role or Trent Reznor roll like they did on Kill Bill 1+2 or \Lost Highway?

That’s so freaky I like literally watched Kill Bill 2 on the bus this morning. But yea, I actually worked for a music compiler in LA years ago and he worked on some movies and stuff like that. So I can see myself going down that route, I mean I love making mix tapes and DJing so I could definitely see myself scoring a film or doing a soundtrack one day yes.

You’re names obviously attached to the Lindsay Lohan record, do you see yourself working with anyone else like that and would you ever ghost write for people?

Yea, but I haven’t done anything yet. But yea, sure. I mean I’m up for anything as long as it’s fun and interests me. I’m not too proud to turn down anything just based on the project,. But it’s been hard to co-ordinate I mean I’m busy and she’s busy so we’ll see what happens when it happens.

But America!

It’s a shame that “The Greatest Nation In The World” is still so behind the times when it comes to good music. It’s not that Americans don’t recognize a good melody, I mean, Bleeding Love got so much support on this side of the pond that people’s ears started bleeding, literally. Yet, when a song like “Black & Gold” by Sam Sparro (openly gay, smokin’ hot and pictured above) makes it’s way to the U.S. it’s Dead On Arrival.

Sam isn’t the first talented musician to suffer from this “artistic homophobia”. The Scissor Sisters have seen huge success for years in all parts of the world except for the U.S. of A., which coincidentally is the Sisters’ home. The closest thing American’s can hope to get to an openly gay singer at the moment is a sexy female rocker (who is heterosexual mind you) singing about kissing a girl and liking it, but let’s be honest, who hasn’t?

Luckily for all of us homos living in America, we have ways of accessing entertainment from other countries. Since Sam’s “Black & Gold” already peaked at #2 in the UK, he’s back with another fantastic tune “21st Century Life”, this time accompanied by a video. If you like the song, make sure you check out the lyrics, really interesting and poignant stuff.

(If you haven’t read last week’s post, “Sam Sparro - Complex or Confused? Part I of II,” click here to backtrack to it before reading Part II below).

First let me start by apologizing for taking so long to get you guys Part II of the Sam Sparro story.

Frankly, I blame the drugs.

(And Hillary Clinton).

That being said, buckle up for the longest post of all time. But I’m throwing in links to all the songs, as well as a few pictures to make up for it. Okay, here we go………

So I realize that giving up Sparro’s excellent first single, “Black and Gold,” as an introduction to his music is a little like having sex on the first date — I gave up the goods without making you work for them. But as is often the case after people have sex on the first date, I wasn’t merely placated or satisfied by hearing “Black and Gold,” rather my appetite was whetted, and I was left wanting more. (Um, more Sam Sparro, that is). If anything, “Black and Gold” succeeded in roping me into the house of mirrors that is Sam Sparro. Now, I was trapped.

But how does the rest of his first album hold up in comparison to its lead single? Does it pale or do the other tracks back it up? Exactly what kind of music does this kid make anyway? And what of the God references? Was “Black and Gold” a one shot deal that just happened to be about Sparro’s search for God? Or would I discover the world’s first “Electro-soul spoof-disco-pop mixed with religious-funk-house” album, with lyrics wrought with religious references and questions at every turn? Because while I like to consider myself as having an eclectic and wide-ranging musical taste — and with apologies to the elder Mr. Falson — Christian Rock just isn’t among my preferred genres, nor do I plan on making it one.

Well the truth is, Sparro’s self-titled album is, not surprisingly, much like he is — it’s a true reflection of himself. Not an exact reflection, that isn’t what I mean. But an honest reflection, a real one. Shrouded in mixed signals yet entirely open to interpretation. Questioning, yes, but only in his authoritative and ever-urgent voice. Bouncing from one genre to another, with only ambiguous connections in between. Serious and introspective in one moment, then bubbly and ridiculous in the next. A God-fearing man of faith who also happens to smoke mad weed. Maybe. Who hides his pain behind fun, friendly, and sometimes silly dance tracks. In other words, Sam Sparro the album and Sam Sparro the man are both, well…..consistently inconsistent. Complex and confusing. Unsurprisingly surprising. (Now how’s that for confusion?)

But that isn’t to say there’s no meat left on the album’s bones after “Black and Gold.” True, it is quite easily the best track on Sparro’s album — I’ll tell you that right up front. But that’s largely due to its accessibility. The track just somehow works, and you don’t even have to think about why. And though three different listeners might put “Black and Gold” in three different genres of music, none of the three would find themselves saying, “What the fuck am I listening to?”

While they might still be good, the same cannot necessarily be said for the rest of the tracks on Sparro’s album. The only constant variable (yeah, I just wrote that on purpose) on the album is its production value: extremely high. Every single track, no matter how good or bad, and regardless of the genre, is well done by Sparro and his production partner, Jesse Rogg (along with some help from Richard X and Paul Epworth). Given how many different styles Sparro covers, this is really an impressive feat of knob turning and button pushing. Plus, the kid can really write. So let’s start with some stuff I liked.

Sam Sparro opens with (what else?) a track called “Too Many Questions,” a funky mash-up of Kraftwerk-esque electronic sounds, a thumping beat with a Bootsy Collins baseline, and Jamiroquai keys. And of course, too many goddamn questions in that strong, but slightly nasal voice of hiss. It’s almost as if Sparro is preparing us for what’s to come:

All I have is too many questions / Is there something someone forgot to mention to me? / But I walk on without hesitation to my unknown own destination / With a music-like syncopation / And explore my own imagination.

Interestingly, however, while it sounds to me like Sparro is still wondering about his life, his death, and his destiny, unlike on “Black and Gold” he’s no longer scared of what he might find out. Instead, he’s meeting his “maker” head-on. Though he does ask pleadingly, Why do old habits die so hard God knows I try and try… But which habits is Sparro referring to? His attempts to find God? His homosexuality? His weed smoking? (More on that one later). Whatever the case may be, Sparro sure isn’t sharing. At least not overtly. Yet the scariest part about “Too Many Questions” has nothing to do with Gods, Gays, or weed. It’s the realization just one song into the album that Sam Sparro sounds a lot like Stevie Wonder.

Woah.

“Too Many Questions”

But before you can even begin to wrap your head around what you think you’re hearing, Sparro hits you with “21st Century Life,” an uptempo Abba-meets-electro style discofest with a horn section thrown in for good measure, which I actually kind of dig. It also prominently features the familiar “double clap” sample from Patrice Rushen’s 1982 hit “Forget Me Nots.” (You might also recognize the sample from Will Smith’s “Men In Black” theme song, which pretty much ganked Rushen’s entire beat, not just the hand claps). But Sparro can’t help but throw a monkey wrench into an otherwise simple song about growing up: Now I’m not a little boy, I’m in the 21st Century / Well you might think we’ve come a really long way, but there’s still no equality / I watch the news on my computer screen, talk about buying my weed out of a vending machine / You tell me I’m free, but how can I be when you’re always watching me on the CCTV?

I understand the lack of equality bit — it is the 21st century and there is still a shameful amount of inequality everywhere we turn, especially for a gay man in America. But what’s this about vending machine weed from a prospective God guy? The one who feels he’s not free and always being watched? (And who’s watching exactly? Is it God again? Or has Sparro simply spent too much time in London?) This obviously doesn’t exactly add up neatly, so maybe Sparro’s really not so worried about his religious beliefs after all. And either way, you’re still looking at a fun song, as long as you don’t try to dissect it for meaning.

“21st Century Life”

Significantly better, however, is “Sick,” a straight up (well, maybe not so straight, but still…) 80s dance banger, with a cleverly familiar-sounding synthy hook and the requisite dance floor-friendly 80s-era drums. Seriously, if you like 80s music you’ll love this track. And if you don’t, you’ll hate it. Because it sounds as if it came out in 1987. But the chorus is what elevates the song to potentially anthemic heights: It’s a sick sick world, I’ll be your medicine / Come on take me take me, I’ll make you feel better. And Sparro is damn convincing too. You don’t know what Sparro wants you to take exactly, but you sure as hell want to find out.

Yet it’s lines like, Darlin’ rest your head, I’ll make you a believer…(in what?) or, Make sure you take me with you when you go into the unknown…(who’s me? Sparro? And uhh, which unknown is this?) that leave me wondering what Sparro’s talking about, despite the fact that my head still just won’t stop swiveling to that beat. I can’t help but wonder if he’s talking about himself and his music, or Jesus and the Church. In other words, who, or what is “The Medicine?” Of course the thing is, I’m not entirely convinced Sparro himself knows either. I think there’s a lot of stuff bouncing around in his head, and it doesn’t always come out organized or motivated by one particular idea, but by a lifetime of feelings and emotions.

“Sick”

Similarly well written and well done, is “Pocket,” a very rich sounding and more downtempo track that prominently showcases some of Sparro’s vocal prowess and strong song-writing abilities. (He can clearly write seriously when he wants to). “Pocket” is about friendship and loyalty, and, unfortunately, about keeping your guard up when it comes to maintaining friendships. Sparro’s bridge and chorus are killer, as is his delivery of both, which will stay with you long after the song has ended:

And if you don’t know that by now then I feel quite sorry for you, I’m sorry for you / Yeah the people that you keep around, well you learn from them and they learn from you…

So keep your friends close, and your enemies in your pocket / Yeah keep your friends close, and your enemies in your pocket / Well you just might start to melt them down and they’ll come around / So keep your friends close and your enemies in you pocket.

Sounds like the perfect new theme song for MTV’s lonely ratings monster, The Hills, if you ask me. Or at least for one of those awkward fade out moments where the two main bitches characters, “accidentally” run into each other at the same club. Yeah, it’d be perfect. (You paying attention to this, Liz Gateley??) In fact, looking back on my own four-year stint in the City of Angels (I never saw any), I wish I’d had Sparro’s “Pocket” in my own while I was there.

“Pocket”

Though perhaps slightly less somber, but still certainly somewhat sad, “Sally,” is an uptempo ode to a stripper, in which Sparro pleads with her to abandon her profession while hinting at how she got there in the first place. Sure, this kind of record been done before (“Perfect Gentleman” by Wyclef Jean comes to mind, as does “Patricia the Stripper” by Chris DeBurg — if your mind is truly as musically warped as mine). But never before has it been so much…..fun?

As it is, “Sally” would be a hit record for Justin Timberlake or maybe even for Robin Thicke — not that either one would ever have the courage to make a song quite like this. But they’d be commended for making a “socially-conscious” track that also moved the masses en radio and dance floor alike. And their live performances (I can only imagine the “Sallys” they would have on stage with them) would be lauded in tour reviews. But alas, Sam Sparro is not JT nor is he Robin Thicke. And not even Debi Mazar’s super-publicist-bitch, the “Shauna Roberts” character from Entourage could change that.

“Sally” is a brilliantly produced bouncy dance track, which sounds like a somewhat unlikely combination of Quincy Jones-produced Michael Jackson (in other words, the good shit), 1980s and 90s Freestyle (an underrated and largely unknown, if not slightly cheesy, brand of dance music/Latin hip hop made popular primarily in New York and Miami through artists like Judy Torres, George Lamond, and Rockell), and modern-era synth-pop. And that’s exactly why you’d never catch Timberlake’s or Thicke’s footprints anywhere near this record. Too much kitsch for them. Fine. But my god that shit works.

Sparro’s lyrics to “Sally” are excellently written and quite catchy — though again the chorus steals the show. Yet given what sometimes seems to be some kind of religious double-speak, it’s hard not to wonder if Sparro’s pleas with Sally to stop stripping are at least in some way form of proselytizing. But I don’t think that’s the case here. Thankfully, the lyrics are largely devoid of any “believer”-type vocabulary, and instead focus on Sparro’s sincere efforts to convince Sally — a girl with both “thick caramel thighs” and “beautiful green eyes,” but also a checkered past with a possibly abusive father (”And I get so red hot mad, thinking about that dirty old man,” Sparro sings forcefully) — to come down off the pole.

Sally why you wanna do that? / I ain’t gonna hurt ‘cha — I ain’t your daddy / Sally you ain’t gotta do that / Need someone to love ya — not like your daddy…..pleads the heavily synth-backed chorus. Conjuring images of Flashdance, Striptease, and Showgirls all rolled into one seedy, smoky, strip-club scene…..big hair, tiny spandex outfits, cheap strobe lights, leering patrons, a scuffed black stage, and an eighteen year-old girl with thirty-eight year-old eyes teetering in Lucite heels atop it.

And whaddya know, a socially-conscious track with a nice message that should not only move the masses, but get ‘em singing too. It’s even got a little bit of a “Smooth Criminal” feel to it. And that’s always a good thing.

“Sally”

But as much as I’d like to leave well enough alone and stop right here (you’d probably like me too, wouldn’t you?), Sam Sparro is far from a perfect album. For each of the songs I’ve written so laudably about above there is an either lame, lousy, or downright ridiculous song to match up with it. Lucky for us, (and him), however, Sparro cops to this reality himself, and doesn’t put up some kind of high-brow indie musician-cum-artist fight (I can’t stand those), so I won’t go into as much detail here.

In the same interview cited in Part I of this article with British music website Noise Makes Enemies, Sparro says, “What actually excites me most about the record are some of the off kilter funk tracks like one called ‘Cling Wrap’ and another called ‘Cut Me Loose’ — they’re just pure ridiculousness.” While I agree they’re ridiculous, I think Sparro leaves out a few others, namely “Recycle It!,” “Cottonmouth,” and “Hot Mess,” which, if it actually had the words “hot” and “mess” in the chorus would have a chance at becoming a hit song based solely on the fact that people seem to really like using that expression.

“Recycle It” is a rather inconsequential track, as it’s more of an interlude than an actual song. It consists of Sparro naming, in a French accent no less, items to be recycled (”aluminum…plastic bottles…sneakers…computer…shoe boxes…” — you get the idea) over a beat-boxed beat. It’s absurd. And clearly it’s meant to be. At least it doesn’t last long.

“Recycle It”

“Cottonmouth,” on the other hand is equally absurd, yet unfortunately I’m afraid it’s clearly much more serious. (Not including the video). In fact, it’s here that Sparro seems to want to trot out his story-telling ability, on a slow motion, almost lazy beat, over which Sparro lazily drawls and slurs, describing smoking what must have been a lot of weed, and then getting “cottonmouth” aka “dry mouth.”

It was just an ordinary afternoon, I was sitting in the park / Trying to forget all of my blues, I want a little somethin’ to spark…..I Forgot my world while I fell awake, didn’t have a single care / Then I noticed somethin’ very wrong, I was so parched I could not sing this song / Cottonmouth, Cottonmouth / You’re so damn dry……I need some H2O, down my throat / I need some H2O, down my throat…..

“Cottonmouth”

This song is in no way fun or funny — as often drug songs are — it just takes seems to take it self too seriously, and is far too deliberate. Nor does it seem to fit in with the rest of Sparro’s album. After the strength, both vocal and subjective, of songs like “Black and Gold” and “Sally,” a track like “Cottonmouth” just doesn’t seem like the Sam Sparro you want to listen to. The same goes for “Clingwrap,” which takes the absurdity to a whole new level. On the surface it’s a fun and simple track more reminiscent of New Edition circa “Mr. Telephone Man” than anything housey or electro, about needing some space in a relationship — You see I went outside just to take a stroll, and when I came back I had ten missed calls…from you. But the chorus literally makes me cringe:

Oh you must’ve thought I was your snack, because you’re sticking to me like clingwrap / Oh you must’ve thought I was your snack, because you’re sticking to me like clingwrap / Scooby do be do be do do….

Seriously?

“Clingwrap”

And it’s a shame because, like every other song on Sam Sparro, the beat — funky, bouncy, with harmonizing horn sections — and overall production is great. It’s just that the lyrics are so silly, it actually impedes the listener from appreciating Sparro’s natural vocal and arranging skills that are otherwise omnipotent. It’s like spoof funk. And operating much on the same “spoof funk” plane is Sparro’s “Cut Me Loose,” which basically steals the intro them from Midnight Star’s classic, “No Parking on the Dancefloor,” and then transitions into a rather bizarre souped-up Techno/Electro amalgamation of elements from Gap Band’s “You Dropped a Bomb On Me” and The Whispers’ “Rock Steady.” (Not too cool). And the faux-funk lyrics…..

When I hear that bass start-a-bumpin’ / Me and my whole body get to jumpin’ / Smack my neck my back and shake my rump and / Just cut it loose (loose!) just cut it loose (hey hey)…..Nothin’ cuts me loose like the music / I cut a rug up all night long and I hear my favorite song / Nothin’ cuts me loose like the music, said cut me loose, just cut me loose…..

Come on, Sam. You’re better than that.

“Cut Me Loose”

And on “Hot Mess,” he is. Mostly. This is the least-worst of the not-so-great songs, if that makes any sense. The song’s got a nice idea: tell girls (or guys) they’re beautiful and amazing the way they are, to eschew the temptation plastic surgery, ignore material things, and what others think. It’s also got a great title, “Hot Mess,” a phrase that it appears every girl I know enjoys using. (It’s also the name of a monthly gay night at The War Room in Seattle. Thanks, Google!) Yet it’s only uttered once throughout the entire track, which is really too bad in my opinion, as Sparro might have had an instant hit on his hands were “hot mess” to appear in the chorus.

Also too bad is that despite its funky opening and Sparro’s excellent falsetto, “Hot Mess” quickly transitions into a mediocre Disco song that wouldn’t have made the cut on Larry Levan’s decks at the Paradise Garage or David Mancuso’s at The Loft. Though I like some of its lyrics — Sparro really can write — the track doesn’t have the same power, force, and urgency that’s found on the majority of the album. Sparro comes on strong in the intro: I know you fancy yourself as a sexy bitch, it’s in the way that you walk / Do you kiss your mother with those expensive lips? But backs off in favor of the good old uplifting chorus: But you need it, don’t cha baby? / No you’re nothin’ without their gazes / They don’t love you, they are strangers / Look how far you have come you’re amazin’, you’re amazin’!

And I really wish he hadn’t done that — a track called “Hot Mess” should have lyrics about sexy bitches and expensive lips, not be a Feel-Good Donna Summer Disco Anthem.

“Hot Mess”

Now you might have noticed that I haven’t mentioned anything about Sparro’s possible attachment to Christianity/Religion/God in a while. That’s not an accident. It’s because he hasn’t either. Sure you can view songs like “Sally,” “Sick,” or “Hot Mess” as positively-messaged and uplifting — songs about right and wrong, helping friends, and learning to love yourself. I do. But the “Overt/Covert” game of pseudo-religious references, though fun, can’t be played all the way through Sam Sparro. And as you can plainly see by some of the songs (think “Cottonmouth”) and some of the lyrics (I know you fancy yourself as a sexy bitch), Sparro ain’t no saint. And I’m cool with that. In fact, I’m happy about it.

I’m glad I can listen to Sam Sparro and just enjoy his album for what it is. A new, fun, and interesting first-effort by a quirk-filled, intriguing artist who seems to do whatever the fuck he wants. And I’m in favor of that. I’m no longer worried that I’m accidentally listening to a quiet Christian musician with a secret right-wing religious agenda, that’s for damn sure. And I’ve learned that while “Black and Gold” really is a damn good song that everyone who hears it seems to get something out of, Sparro’s got plenty of fodder for those who liked what they heard and want to hear more. I’m still amazed at the range of genres Sparro is able to cover more than adequately on his first album, and how well his voice takes to each and every one of them. I love that he’s not afraid to experiment with his music, and maybe even his image. That takes both courage and imagination.

I think what Sparro may find, however, is that the average American listener doesn’t have the courage or imagination, let alone both, to fully appreciate his music and his attitude. In fact, I’m afraid the average American listener doesn’t have the courage or imagination to even give Sparro’s music a chance — forget about fully appreciating it. It’s too gay, it’s too weird, it’s too European, it’s too silly, it’s not popular enough, it’s too 70s, it’s too 80s, it’s too progressive, it’s too…..different. That’s what they’ll say. But I hope I’m wrong. Because I think all that stuff is great. At least it’s clear he’s being appreciated across the pond based on the great success of “Black and Gold,” and hopefully his Sam Sparro album sales will prove equally strong.

So what is Sam Sparro? Is he complex or just confused?

I think I’ll let him answer that — in ten words or less.

“I’m half pensive and serious and half ridiculous and silly,” he says, explaining it all.

Well then. That was easy.

- Jonathan

Sam Sparro’s Official Website

Sam Sparro’s Official MySpace

Have you noticed it too? We all used to have one of those days once in a while where nothing went right. Nowadays, it seems they are on the increase. Perhaps it’s a side effect of global warming… Any was I digress. Today was definitely one of those days!

Really, it all began last week when the company building our conservatory cut the glass too big for the roof and had to put in some temporary stuff. A senior manager arranged to visit today to measure up for the panels.  Then the shop delivering our new sofa, a modular affair, forgot half of it and arranged to deliver first thing Monday morning. We were up bright and early, but - you guessed it - no sofa. After many phone calls to the shop, warehouse and even head office it transpired that someone had loaded the van “backwards” as the driver put it and we would receive delivery about 5 pm! As we were working at that time we still have no sofa. They will deliver first thing tomorrow morning…. I think I have heard that somewhere before.

The conservatory man failed to show too. He was at a meeting and forgot the courtesy of phoning to cancel. He did not see what the problem was. That took many calls to sort out, too. He is coming first thing Thursday.

To cap it all we had to have an emergency plumber out as our new toilet cistern sprung a leak. The company that fitted the new bathroon seem to have been nothing but cowboys. what was discovered about their professional skills was quite frankly scary! I’m surprised everything hung together with no screws!

I am looking forward to tomorrow. Things must be due to improve!

Unless this is something to do with global warming after all….

How much the world has changed since I first began to take notice! I remember a cine film  my dad had of a computer - remember reel to reel projectors? (alas I show my age). It filled a sky scraper and maybe every country of the world would have one of their own by the year 2000! Now, at last count, we have at least two each in this household, (laptop and pc - not to mention PDAs, games consoles, smartphones and all the other silicone chips around the house!) It seems we can’t function without them. Even the cat has learned that she can make the mouse pointer move by sitting on the keyboard! She gives us endless fun when there’s nothing to watch on the hundreds of channels on our TV system. We used to use video and DVD, but they are just too much trouble now. When we get bored with the cat we can watch YouTube or Web TV or listen to napster. 

 And so it goes on. One way or another we seem to be in front of a screen for more and more hours a day. It’s as if we’re “in the home but not of it”. The Web is my window on the world. I can take it with me and browse in coffee shops, hotels and even on my mobile phone. It seems that the more I know about what is “out there” the less I seem to know about anything. Never mind. I find Google a good substitute for a poor memory. I can even find things I wrote years ago when I was on some soapbox or other. Less Selective than the brain, I suppose, and, embarrrassingly, more public.

Don’t get me wrong. I love it! My husband thinks of all this technology merely as tools, but me……… I have to know about all the latest gadgets and how they work, how many gigabytes here and mega Hz there. I can stand in a computer shop for hours wanting to talk to staff about the latest wi fi technology or some new gizmo whilst I see them approach younger male customers over and over again. I’m not quite a silver surfer yet, but definitely middle aged and female. Perhaps they don’t think I came in to buy? I have learned that the best course of action is to visit customer service as soon as I arrive and ask - as geekily as possible - for someone who knows about the latest computer chip technology or superfast internet or whatever. Then I get some real service!