Uninvited to the big soiree
‘Cause she rubs the folks the wrong, wrong way
Rough around the edges, you might say
Nothing wrong with that is what I’d say
She was a creature of barbed elegance, a rose wrapped in thorns, her laughter cutting sharper than any reproach. Society dismissed her as coarse, too jagged for polite company, yet beneath that armour shimmered a rare and fleeting tenderness. To know her was to endure scratches, to brave evenings of silence and sudden storms. But when the veil lifted; when her eyes softened and her spirit, unguarded, trembled against your own, one glimpsed a treasure far beyond the reach of gilded parties and empty charm. She was not easily won, nor often kind, but she was a formidable prize.
She was a porcupine, they say….Sparks, to be specific, who have announced their first EP, MADDER!, out on October 3rd via Transgressive as a companion to their latest magnum opus, MAD!
“Not wanting the Mad!ness to end and buoyed by the phenomenal reaction to MAD!, we made a hasty but intense retreat to the studio to record a Sparks first: an EP, MADDER!, a four-song companion piece to the album, is for everyone who isn’t yet MAD! enough,” say the (mad) Brothers Mael. “We hope these new songs will take you to an even MADDER! place.”
Sparks whet our whistles with a sly little dagger called Porcupine, a song that stings as it charms, tossing quills and grins in equal measure. The duo once again proves itself an unmatched chronicler of human quirks, here sketching the outline of a woman who resists easy touch yet compels attention with every sharp angle. The chorus hits like a nursery rhyme doused in champagne and vinegar, gleeful and cutting.
Russell Mael sings with the elegance of a jester in ridiculous velvet gloves, relishing the absurdities of affection. Ron’s keys skip and strut, never hurried, always sly, moving with a deliberate eccentricity that feels eternal. Their knack for satire recalls the cabaret wit of Noel Coward, the eccentric storytelling of They Might Be Giants, and the lush observational flair of The Divine Comedy. These are Sparks’ kindred spirits, a circle of artists who see the humour and heartbreak folded into life’s smaller gestures.
The song’s silliness sneaks into the bloodstream: lighthearted, slightly jabbing, but affectionate all the same. A melody this persistent finds its way into the clatter of subways, the scrape of Sunday chores, the quiet hours before sleep. Sparks understand the strange ways life’s soundtrack intrudes: here it is, nagging, needling, and somehow tender.
Porcupine reminds us that Sparks’ genius lies in their absolute commitment to the joke and the joy, their unflinching faith that a pop song can carry wit sharper than a playwright’s quill.
Listen to “Porcupine” below:
Listen to Porcupine below and preorder MADDER! here.
Sparks take this mischievous hymn on the road next week, weaving through Atlanta, Philadelphia, DC, Boston, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle, and beyond; a cavalcade of cities soon to find themselves also humming about love’s prickliest prize.
Tour Dates:
- Fri. Sept. 5 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
- Mon. Sept. 8 – Philadelphia, PA @ Keswick Theatre
- Tue. Sept. 9 – Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre
- Thu. Sept. 11 – Boston, MA @ Berklee Performance Center
- Fri. Sept. 12 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre
- Sun. Sept. 14 – Columbus, OH @ The Athenaeum Theatre
- Mon. Sept. 15 – Cleveland, OH @ TempleLive at Cleveland Masonic
- Wed. Sept. 17 – Toronto, On @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
- Fri. Sept. 19 – Sun. Sept. 21 – Chicago, IL @ Riot Fest
- Sat. Sept. 20 – St. Paul, MN @ Fitzgerald Theater
- Tue. Sept. 23 – Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre
- Wed. Sept. 24 – Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre
- Fri. Sept. 26 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall
- Sat. Sept. 27 – San Francisco, CA @ Golden Gate Theatre
- Mon. Sept. 29 – El Cajon, CA @ The Magnolia
- Tue. Sept. 30 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Greek Theatre
Follow Sparks:
sp
Or via: