Jukebox Juicebox #8

Sparks "Perfume"
The lead single from "Hello Young Lovers", Sparks' 20th album, sees Ron and Russell Mael's creative force undiminshed. The title track relates a man telling his girlfriend that he loves her because she doesn't wear perfume, unlike his numerous exes (who he lists in detail, along with their preferred scent). Russell Mael's deadpan delivery plays with the lyrics and rhythm, underpinned by layered keyboards, guitars and strings. Clor's "Eau De Perfume Remix" is a fun electropop variation, though it lacks the complex melodies of the original by comparison. A alternative version of album standout "(Baby, Baby) Can I Invade Your Country" completes the EP, following a similarly unconventional musical and lyrical structure, with nuggets like "I need the enjoyment of rapid deployment". The songs eschew the verse-chorus-verse format of the mainstream, but this is arguably pop and undeniably Sparks.

You can listen to snippets of the EP here: http://www.juno.co.uk/ppps/products/207033-01.htm

And, if you're quick, you can catch their interview on Jonathan Ross's Radio 2 show from Sat 11 Feb: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/ross/

plus Valentine's Day live studio performances of these songs on Mark Radcliffe's Radio 2 show:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/radcliffe/playlist_tuesday.shtml