Sparkwood
Jalopy Pop
Sparkwood Records
Pop music lives! Well, sure, the record companies wouldn’t let you stop buying over-priced CDs with a single hit on them, but the ability to self-publish gives new and talented bands at least a chance to break out of their hometown scenes. Sparkwood comes from the ultimate source of all musical cool, Austin, Texas. With a great balance of melodies and experimentation, Sparkwood cranks out a series of very listenable tunes about life and love and all the other standard stuff.
While their sound is unique, they play an occasional line that sounds like The Beatles or The Ink Spots. “Ready For the Day” takes a slightly dissonant harmony and carousel-like rhythm, and makes a nice image of a summer day, a day that might or might not affect your love life. “Checklist” enters with cheesy high-tech double talk and weirdness groove, and takes you into the big song “Miles Away.” Here lead vocalist Bart Padar sings a pleasant harmony about lost love. And with these three songs, we cover the heart of pop: three minute songs with hooks, hormones and harmony. Sparkwood is firmly in that groove; plus they have cool cover art.
Sparkwood: http://www.sparkwood.com
