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So, Where to Start?*
For me, predictably, it started with Adam Driver; specifically, his involvement with "Annette." I was intensely curious about this mysterious project that had Adam so excited; the plot summary was extremely sparing in detail, and I wanted to understand more about those involved in creating it. I had somehow managed to never hear of Sparks, a common refrain as it turns out, so I dug out ye olde Apple Music Essentials playlist, and was immediately intrigued. Further poking on Wikipedia was basically useless, the Maels are very careful not to share much of their private lives (a lot like Adam Driver, but even more so, if you can imagine), but LO! Edgar Wright had made a documentary about them, and it was even showing in my town.
So off I went to see "The Sparks Brothers," and Reader, I have a new favorite band.
Extraordinarily prolific and consistently hardworking, they are consummate artist's artists, never settling into a groove for very long, always moving on to try new styles, sounds, instruments, concepts, all while somehow holding onto an essential Sparks-ness. Sure, it's possible to just listen to their songs and enjoy them without thinking about it too much, but scratch the surface and you're likely to get a wealth of dry wit, self-deprecating humor, and social commentary. This is a band whose music rewards repeat listening and a curious mind, and that is very VERY much my jam. That they have a keen and humorous eye for the design of their album covers is an additional joy.
And as a cherry on top of the I-admire-them-so-much-I-could-burst cake, they clearly have a very fine awareness of the distinction between creative vs financial success. It's pretty clear that, while they'd love to have a big hit on the charts, their primary goal is to make the art that sings back to them, and financial success is great if it happens. So long as they earn enough to keep making their music, that's enough. Critics come, and critics go, but the creative process remains.
The release of "Annette" marks a special triumph for them, in which the third time was actually the charm, and their dream of making a movie is actually coming to fruition. They even get to appear in it! We've gotten to hear the soundtrack, and it's safe to say that I am very nearly beside myself with excitement at the prospect of getting to see and hear this brilliant, heartbreaking, fever dream of a movie which is opening the Cannes Film Festival in just a few days. I'll have the tissues handy when my turn comes to see it, because just listening to the last two songs consistently has me in floods of tears, and I know that actually seeing Adam as Henry is going to be 1000x more intense.
Thank you Ron and Russell, thank you so much. I'm so glad I finally found your music, and I'm really looking forward to enjoying your work for a long time to come.
Even if it does mean that I'm going to be an emotional wreck on 6 Aug. But die happy, I will!
*Many thanks to flypaper_brain for pointing out the obvious choice of an opening line :D
Photo used for reference was taken by Phillipe Mazzoni. It was so much fun to paint their faces and find all those little family resemblances; there's a very similar shape to the shells of their ears, the slant of their eyebrows, and the fullness of their lower lips, and the very tip of their noses has the same little distinctive point at the septum.
This was 18.5 hours of drawing time; painting two faces takes longer.
For me, predictably, it started with Adam Driver; specifically, his involvement with "Annette." I was intensely curious about this mysterious project that had Adam so excited; the plot summary was extremely sparing in detail, and I wanted to understand more about those involved in creating it. I had somehow managed to never hear of Sparks, a common refrain as it turns out, so I dug out ye olde Apple Music Essentials playlist, and was immediately intrigued. Further poking on Wikipedia was basically useless, the Maels are very careful not to share much of their private lives (a lot like Adam Driver, but even more so, if you can imagine), but LO! Edgar Wright had made a documentary about them, and it was even showing in my town.
So off I went to see "The Sparks Brothers," and Reader, I have a new favorite band.
Extraordinarily prolific and consistently hardworking, they are consummate artist's artists, never settling into a groove for very long, always moving on to try new styles, sounds, instruments, concepts, all while somehow holding onto an essential Sparks-ness. Sure, it's possible to just listen to their songs and enjoy them without thinking about it too much, but scratch the surface and you're likely to get a wealth of dry wit, self-deprecating humor, and social commentary. This is a band whose music rewards repeat listening and a curious mind, and that is very VERY much my jam. That they have a keen and humorous eye for the design of their album covers is an additional joy.
And as a cherry on top of the I-admire-them-so-much-I-could-burst cake, they clearly have a very fine awareness of the distinction between creative vs financial success. It's pretty clear that, while they'd love to have a big hit on the charts, their primary goal is to make the art that sings back to them, and financial success is great if it happens. So long as they earn enough to keep making their music, that's enough. Critics come, and critics go, but the creative process remains.
The release of "Annette" marks a special triumph for them, in which the third time was actually the charm, and their dream of making a movie is actually coming to fruition. They even get to appear in it! We've gotten to hear the soundtrack, and it's safe to say that I am very nearly beside myself with excitement at the prospect of getting to see and hear this brilliant, heartbreaking, fever dream of a movie which is opening the Cannes Film Festival in just a few days. I'll have the tissues handy when my turn comes to see it, because just listening to the last two songs consistently has me in floods of tears, and I know that actually seeing Adam as Henry is going to be 1000x more intense.
Thank you Ron and Russell, thank you so much. I'm so glad I finally found your music, and I'm really looking forward to enjoying your work for a long time to come.
Even if it does mean that I'm going to be an emotional wreck on 6 Aug. But die happy, I will!
*Many thanks to flypaper_brain for pointing out the obvious choice of an opening line :D
Photo used for reference was taken by Phillipe Mazzoni. It was so much fun to paint their faces and find all those little family resemblances; there's a very similar shape to the shells of their ears, the slant of their eyebrows, and the fullness of their lower lips, and the very tip of their noses has the same little distinctive point at the septum.
This was 18.5 hours of drawing time; painting two faces takes longer.
