The night capital… Magomayev sings inaudibly in the ever-fading sky. Leviathans of socialist realism, golems of Zurab Rkatsiteli, temples risen from decay scratch the clouds. Tiny clubs, pubs and eateries bravely lean against the footsteps of the giants, from which orchestras from the time of Gagarin’s youth bravely rumble. In 2016, a fresh formation of seasoned musicians, The Sparks Boys, appeared on one of these sweat- and swill-corroded, drum-ridden stages.
The line-up has changed several times over the past four years, as is Moscow custom, but the debut album has finally been recorded. Mixed and released on Wild Records in the Heart of World Imperialism. The quintet at the time of recording: Marat Gizatullin – voice; Vladimir Khoruzhy – guitar; Dmitry Kryuchkov – saxophone; Vasily Lavrov – double bass; Dmitry Bykov – drums. Upside Down is the name of the record, Picasso is jealous of the picture on the cover, the material is author’s. There are thirteen tracks in the clip. We charge it. Let the night sparkle!
The title fast-paced rocker Upside Down in a dense shell of brass instruments is the perfect calling card. Marat’s anxious tenor and Uncle Vova’s barking guitar assert themselves with the relentlessness of a hearse in Formula 1. The house is shaking. Hobo-Bop-A-Bop is a meaty boogie blues in which George Thorogood meets Billy Burnett, striking sparks on the hems of bored skirts. The flame is about to catch.
You Say You Love Me is a hidden threat that becomes more and more obvious as you approach the climax. The “brass” solo is the best since Sonny Burgess, a rare gem for rockabilly, where sax is preferred to all wind instruments. I Wanna Bop is a swinging mambo-shaped action movie that has chains and straight razors dancing to it. Take care of the costumes, dudes!
Don’t Cry is a western with a bouncing guitar in the spirit of Luther Perkins. While Marat plays his dreamily romantic part, the saxophone draws rituals of cartoon Indians in his brain. One is a cowboy, two is a cowboy…Keep On Tryin’ is gaining momentum little by little, but then it is unstoppable, like the flap of a moth’s wing, creating a storm. The vocalist deftly changes the melody in the last verse.
So Close is a good room without much nerve. A respite for the legs and the brain. I Love You So is another “optional” song, although Marat’s work is worth noting. The barometer is falling, the clouds are gathering…
…to burst into the hurricane-like heroic instrumental Dead Valley. Trumpet summons General Carson’s cavalry to retrieve McKenna’s gold, stolen by a gypsy boy from the Elusive Avengers. Gojko Mitic is back in the saddle Crazy Music In My Head is a cheerful sketch about crazy music playing right in my head. The orderlies are dancing.
The Thrill Is Gone (not to be confused with the eponymous Bibikingovskaya) struts with a pimp’s gait, called shuffle by the bluesmen. The general atmosphere of anxiety and Harlem alleys. The “snowball” went out to get the “snowball” and did not return… Hey, Tequila is steeped in salt, lime, and Texan-Mexican friendship. And quotes. Anyone who has heard The Champs will understand.
Rainy Day is a story of dating in the rain, a lyrical country western with an elastic rhythm. The fire was flooded, the sparks went out. It’s a beautiful closing song.
Having fired the entire clip and thrown away the barrel, I would like to say: in the best moments, The Sparks Boys raise the bar high, perfectly mastering the language and style, the voices of the instruments and the subtleties of the arrangement. The necessary condition is swing – available. Calling the album excellent is hindered by the lack of bright songs and their somewhat even mood. But he’s good, damn, he’s undoubtedly good! The dawn creeps with crimson tread, The Moon Dogs…
Have you written a book about love, and have you believed in the Lord in heaven, as the Bible tells you? Did you believe in rock and roll, And that music can save your mortal soul, And can you teach me slow dancing?