A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing
A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by Sparks | ||||
Released | February 29, 1972[1] | |||
Studio |
| |||
Genre |
| |||
Length | 39:56 | |||
Label | Bearsville | |||
Producer | Thaddeus James Lowe | |||
Sparks chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing | ||||
| ||||
A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing is the second studio album by the American rock band Sparks. It was released in 1972 and includes the single "Girl from Germany". It was the last release by the original five-member incarnation of Sparks.
The album was recorded and mixed at ID Sound at La Brea and Walley Heider Studios, and produced by Thaddeus James Lowe, then Todd Rundgren's engineer and former lead singer of The Electric Prunes, receiving mixed to positive reviews.[5] The artwork was photographed by Larry DuPont and Ron Mael.
Release
A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing was released in February 1972. It was not very successful and did not reach the Billboard 200 in the US. After the group's surprise success in the UK, "Girl from Germany" was belatedly released as a single there but did not chart.
The album did, however, lead to a tour of the United Kingdom, including a residency at the Marquee in London,[6] which, despite much heckling during performances, helped them to secure a significant cult following.[7] An appearance on the BBC Television's Old Grey Whistle Test led to wider interest, regardless of a cold reception from the show's host Bob Harris.[8]
Re-issue
A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing has been re-released numerous times since 1972. It is often packaged with its predecessor Sparks. One such re-issue was released in 1975 to capitalize on the group's success in the UK. This version was titled 2 Originals of Sparks and was packaged as a double-LP in a gatefold sleeve with a 14-page booklet.
In 1988, the album was first issued on CD, again in tandem with the first Sparks album, but in order to fit both programs within the constraints of a single disc, the last four tracks of the album were mastered at a higher speed than on the original LP, shortening the running time to 39:27. Though the album has subsequently been reissued in a standalone format, including the most recent reissue on Rhino Encore, released in 2008, the sped-up master has continued to be used.
Reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Girl from Germany" | Russell Mael, Ron Mael | 3:26 |
2. | "Beaver O'Lindy" | Ron Mael, Russell Mael, Earle Mankey, Jim Mankey, Harley Feinstein | 3:44 |
3. | "Nothing Is Sacred" | Ron Mael | 5:31 |
4. | "Here Comes Bob" | Ron Mael, Russell Mael | 2:09 |
5. | "Moon Over Kentucky" | Ron Mael, lyrics: Jim Mankey | 4:08 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
6. | "Do Re Mi" | Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II | 3:38 |
7. | "Angus Desire" | Ron Mael, Russell Mael | 3:25 |
8. | "Underground" | Earle Mankey | 2:59 |
9. | "The Louvre" | Ron Mael; French Translation by Josée Becker | 5:04 |
10. | "Batteries Not Included" | Ron Mael | 0:47 |
11. | "Whippings and Apologies" | Ron Mael | 5:05 |
Personnel
- Sparks
- Russell Mael - vocals
- Ron Mael - keyboards
- Earle Mankey - guitar
- Jim Mankey - bass
- Harley Feinstein - drums
References
- ^ "Sparks albums".
- ^ Xavier Lorente-Darracq. "SPARKS "A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing" second Lp album on Bearsville Records". graphikdesigns.free.fr. Retrieved 2011-12-02.
- ^ "Sparks biography". AllMusic.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 13, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ participant., Wright, Edgar, 1974- film director, film producer. Park, Nira, film producer. Hencken, George, film producer. Richardson, Laura (Producer), film producer. Mael, Ron, on-screen participant. Mael, Russell, on-screen participant. Beck, on-screen participant. Myers, Mike, 1963- on-screen, The Sparks brothers, OCLC 1266532116, retrieved 2022-01-21
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)[time needed] - ^ Answer by Russell to "Had you had [...]" on p. 63 of: Easlea, Daryl (July 2003). "Record Collector Interview: Sparks". Record Collector. No. 287. pp. 60–72. ISSN 0261-250X.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). "Sparks". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acref/9780195313734.001.0001. ISBN 9780199726363.
- ^ "Sparkography on allsparks.com". Archived from the original on 16 April 2006. Retrieved 2006-04-15.
- ^ "Allmusic review". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-12-02.
External links
- Sparks – The "A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing" album files
- v
- t
- e
- Jim Mankey
- Earle Mankey
- Harley Feinstein
- Martin Gordon
- Adrian Fisher
- Norman "Dinky" Diamond
- Trevor White
- Ian Hampton
- Bob Haag
- Leslie Bohem
- David Kendrick
- Christi Haydon
- Tammy Glover
- Dean Menta
- Halfnelson/Sparks
- A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing
- Kimono My House
- Propaganda
- Indiscreet
- Big Beat
- Introducing Sparks
- Nº 1 in Heaven
- Terminal Jive
- Whomp That Sucker
- Angst in My Pants
- In Outer Space
- Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat
- Music That You Can Dance To
- Interior Design
- Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins
- Plagiarism
- Balls
- Lil' Beethoven
- Hello Young Lovers
- Exotic Creatures of the Deep
- The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman
- Two Hands, One Mouth: Live in Europe
- Hippopotamus
- A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip
- The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte
- "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us"
- "Amateur Hour"
- "Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth"
- "I Want to Hold Your Hand"
- "The Number One Song in Heaven"
- "Beat the Clock"
- "When I'm with You"
- "I Predict"
- "Cool Places"
- "With All My Might"
- "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'"
- "When I Kiss You (I Hear Charlie Parker Playing)"
- "Now That I Own the BBC"
- "Dick Around"
- "Johnny Delusional"
- Giorgio Moroder
- Telex
- Sex (Telex album)
- Noël
- Gleaming Spires
- Les Rita Mitsouko
- Devo
- Todd Rundgren
- Sparks Spectacular
- Tony Visconti
- Jane Wiedlin
- FFS (self-titled album)
- The Sparks Brothers
- Annette