Monday, August 10, 2009

Tommy Sparks review for JC Report






Put A Record On: Tommy Sparks Burns Bright
August 10th, 2009 | London

In the pop tradition of fellow Swedes ABBA, Roxette and Ace of Base, Tommy Sparks is a sure-fire hit machine. His eponymous debut album continues where cooler-than-thou artists such as Annie, Frankmusik and Sam Sparro left off with sing-along electro anthems and '80s-inspired DIY electro.

This London-based Swede is no stranger to the upper echelons of pop music—Sparks is a contributor to Prodigy's latest studio album and has toured with the likes of Foals and Bloc Party. And before going solo, he was one half of semi-successful dance duo Vatican DC. Tommy Sparks was recorded next to his mother's house in Stockholm's archipelago, and in strict DIY fashion he only allowed one other person to help out with it. That said, Sparks is a subscriber to the pop star manual—the album demonstrates how a solitary artist can write accessible yet brilliant radio music.

His biggest achievement on the record is "She's Got Me Dancing," which makes it impossible to not bust a move while listening. Other highlights include "I'm a Rope," on which Sparks merges his electro bleeps with rock riffs, while power ballad "Brand New Love" manages to fit right into the otherwise more upbeat mix. Sparks lives up to his name, but it's up to us to keep it burning.

Tommy Sparks is out now, more info on www.myspace.com/tommysparksmusic.

—David Hellqvist

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