Exotic Creatures Of The Deep | 
| Artist: Sparks
Label: Lil' Beethoven Records
Category: Music
List Price: £13.99
Buy New: £9.48
You Save: £4.51 (32%)
New (33) Used (3) from £4.75
Rating:  15 reviews
Sales Rank: 23065
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
EAN: 5037300753362
ASIN: B0017PCWAI
Release Date: May 19, 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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| Tracks:
| • | Intro | | • | Good Morning | | • | Strange Animal | | • | I Can't Believe That You Would Fall For All The Crap In This Song | | • | Let The Monkey Drive | | • | Intro Reprise | | • | I've Never Been High | | • | (She Got Me) Pregnant | | • | Lighten Up, Morrissey | | • | This Is The Renaissance | | • | The Director Never Yelled "Cut" | | • | Photoshop | | • | Likeable |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
21 albums in (complete with a 21-night London residency playing every one of those albums), it seems that Sparks are defying the odds and delivering their finest works to date. As with previous albums Lil' Beethoven, and Hello Young Lovers, this is pop music, but it's fun, accessible, demented, clever and unlike anything else being made--everything good pop music should be. The narrative approach of the last two albums appears to have been ditched in favour of proper songs (relatively speaking), and a thankful return for Russell Mael's patent falsetto. Thus, "Good Morning" bursts forth, riding on a catchy synth-bass riff that Scissor Sisters would sell their wardrobes for, and "Let the Monkey Drive" builds up into a thrilling, disturbed crescendo. The layered harmonies and multi-part song structures are still in place, but toned down, which makes the material more accessible. And even the hilarious song titles such as "(She Got Me) Pregnant" and the indie-boy baiting of "Lighten Up Morrissey" belie the fact that underneath all the drama and clever lyrics, Ron and Russell Mael are making the best pop music in the world today. --Thom Allott
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| Customer Reviews: Read 10 more reviews...
 A slight step downwards, but still very good July 28, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
When I say a step down, I mean in comparison to the last two, staggeringly good, albums, the quality of which shouldn't be possible for a band this far into their careers.
Quick song-by-song analysis (excluding "Intro" and "Intro reprise")
Good Morning - great, no two ways about it. Catchy and lyrically fabulous ("While I fix you breakfast / I hope it's just your laugh that is infectious" - inspired!)
Strange Animal - Another good one. The tempo changes are fun, but it doesn't quite grab me as certain other tracks on the album do.
I can't believe.... - This song is more "clever" than "good" to me - it's a nice idea, but the execution's a bit flat, maybe due to the rather plodding rhythm perhaps?
Let the monkey drive - This is much better. Great, catchy piano fills, solid rocking beat, lyrically fantastic, the whole package.
I've never been high - Another song which doesn't quite add up for me. There are some really nice vocal parts in it, but it doesn't quite gel in the end.
(She got me) pregnant - Pretty decent - not the worst song on the album, not the best, but good. Doesn't really stand out as such, but certainly doesn't blow.
Lighten up. Morrissey - Just brilliant. Nothing else to say. Just like "Let the monkey drive" and "Good morning", this one has everything you could want from a Sparks song - the music's great and the words are awesome.
This is the renaissance - The words are more interesting than the music on this one. It's not bad at all, but the music has a slightly rushed feel to me.
The director.... - Hmm. I'm not sure what they were aiming at on this track. Whatever it was, it doesn't really work to these ears. I sense that they might have been aiming for a "I thought I told you to wait in the car" kind of atmosphere, but I don't think they really pulled it off.
Photoshop - one of the better tracks on here without being up to the standards of the absolute best. It's got a good momentum to it and is a decent song, but it feels like it's just short of being really, really good
Likeable - A strong closer, but like certain other songs, it's just slightly off from "great" status.
Conclusion? Three or four stone cold classics, a couple that are almost there, several songs that are good-if-not-great and a couple of misfires. Still absolutely worth getting and definitely recommended.
 MAGNUM OPUS July 15, 2008
38 years ago I heard this amazing band for the 1st time. I thought they were 20 years ahead of their time then & now, with the release of this album, their Magnum Opus, they have given the world an album that is up their with Pet Sounds as one of the greatest albums of all time. A flawless album of perfect pop songs. Congratulations Ron & Russ, this is a true masterpiece, like the song on the album "This Is The Renaissance", I stand in awe ........... the greatest work of your outstanding careers.
Shooting Sparks July 2, 2008
Just after "Kimono My House" was released, when interviewed by the British Music Press, Ron Mael hoped to "Produce a classic song every 6 months".
Well chaps you surpassed that achievement years ago. This one alone contains at least half a dozen classics. Absolutely brilliant, melodic, powerful and in the case of 'Let The Monkey Drive', probably the funniest song ever. What is there not to like about this album?
NOTHING!!
When are they going headline Glastonbury?
Probably never-cos' no other band can live with them!!
Quality from start to finish July 2, 2008
How do Sparks do it? After twice as many years in the music world as some of today's 'stars' have had in their lifetimes they are still producing songs with great music and droll, cynical lyrics which give a wry view of human relationships and our view of the world. How many bands would - or could - write a song about the Renaissance (or is that Renàissance)? As soon as I could I played twice this from end to end and loved it even more the second time. Congratulations to Ron and Russell (and Susie!).
Mael Brothers do it AGAIN! June 16, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
21st album and still producing works of sheer genius. Experimental whilst still being poppy, Sparks are quite literally, the most magnificent group to ever walk this planet and this album is a fine successor to the previous two brilliant albums. And it's got a chimp on the cover.
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