Proto-punk rockers Sparks are returning to the road this fall for their “The Revenge of Two Hands One Mouth” tour, and the day before they start they’ll be feeding the frenzy with a box set that features 81 of their best.
The Los Angeles-based brothers known as Sparks, Russell and Ron Mael, have spent over 40 years releasing music to the masses together, but it wasn’t until October 2012 that they performed as a duo, and with no additional bandmates. Since then they’ve toured “Two Hands, One Mouth” throughout Europe and Japan, and brought the show to Coachella earlier this summer. So now that they’re a hot item on the market, it seems quite appropriate for a collection of their greatest songs to be dropped, right before they kick off their American leg of touring.
Out October 22nd, the box set Sparks – New Music For Amnesiacs: The Ultimate Collection features songs the Mael brothers chose themselves, and also contains an impressive selection of memorabilia. There’s a 64-page booklet, poster, window sticker, metal badge, laminated AAA pass and lanyard with plastic snap lock, replica tickets and prints, photo outtakes of their Big Beat press shoot, souvenir CD and to top it all off, a certificate of authenticity.
Of course, what really matters are the songs – see below for a complete listing of all tracks included on this pending 4-CD box set:
Sparks: New Music For Amnesiacs, The Ultimate Collection Tracklisting:
Disc 1
01. Wonder Girl
02. Roger
03. High C
04. Girl From Germany
05. Batteries Not Included
06. Whippings and Apologies
07. This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both of Us
08. Amateur Hour
09. Equator
10. Talent Is An Asset
11. Barbecutie
12. Propaganda
13. At Home At Work At Play
14. Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth
15. Something For The Girl With Everything
16. Alabamy Right
17. Hospitality On Parade
18. Happy Hunting Ground
19. Looks, Looks, Looks
20. Get In The Swing
21. Miss the Start, Miss the End
22. Big Boy
23. Nothing To Do
24. Looks Aren’t Everything
25. Tearing The Place Apart
Disc 2
01. Goofing Off
02. Over The Summer
03. The Number One Song In Heaven
04. Beat The Clock
04. Tryouts For The Human Race (Unreleased Version)
05. When I’m With You (LP Single Version)
06. Young Girls (LP Single Version)
07. Tips For Teens
08. Funny Face
09. I Married A Martian
10. Angst In My Pants
11. I Predict
12. Mickey Mouse
13. Eaten By The Monster Of Love
14. Cool Places
15. Popularity
16. I Wish I Looked A Little Better
17. Pretending to Be Drunk
18. A Song That Sings Itself
Disc 3
01. Music That You Can Dance To
02. Change
03. Let’s Get Funky
04. Singing in The Shower (with Les Rita Mitsouko)
05. So Important
06. A Walk Down Memory Lane
07. Madonna
08. National Crime Awareness Week (Psycho Cut)
09. Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins
10. When Do I Get To Sing “My Way”
11. (When I Kiss You) I Hear Charlie Parker Playing (Radio Edit)
12. Tsui Hark (Feat. Tsui Hark & Bill Kong)
13. Let’s Go Surfing
14. Propaganda
15. Pulling Rabbits Out of A Hat
16. This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both Of Us (with Faith No More)
17. Bullet Train
18. It’s A Knockoff
19. Calm Before The Storm
Disc 4
01. Concerto In Koch Minor (Wunderbar)
02. The Rhythm Thief
03. How Do I Get To Carnegie Hall?
04. My Baby’s Taking Me Home
05. Suburban Homeboy
06. I Married Myself
07. Dick Around
08. Perfume
09. The Very Next Fight
10. Metaphor
11. As I Sit Down To Play The Organ At The Notre Dame Cathedral
12. Good Morning
13. Lighten Up, Morrissey
14. Strange Animal
15. Photoshop
16. I’ve Never Been High
17. I Am A Bookworm
Souvenir CD:
01. Islington N1
02. Two Hands One Mouth