Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Although mired in a rut of merely "good" albums, Sparks had offered occasional glimpses of their old greatness on each, fanning the dim hope that they might climb again to previous heights. The faithful were rewarded with Angst in My Pants, the first album in years (and, sadly, the last) that puts their pop genius to good use. The differences between this album and the inferior Whomp That Sucker are subtle but important. First, the material is much better (OK, that's not so subtle). Second, the band is brought up in the mix at the expense of the synthesizer, and the result feels more like their old power pop than the new wave/disco sound of recent efforts. Lastly, Russell Mael's voice is lower; he still hits the high notes on occasion, but for the most part this is an album of pop songs you can actually sing along with (and the lyric sheet, while provided, isn't necessary this time). Still pegged as a novelty act, the colorless "I Predict" was selected as the album's single; "Eaten By the Monster of Love" didn't catch on with radio stations, but it's a much better representative of the album. Other highlights include the wonderfully silly "Moustache," a Beach Boys send-up in "Sextown U.S.A.," and the strange but sympathetic love song "Sherlock Holmes." Throughout the record, Sparks succeeds not by pushing a pipe full of music through a thin straw (as they did on classics like Propaganda) but by giving their ideas the space they need to succeed. As a result, it's not an overwhelming record, simply an ingratiating one. Unfortunately, the subsequent Sparks in Outer Space returned to the mechanical pace of their post-disco product, which makes Angst in My Pants a warm exception within Sparks' protracted creative cold spell.
© Dave Connolly /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From £10.83/month
Russell Mael, ComposerLyricist - Ron Mael, ComposerLyricist - Sparks, MainArtist - BMG, MusicPublisher - MacK Reinhold, Producer
(C) 1982 Lil' Beethoven (P) 1982 Lil' Beethoven
Russell Mael, ComposerLyricist - Ron Mael, ComposerLyricist - Sparks, MainArtist - BMG, MusicPublisher - MacK Reinhold, Producer
(C) 1982 Lil' Beethoven (P) 1982 Lil' Beethoven
Russell Mael, ComposerLyricist - Ron Mael, ComposerLyricist - Sparks, MainArtist - BMG, MusicPublisher - MacK Reinhold, Producer
(C) 1982 Lil' Beethoven (P) 1982 Lil' Beethoven
Russell Mael, ComposerLyricist - Ron Mael, ComposerLyricist - Sparks, MainArtist - BMG, MusicPublisher - MacK Reinhold, Producer
(C) 1982 Lil' Beethoven (P) 1982 Lil' Beethoven
Russell Mael, ComposerLyricist - Ron Mael, ComposerLyricist - Sparks, MainArtist - BMG, MusicPublisher - MacK Reinhold, Producer
(C) 1982 Lil' Beethoven (P) 1982 Lil' Beethoven
Russell Mael, ComposerLyricist - Ron Mael, ComposerLyricist - Sparks, MainArtist - BMG, MusicPublisher - MacK Reinhold, Producer
(C) 1982 Lil' Beethoven (P) 1982 Lil' Beethoven
Russell Mael, ComposerLyricist - Ron Mael, ComposerLyricist - Sparks, MainArtist - BMG, MusicPublisher - MacK Reinhold, Producer
(C) 1982 Lil' Beethoven (P) 1982 Lil' Beethoven
Russell Mael, ComposerLyricist - Ron Mael, ComposerLyricist - Sparks, MainArtist - BMG, MusicPublisher - MacK Reinhold, Producer
(C) 1982 Lil' Beethoven (P) 1982 Lil' Beethoven
Russell Mael, ComposerLyricist - Ron Mael, ComposerLyricist - Sparks, MainArtist - BMG, MusicPublisher - MacK Reinhold, Producer
(C) 1982 Lil' Beethoven (P) 1982 Lil' Beethoven
Russell Mael, ComposerLyricist - Ron Mael, ComposerLyricist - Sparks, MainArtist - BMG, MusicPublisher - MacK Reinhold, Producer
(C) 1982 Lil' Beethoven (P) 1982 Lil' Beethoven
Russell Mael, ComposerLyricist - Ron Mael, ComposerLyricist - Sparks, MainArtist - BMG, MusicPublisher - MacK Reinhold, Producer
(C) 1982 Lil' Beethoven (P) 1982 Lil' Beethoven
Album review
Although mired in a rut of merely "good" albums, Sparks had offered occasional glimpses of their old greatness on each, fanning the dim hope that they might climb again to previous heights. The faithful were rewarded with Angst in My Pants, the first album in years (and, sadly, the last) that puts their pop genius to good use. The differences between this album and the inferior Whomp That Sucker are subtle but important. First, the material is much better (OK, that's not so subtle). Second, the band is brought up in the mix at the expense of the synthesizer, and the result feels more like their old power pop than the new wave/disco sound of recent efforts. Lastly, Russell Mael's voice is lower; he still hits the high notes on occasion, but for the most part this is an album of pop songs you can actually sing along with (and the lyric sheet, while provided, isn't necessary this time). Still pegged as a novelty act, the colorless "I Predict" was selected as the album's single; "Eaten By the Monster of Love" didn't catch on with radio stations, but it's a much better representative of the album. Other highlights include the wonderfully silly "Moustache," a Beach Boys send-up in "Sextown U.S.A.," and the strange but sympathetic love song "Sherlock Holmes." Throughout the record, Sparks succeeds not by pushing a pipe full of music through a thin straw (as they did on classics like Propaganda) but by giving their ideas the space they need to succeed. As a result, it's not an overwhelming record, simply an ingratiating one. Unfortunately, the subsequent Sparks in Outer Space returned to the mechanical pace of their post-disco product, which makes Angst in My Pants a warm exception within Sparks' protracted creative cold spell.
© Dave Connolly /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:36:06
- Main artists: Sparks
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Lil Beethoven Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
(C) 1982 Lil' Beethoven (P) 1982 Lil' Beethoven
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.