Sparks to release new album and tour the UK

Over 40 years (!) after they first blew our brains out with This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both of Us, Sparks, LA's oddball art-pop duo the Mael brothers are back on these shores. September 8th sees the release of new album Hippopotamus, their first in eight years, and they play six UK gigs in September (see below for dates).

The ultimate cult act, Sparks are smart, funny, joyously arch purveyors of theatrical pop music for weirdos. The distinctive falsetto and hyperactive showmanship of Russell Mael and the scowling, silent-movie villain vibes of keyboardist Ron make the band a true one-off. Over the years, they've hit the charts across Europe while remaining critics' darlings - and collaborated with a host of major names including Giorgio Moroder and Franz Ferdinand (on 2015's rather fine joint album FFS).

And unlike most veteran bands, they're no heritage act. There has been no drop-off in quality, and the title track of the new album, is classic Sparks. Earworm melody, operatic dynamics, strings meeting breakbeats and some typically odd lyrics name-dropping Hieronymus Bosch and Titus Andronicus. It bodes extremely well for the new album.

With zillions of songs to choose from and a flair for the dramatic, these shows should be well worth seeing. The Sparks' still there...

Sparks play:

Queen's Hall Edinburgh, Sept 20th
O2 Ritz Manchester, Sept 22nd
Rock City, Nottingham, Sept 23rd
O2 Institute Birmingham, Sept 24th
O2 Academy Bristol, Sept 26th
O2 Shepherd's Bush, London, Sept 27th