Hello Young Lovers

Sparks followed their Lil’ Beethoven experiment with an album that arguably returned them to something closer to full on rock band status for the first time in a couple of decades. In truth Hello Young Lovers was more of an engaging hybrid of approaches, classical orchestrations and feedback and finger-snapping grooves and more all in a mix, all making for a striking melange with some great new songs like “Perfume,” the opening epic paean to utter boredom “Dick Around” and the breakup song (from the point of view of a horrible partner) “Waterproof.”