Propaganda (Remastered)

Forget for a moment Queen and “Bohemian Rhapsody”—you’ve never really experienced the summit of operatic rock 'n' roll until you’ve heard Sparks’ 1974 masterpiece Propaganda. It opens with a brief show of a cappella virtuosity that presages Queen’s quasi-operatic masterpiece. But where Queen was more famous, Sparks were unquestionably more agile. Just try to keep up with “At Home at Work at Play,” “Don’t Leave Me Alone with Her,” and “Something for the Girl with Everything,” all of which feature a high-speed ballet between operatic melodies and heavy metal guitars. While that may sound cacophonous, it’s actually not. There’s an almost supernatural lightness to Sparks that always keeps their music amusing and acrobatic, even in moments of incredible grandiosity. Miff Winwood’s production is top-notch. This was a band of precision movement, and he captured every hairpin turn in minute detail. His sense of space combined with the Maels' arranging genius to create “Reinforcements,” “Thanks but No Thanks,” and “Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth”—songs that boast some of the most magnificent crescendos in rock 'n' roll history.