Exotic Creatures of the Deep
Studio album by
Sparks
ReleasedMay 19, 2008
StudioSparks Studios, Los Angeles, California
Genre
Length49:58
LabelLil' Beethoven
Producer
  • Ron Mael
  • Russell Mael
Sparks chronology
Hello Young Lovers
(2006)		 Exotic Creatures of the Deep
(2008)		 The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman
(2009)
Singles from Exotic Creatures of the Deep
  1. "Good Morning"
    Released: May 12, 2008
  2. "Lighten Up, Morrissey" b/w "Brenda Is Always in the Way"
    Released: March 2009
Alternative Cover
Limited edition cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
BBC(favourable)[2]
ChartAttack[3]
MusicOMH[4]
NME
The Onion(B+)[5]
Pitchfork Media(4.4/10)[6]
Spin[7]
Record Collector[8]

Exotic Creatures of the Deep is the 21st album by the American rock band Sparks.

Release

Exotic Creatures of the Deep was as successful as their previous album, Hello Young Lovers, in the UK, where it bettered the chart position, reaching No. 54 on the UK Album Chart.[9] A limited edition version was released in a card sleeve in most territories and included a poster. Japanese editions included the bonus track "Brenda Is Always in the Way" as well as a DVD featuring five short films.[10]

Two singles were released. The first, "Good Morning" on May 12, 2008,[11] was on iTunes, a first for the group. The second, "Lighten Up, Morrissey" in March 2009, appeared on a 7", backed with "Brenda Is Always In The Way". Neither single charted in the UK.

Exotic Creatures of the Deep was also promoted in the UK by a number of live performances dubbed the "Sparks Spectacular": a record-setting twenty-date residency from May 16 through June 11, 2008 at London's Carling Islington Academy, where the group played each one of their previous twenty albums in its entirety in chronological order. The final appearance at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire on June 13 premièred Exotic Creatures of the Deep.

Re-release

In April 2022, a remaster was issued on LP, CD and digital as part of the five album "21st Century Sparks" collection on BMG. The CD and digital releases have five bonus tracks, including "Brenda Is Always In The Way" and "Islington N1".[12]

It entered the UK Independent Albums Chart at no. 10[13] and the UK Vinyl Album Top 40 at 37.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ron Mael and Russell Mael

No.TitleLength
1."Intro[14]"1:02
2."Good Morning"3:53
3."Strange Animal"5:45
4."I Can't Believe That You Would Fall for All the Crap in this Song"3:54
5."Let the Monkey Drive"4:09
6."Intro Reprise"0:24
7."I've Never Been High"4:31
8."(She Got Me) Pregnant"4:13
9."Lighten Up, Morrissey"4:14
10."This is the Renaissance"3:45
11."The Director Never Yelled 'Cut'"3:54
12."Photoshop"4:01
13."Likeable"6:13
14."Brenda is Always in the Way" (Japanese edition bonus track)4:03
Imperial Records (Japan) bonus DVD
No.TitleLength
1."It's a Sparks Show" 
2."Ron Tap Dancing" 
3."Good Morning" 
4."Strange Animals" 
5."My Inspiration" 
BMG bonus tracks (2022)[15]
No.TitleLength
14."Brenda Is Always in the Way" (b-side of 7" single "Lighten Up, Morrissey")4:04
15."Islington N1" (available only to "Golden Ticket" holders at "Sparks Spectacular")2:35
16."Mr Hulot" (unused theme song for "The Magnicent Tati")1:37
17."I Am a Bookworm" (end theme for KCRW's "Bookworm")1:32
18."Where Would We Be Without Books" (theme for KCRW's "Bookworm")0:46

Personnel

Sparks Spectacular

For the 21-night "Sparks Spectacular" from May 16 through June 11, 2008 in London, Sparks played each of their albums in chronological order during the first twenty nights at the Carling Islington Academy, culminating in the première of their new album for the twenty-first concert on June 13, 2008 at Shepherd's Bush Empire.[16] Each night they performed an album in its entirety with an encore of a rare track, many of which had never been performed live before. The band asked fans to visit their website and vote for the track that they'd most like to hear the band perform during the second half of the 21st concert following the première of Exotic Creatures of the Deep, though Russell Mael admitted that he and Ron would probably influence the poll a little.

Fans who bought a "Golden Ticket" for entry into all 21 gigs also received a poster signed by the band and a CD single entitled Islington N1, a reference to the postal address of the venue for the first 20 gigs.

Date Album Encore song
May 16 Sparks / Halfnelson (1971) "England"
May 17 A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing (1972) "Arts & Crafts Spectacular"
May 18 Kimono My House (1974) "Barbecutie"
May 20 Propaganda (1974) "Lost and Found"
May 21 Indiscreet (1975) "Gone with the Wind"
May 23 Big Beat (1976) "Tearing The Place Apart"
May 24 Introducing Sparks (1977) "Alabamy Right"
May 25 No. 1 In Heaven (1979) "Dancing Is Dangerous"
May 27 Terminal Jive (1980) "Singing in the Shower"
May 28 Whomp That Sucker (1981) "Get Crazy"
May 30 Angst in My Pants (1982) "Minnie Mouse"
May 31 In Outer Space (1983) "Sports"
June 1 Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat (1984) "National Crime Awareness Week"
June 3 Music That You Can Dance To (1986) "Change"
June 4 Interior Design (1988) "Big Brass Ring", "It's Kinda Like The Movies"
June 6 Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins (1994) "Marry Me"
June 7 Plagiarism (1997) "Looks Aren't Everything"
June 8 Balls (2000) "Katharine Hepburn"
June 10 Lil' Beethoven (2002) "Wunderbar"
June 11 Hello Young Lovers (2006) "Profile"
June 13 Exotic Creatures of the Deep (2008)
Exotic Creatures of the Deep second set
  1. "Moustache" (from Angst in My Pants)
  2. "Looks Aren't Everything"
  3. "Big Boy" (from Big Beat)
  4. "Goofing Off" (from Introducing Sparks)
  5. "Katharine Hepburn"
  6. "Shopping Mall Of Love" (from Music You Can Dance To)
  7. "Those Mysteries" (from Introducing Sparks)
  8. "Dick Around" (from Hello Young Lovers)
  9. "Get in the Swing" (from Indiscreet)
  10. "Looks, Looks, Looks" (from Indiscreet)
  11. "Batteries Not Included" (from A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing)
  12. "Whippings And Apologies" (from A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing)
  13. "Change" (from Music That You Can Dance To)
  14. "This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us" (from Kimono My House)

Charts

Chart performance for Exotic Creatures of the Deep
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC)[17] 28
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[18] 10

References

  1. ↑ Ned Raggett (May 19, 2008). "Exotic Creatures of the Deep - Sparks | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Music - Review of Sparks - Exotic Creatures Of The Deep". BBC. January 1, 1970. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Chart Attack - Best Magazine 2019". Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved November 14, 2008.
  4. ↑ "Sparks - Exotic Creatures Of The Deep (Absolute)". Archived from the original on May 8, 2008. Retrieved May 14, 2008.
  5. ↑ Rizov, Vadim (January 13, 2009). "Sparks: Exotic Creatures Of The Deep · Music Review · The A.V. Club". Avclub.com. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Sparks: Exotic Creatures of the Deep | Album Reviews". Pitchfork. January 19, 2009. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  7. ↑ Walters, Barry (December 18, 2008). "Sparks, 'Exotic Creatures of the Deep' Review". Spin.com. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Exotic Creatures Of The Deep - Record Collector Magazine". Recordcollectormag.com. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  9. ↑ "The Official Charts Company – Sparks". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 22, 2008.
  10. ↑ "Sparks - Exotic Creatures Of The Deep (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  11. ↑ "sparks-fanatics.com". sparks-fanatics.com. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  12. ↑ Sparks - Exotic Creatures of the Deep tracklist, retrieved June 7, 2022
  13. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Sparks announce new album tracklisting | News". Nme.Com. March 13, 2008. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Sparks: Exotic Creatures of the Deep (CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered)". Discogs.com. May 27, 2022. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Sparks to play an album a night in London". Side-line.com. Retrieved June 30, 2009.
  17. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
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