I have to admit, I'm a bit of a sucker for the guitar. When I heard that guitarist Andrew Shirley from All Together Separate played on Sparklepop's first project, my hopes for this self-titled album were raised considerably and Sparklepop lives up to those hopes. Not only do some of the guitar licks seriously rock, the rest of the musicianship is equally talented.
The artwork is strikingly fitting for a band with a name like Sparklepop and song titles such as "I'm So Happy" and "Happy Birthday Jesus." A number of cuts dwell upon more serious and solemn subjects, yet Sparklepop comes across as a very happy album, if such a thing exists. This is obviously a band who wishes to have a positive influence on their audience.
Drum programming and Miranda Brinkman's inviting vocals first greet the listener. Thankfully, Miranda's vocals are always strong, and she comes across as a confident vocalist: confident enough at times to even tread some risky ground. This is evident on "Sugarcoated Savior" where the standard CCM pop vocals are traded in for a hip-hop infused treat.
There is some terrific songwriting on Sparklepop. Sparklepop address salvation, a commonly found CCM theme, from a totally different angle; "Miracle" finds Miranda relating her personal testimony then comparing the miracle of becoming a Christian to the miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. "The Lie That Ate Bobby McWatkiss" is a clever metaphor regarding the nature of sin. "Happy Birthday Jesus" is an ironic track examining the way we treat Christmas as one big money-spending venture, with little thought towards its true meaning.
Full marks go to "What Happened When Jesus Went to Nashville," an allegory about Nashville's Christian music industry. The first verse sets the scene for the rest of the song:
Jesus went to Nashville and He found a sorry mess;
All the Pharisees and Sadducees in the music business;
Were keeping themselves busy making money in His name;
So it took them by surprise when Jesus came.
The song continues on with a cruisy, easy to grasp manner and proves Sparklepop has a sense of humor. There is a country vibe in the opening, placed there through a cheery harmonica. It is little things such as these which make Sparklepop enjoyable and stop it from turning into an average CCM pop album.
Although they are no Fleming & John yet, I can see this husband and wife-fronted group moving to that level of creativity. Tim Brinkman already tries his hand at a number of instruments, and proves to be a capable guitarist throughout. The variety found here is astounding. Shifting from chick-punk "Happy Birthday Jesus" to tender ballads such as "I Always Will" and "Miracle," both of which incorporate string instruments, proves they can handle variety.
Sparklepop is a smart album that finds a way to fuse two phrases which are not usually mixed; radio-friendly and innovative. Sparklepop is one of the best debuts of the year.
4.5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Jessica Heikoop"Sparklepop" is a good word to describe this album. It is definitely a pop album, and it's sparkled with fun. The four members have put together this disc of up-beat and praise-filled songs. The vocals of lead singer Miranda are beautiful and add different feelings to every song. The first track, "I'm So Happy," is very fast and falls into the typical pop-song category. The second, "Hard…
