Pitchfork

No matter how dire things may get in this world, at least, it seems, we'll always have Sparks. The oddball avant-pop duo shows no signs of slowing down here in 2008, with a new album on the way and plans afoot to pay tribute to the 20 that came before it too.

Beginning May 16, Sparks will waltz into London's Islington Academy to perform their 1971 opus Halfnelson (aka Sparks) in its entirety-- and they won't leave the stage until June 11. Not even to pee. Well, okay, maybe to pee. And, fine, they'll probably go sleep now and then too.

But still, May 16 marks the beginning of "Sparks Spectacular", a mammoth 21-date London residency, over the course of which Sparks will roll through every last studio album they've blessed their adoring public with to date. That's 20 studio albums, each one given a single night in the spotlight. As for the 21st date? Sparks will relocate to London's Shepherds Bush Empire to premiere their brand new album, Exotic Creatures of the Deep, from start to finish.

Support at these gigs comes from the likes of the Rumble Strips, the Young Knives, the Electric Soft Parade, and Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip. What's more, anyone crazy enough to purchase a so-called "Golden Ticket"-- which grants its user access to all 21 of the "Sparks Spectacular" shows-- will receive an exclusive new Sparks song on CD entitled "Islington N1" and written especially for the occasion.

You'd think all this hoopla would have the brothers Sparks pooped, but oh no. The very night after their residency wraps, the guys embark on a brief tour of the Baltic region. They'll also grace Japan with their antics in July.

Exotic Creatures of the Deep, meanwhile, features 13 tracks and arrives May 19 in the UK via Sparks' own Lil' Beethoven imprint. Buyers can opt for either the regular or the fancy-booklet-with-foldout-poster format. But since you made it this far into a Sparks story, we know you're buying both.

Exotic Creatures of the Deep:

01 Intro
02 Good Morning
03 Strange Animal
04 I Can't Believe That You Would Fall for All the Crap in This Song
05 Let the Monkey Drive
06 Intro Reprise
07 I've Never Been High
08 (She Got Me) Pregnant
09 Lighten Up, Morrissey
10 This Is the Renaissance
11 The Director Never Yelled 'Cut'
12 Photoshop
13 Likeable

Sparks will fly:

05-16 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Halfnelson)
05-17 London, England - Islington Academy (performing A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing) *
05-18 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Kimono My House)
05-20 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Propaganda) #
05-21 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Indiscreet)
05-23 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Big Beat)
05-24 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Introducing Sparks)
05-25 London, England - Islington Academy (performing No. 1 in Heaven) ^
05-27 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Terminal Jive) #
05-28 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Whomp That Sucker) %
05-30 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Angst in My Pants)
05-31 London, England - Islington Academy (performing In Outer Space)
06-01 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat)
06-03 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Music That You Can Dance To)
06-04 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Interior Design)
06-06 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins)
06-07 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Plagiarism)
06-08 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Balls)
06-10 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Lil' Beethoven)
06-11 London, England - Islington Academy (performing Hello Young Lovers) $
06-13 London, England - Shepherds Bush Empire (performing Exotic Creatures of the Deep)
06-14 Tallinn, Estonia - Rabarock
06-16 Helsinki, Finland - Tavastia-Klubi
06-17 Vilnius, Lithuania - Forum Palace
07-26 Niigata, Japan - Fuji Rock Festival

* with the Young Knives
# with Dan le Sac Vs. Scroobius Pip
^ with Gamine
% with the Rumble Strips
$ with the Electric Soft Parade