Exotic Creatures of the Deep

Exotic Creatures of the Deep
Studio album by Sparks
Released	May 19, 2008
Recorded	Sparks Studios, Los Angeles, California, United States
Length	49:58
Label	Lil' 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
"Good Morning" Released: May 12, 2008 "Lighten Up, Morrissey" b/w "Brenda Is Always in the Way" Released: March 2009
Alternative Cover
Limited edition cover

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
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 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] The album was released in a limited edition version in most territories, this version included a poster and came in a card sleeve. Japanese editions included the bonus track "Brenda Is Always in the Way" and a DVD featuring five short films.^[10]

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

In the UK, Exotic Creatures of the Deep also promoted by a number of live performances dubbed the 'Sparks Spectacular'. The performances consisted of a record-setting twenty-date residency from May 16 to 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 was at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire on June 13 where Exotic Creatures of the Deep was premièred.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Ron Mael and Russell Mael. 

Personnel

• Russell Mael – all vocals, engineering, mixing
• Ron Mael – keyboards, programming, orchestrations, mixing
• Tammy Glover – drums
• Dean Menta – guitars
• John Thomas – mixing, engineering

Sparks Spectacular

May and June 2008 saw the 21-night Sparks Spectacular in London, where they played each of their albums in chronological order during the first twenty nights at the Carling Islington Academy, and premièred their new album on the twenty-first concert on June 13, 2008 at Shepherds Bush Empire.^[13] Each night, they performed an album in its entirety followed by a rare track — many of the songs have never been performed live before. The band asked their 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 after 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" (which allowed 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.

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"
14. "This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us" (from Kimono My House)

References