In Outer Space

''In Outer Space'' is the twelfth studio album by American pop duo Sparks, released in April 1983 by Atlantic Records. Brothers Ron and Russell Mael of Sparks self-produced the album.

History and release

By 1982, Sparks had begun to gain momentum in the American charts with the release of '' Whomp That Sucker'' (1981) and '' Angst in My Pants'' (1982), the latter from which the single " I Predict" was their first to enter the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at No. 60.

In anticipation of ''In Outer Space'', " Cool Places" was released as the first single from the album in March 1983, reaching No. 49 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The song was a duet with the Go-Go's rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Jane Wiedlin. Wiedlin's band was very popular at the time, and her input gave exposure to the single, which led it to become Sparks' biggest hit in the US. "Cool Places" was extended for 12", and both formats were backed with the non-album track "Sports." The single also became the first of many entries for the band on the ''Billboard'' Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart where it peaked at No. 13. According to magazine ''Cash Box'' in April 2, 1983, "new music-oriented radio has already reacted positively" to "Cool Places," while stating that ''In Outer Space'' "may be the group's most accessible recording since 1981's outrageous ''Whomp That Sucker.''"

''In Outer Space'' became one of Sparks' most successful albums in the U.S., peaking at No. 88 on the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart and building upon the success of the band's previous two studio albums, ''Whomp That Sucker'' and ''Angst in My Pants''. In France, the 1982 non-album single " Modesty Plays" (originally conceived for the TV series ''Modesty Blaise'') was added and included as the final track.

The album track "All You Ever Think About Is Sex" was remixed and released as the follow-up single with "Dance Godammit" as its B-side, but it did not chart. An extended mix was also produced, and it was backed with a remixed version of the album track. Despite the success in the U.S., neither the album nor the accompanying singles were successful in the U.K.

Critical reception

Contemporary assessments of ''In Outer Space'' were mixed. Reviewing for the ''Santa Cruz Sentinel'', Tom Long said that while it "isn't their best album, ... it's awfully representative of their work and a lot of fun to listen to, especially if you've got a strange sense of humor." In contrast, in a one star review in ''Sounds'', Dave Henderson found ''In Outer Space'' "inevitably tedious," adding "the coy campiness of their presentation and repetition of their initial idea has been overworked far too much."

Retrospectively, Dave Thompson of AllMusic said that despite "the quickly dated framework of the album's production, the tunes bristle with a locomotive curiosity"; reflecting upon the legacy of "Cool Places" and ''In Outer Space'' and the success it spawned, Thompson suggested that in this brief period for Sparks, "an entire generation of new fans arose."

Track listing

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the ''In Outer Space'' liner notes.

Sparks
* Russell Mael – vocals
* Ron Mael – all synthesizers ( Roland JP-8)

Additional musicians
* Bob Haag – Endodyne guitars and Roland guitar synthesizers, Tab cans, backing vocals; additional bass guitar
* Leslie Bohem – bass guitar, backing vocals
* David Kendrick – drums
* James Goodwin – additional concert keyboards
* Jane Wiedlin – guest vocals on "Cool Places" and "Lucky Me, Lucky You"

Production and artwork
* Ron Mael – production, cover concept
* Russell Mael – production
* Dan Lacksman – engineering except "Cool Places" and "Lucky Me, Lucky You"
* Brian Reeves – mixing, engineering for "Cool Places" and "Lucky Me, Lucky You"
* Marc Moulin – album coordination
* Larry Vigon – art direction and design
* Jim Shea – photography

Charts

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:In Outer Space
Sparks (band) albums
1983 albums
Atlantic Records albums
Carrere Records albums
Oglio Records albums
Repertoire Records albums
Synth-pop albums by American artists