''Interior Design'' is the fifteenth studio album by the American rock music, rock band Sparks (band), Sparks, released in August 1988 by Fine Art Records.

Release

''Interior Design'' did little in the way to reverse the commercial fortunes of the group, and did not appear on the album charts in the US or the UK. The singles "So Important" and "Just Got Back from Heaven" did better, both of which reached the top ten of the ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' Dance Club Songs, Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart at No. 8 and No. 7 respectively. "Just Got Back from Heaven" also appeared on the Dance Singles Sales, Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart at No. 24. CD versions of the album included a number of bonus tracks including three versions of the album's final track "Madonna", a remix of "So Important" and the short instrumental "The Big Brass Ring".

Re-release

In 2008, Sparks' own record label Lil' Beethoven Records reissued the album in a Optical disc packaging#Digipak, digipak sleeve retaining the bonus tracks.

Alternate titles

For unknown reasons, ''Interior Design'' has been re-released multiple times in various European territories as a budget CD or cassette. The most common retitled version is ''Just Got Back from Heaven''. However, many other versions have been released often utilising images of the mid-seventies Island Records, Island-era iteration of the band. Other releases marketed the album as if it were a greatest hits album.

Critical reception

Craig Jacks of the Summer Trojan, the summer edition of the University of Southern California student newspaper the Daily Trojan, regarded the "subtle, yet very noticable" presence of guitars as a "refreshing change," in contrast to Sparks' previous studio album ''Music That You Can Dance To''.

Tour

''Interior Design'' was the first Sparks album since 1979's ''No. 1 in Heaven, Nº 1 in Heaven'' that wasn't supported by live performances. However, they staged a promotional event called Love-O-Rama at the Tower Records store in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles on September 15, 1988.

Track listing

Personnel

* Russell Mael – vocals; production * Ron Mael – keyboards; production * Spencer Sircombe (Shark Island (band), Shark Island) – guitar * Pamela Stonebrooke – backing vocals * John Thomas – keyboards; engineering

Charts

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Interior Design (Album) Sparks (band) albums 1988 albums Rhino Entertainment albums Carrere Records albums Synth-pop albums by American artists