Gratuitous Sax And Senseless Violins

The return of Ron and Russell Mael to album work after some years of delay on projects that didn’t pan out led to another massive moment of commercial success for them — this time in Germany, where Gratuitous Sax and its singles turned out to be smashes. With another all-electronic approach to the fore, nodding pretty clearly to both 90s European techno as well as one of their disciples, the Pet Shop Boys, Sparks turned up the winning wryness to the full on “When Do I Get To Sing ‘My Way’?” and “Now That I Own the BBC” among other cuts.