Sparks

Thanks to Todd Rundgren’s production skills and his enthusiasm for what Ron and Russell Mael and company were already cooking up in their initial demos, Sparks’s debut album has a crisp, engaging sound that matches their already distinct, unusual songs and delivery. The satisfyingly catchy thwack of “Wonder Girl” starts things off on the right foot, while their range from the sparkling minimalism of “Fletcher Honorama” to the heavy riff drama of “(No More) Mr. Nice Guys” is striking.