Agent Sparks Review

[Rohan Kohli]

I have posted my review for Agent Sparks (http://www.agentsparks.com)' Not So Merry EP below:

Agent Sparks
Not So Merry EP
[Immortal; 2005]

Featuring ex-members of AudioVENT, as well as brothers of Incubus guitarist Mike Einziger (who also produced the EP), one might expect Agent Sparks to simply be Incubus Jr. Not the case. Not even close. Instead, one should expect quirky, peculiar, somewhat bratty, dance-y, dual-gender fronted, indie-inspired pop music (quite the mouthful, eh?). I give the band scene points for quirkiness, no question, but there’s a serious lack of hooks on this EP which prevents me from coming back for more and more. However, I’m a pop rock fan first and foremost (and thus live for catchiness), so perhaps my opinion on this matter is a bit unqualified.

Agent Sparks’ biography boasts that the first track on the Not So Merry EP, the jangly, almost Sonic Youth-esque (guitar-wise), guitar-driven “It’s Not My Time,” was written in a mere three minutes. While certainly an impressive feat, perhaps it would’ve been nice if the band had spent a little more time with the song and really crafted it to perfection. I mean, I’m sure the whole thing wasn’t literally written in three minutes, and I’m sure Mike Einziger did some tweaking during the production process, but honestly, just a small hook in the chorus, and the song would be golden. That’s pretty much how I feel about the EP as a whole: just a little more work, and I’d really enjoy the EP. Once again though, I live for hooks, so maybe I’ve just been spoiled rotten by the likes of Cartel and Let Go. Hell, maybe the band doesn’t want to be catchy. I don’t know.

Curious and eccentric, Agent Sparks’ Not So Merry EP might not appeal to the majority of the readers of this web site, but, as always, please take just a couple minutes to listen to the band on pureVOLUME or something and see if it’s your thing or not. You never know, the band’s music may just click with you; a couple minutes is a small price to pay for a new favorite band.

P.S. The album cover art is really fucking weird: it’s a watercolor-ish painting of malnourished, skeletal horses with different expressions on their faces laying impaled on candy cane-esque poles in front of a yellow-red sky. Wtf.

Rating: 6.8/10

Note: I'm trying to start writing shorter reviews. How was the length of this review? Should it be even shorter?

[Mitch]

Why do pizza places take so long to deliver? I'm fucking starving.

[no mames]

Why do pizza places take so long to deliver? I'm fucking starving.
cause agent sparks is delivering.

[irthesteve]

weird... i have audiovent in my car right now...

[Mike Kraft]

For an EP, Agent Sparks really didn't do a good job at all. When I popped in the CD, I was expecting Audiovent (I am a fan), but its so opposite, its almost unbearable. The highlight track on the EP is "Mr. Insecurity". It contains those types of lyrics that you will find all over MySpace and on peoples profiles. Rohan, you were quite generous giving it a 6.8, I would have given it my lowest score of the year, a 3.4 or 4. I do think they sound like an extremely weak mewithoutYOU, with some Nirvana influence. If I want someone that sounds like Nirvana, I will just listen to Nirvana.

[Rohan Kohli]

For an EP, Agent Sparks really didn't do a good job at all. When I popped in the CD, I was expecting Audiovent (I am a fan), but its so opposite, its almost unbearable. The highlight track on the EP is "Mr. Insecurity". It contains those types of lyrics that you will find all over MySpace and on peoples profiles. Rohan, you were quite generous giving it a 6.8, I would have given it my lowest score of the year, a 3.4 or 4. I do think they sound like an extremely weak mewithoutYOU, with some Nirvana influence. If I want someone that sounds like Nirvana, I will just listen to Nirvana.

Wow, really? I didn't think it was that bad...just not catchy enough...no reason for me to come back and listen. I bet they could do good things though.

[Mike Kraft]

I think they have potential too. But this release didn't show it. I hope their full length gives us what we are looking for. I live for the catchy lyrics, and the pop-punk music, this album just didn't provide it.

[InaGreendase]

"Audiovent: Appearing in the used section of your local record store now!"

Why would you WANT a band that sounds like Audiovent? That album had one or two songs (both singles I'm pretty sure) that were decent for radio rock, but the argument could be made that they were most certainly an Incubus Jr. I will give them that this is totally different from that style. Not neccessarily good, but a drastic change.

[GamEin]

I caught Agent Sparks at a show a couple of weeks ago and they played an awesome acoustic set. No drums, just bongos. They used maracas as well and it was really chill music. It's totally different from Audiovent (which in my opinion is good) and I would imagine that's one of the reasons Ben left the band to start new endeavors.

[jdawg09]

I agree very boring album....Once the LP arrives I will give a second chance.....but no more of this EP....Too boring

[Ancora]

i tried to be openminded when listening to their stuff.....it sounds like bad early 90's Lollipallooza side stage shit. mike from incubus should bitch slap his bro

[Chris March]

hi guys.

i wrote a review myself for the local newspaper on this ep and it went as follows. i think the important thing with this ep is to keep it in mind more as a sampler for their full length as opposed to a full blown ep. much like the pale pacific's "rules are predictable ep" was to 'urgency'. pale pacific are better on about 0303503434 levels, but thats cause they are wowicious and a whole other story..

Agent Sparks – Not So Merry EP
In Stores: September 20 (Out Now)
Immortal Records


The quirky-sounding Agent Sparks, are actually a strangely mangled reincarnation of disbanded alt-rockers Audiovent. With their new trimmings, Frontman Ben Einzigler and bassist Paul Fried (who are stepbrothers), rub away the lines their former band chalked around them and venture outwards. The biggest shape shifter for the transplanted brothers, however, is the addition of Stephanie Eitel whose gorgeous vocals duel with Einzigler’s psychedelic howl on the band’s 5-song debut offering, “Not So Merry”.
To produce the EP, Einzigler called upon his big brother, Mike, who coincidentally also plucks the 6-string for rock-radio staple, Incubus. Lyrically, the band tag vulnerable topics like religion and bare insecurities. To counteract the somber subject matter, the songs lace with peppy guitar jangles, grungy distorted bass lines, and rolling upbeat drums. The result of all these threads meshed together is kind of a short and sweet 16-minute taste of an indie-flavored Incubus.
“Choke” is a fabulous bouncy pop-tune haunted by the The Violent Femmes in ghost form. Capping the EP, “So Long, Darlings” captures some of the band’s finer elements in a single jar, showcasing some actual promise for Sparks’ future. This EP is merely a light appetizer meant only to graze taste buds before the band’s main course full-length (which is expected early 2006), so it is difficult to put any fingers on Agent Sparks just yet. They still kinda sound like they are a bit confused with what they want to taste like just yet, but this EP does leave you curiously parched, wanting to at least see what they have packed up their sleeves.

For Fans Of: Incubus, The Violent Femmes, The Pixies, Radiohead

Related Links:
www.agentsparks.com
www.myspace.com/agentsparks
www.immortalrecords.com

[Rohan Kohli]

hi guys.

i wrote a review myself for the local newspaper on this ep and it went as follows. i think the important thing with this ep is to keep it in mind more as a sampler for their full length as opposed to a full blown ep. much like the pale pacific's "rules are predictable ep" was to 'urgency'. pale pacific are better on about 0303503434 levels, but thats cause they are wowicious and a whole other story..

Agent Sparks – Not So Merry EP
In Stores: September 20 (Out Now)
Immortal Records


The quirky-sounding Agent Sparks, are actually a strangely mangled reincarnation of disbanded alt-rockers Audiovent. With their new trimmings, Frontman Ben Einzigler and bassist Paul Fried (who are stepbrothers), rub away the lines their former band chalked around them and venture outwards. The biggest shape shifter for the transplanted brothers, however, is the addition of Stephanie Eitel whose gorgeous vocals duel with Einzigler’s psychedelic howl on the band’s 5-song debut offering, “Not So Merry”.
To produce the EP, Einzigler called upon his big brother, Mike, who coincidentally also plucks the 6-string for rock-radio staple, Incubus. Lyrically, the band tag vulnerable topics like religion and bare insecurities. To counteract the somber subject matter, the songs lace with peppy guitar jangles, grungy distorted bass lines, and rolling upbeat drums. The result of all these threads meshed together is kind of a short and sweet 16-minute taste of an indie-flavored Incubus.
“Choke” is a fabulous bouncy pop-tune haunted by the The Violent Femmes in ghost form. Capping the EP, “So Long, Darlings” captures some of the band’s finer elements in a single jar, showcasing some actual promise for Sparks’ future. This EP is merely a light appetizer meant only to graze taste buds before the band’s main course full-length (which is expected early 2006), so it is difficult to put any fingers on Agent Sparks just yet. They still kinda sound like they are a bit confused with what they want to taste like just yet, but this EP does leave you curiously parched, wanting to at least see what they have packed up their sleeves.

For Fans Of: Incubus, The Violent Femmes, The Pixies, Radiohead

Related Links:
www.agentsparks.com
www.myspace.com/agentsparks
www.immortalrecords.com

Nice review =) I agree with it very much. "Choke"'s prob my fav song on there.

[llwin]

hmm not bad. not great. its an ok ep all in all. i agree this band can do better than this. good review. agree with it.

[drivethru770]

Man, Incubus pwns. Audiovent was okay ("Looking Down"and "Rain" were good songs). But I actually didn't think that Audiovent and Incubus sounded that similar (other than the vocals, I mean, it was Brandon Boyd's brother for God's sake). Audiovent had a more classic rock sound and were less experimental than their kinsmen.