Sparks Live on the Moon

Sparks Live on the Moon
Live album by
Sparks
ReleasedAugust 14, 2026 (2026-08-14)
Recorded2025
Length91:01
LabelTransgressive
ProducerRussell Mael
Sparks chronology
Madder!
(2025)		 Sparks Live on the Moon
(2026)
Singles from Sparks Live on the Moon
  1. "Whippings and Apologies"
    Released: June 15, 2026
  2. "Lord Have Mercy"
    Released: July 22, 2026

Sparks Live on the Moon is the second live album by the American duo Sparks, released on August 14, 2026, through Transgressive Records. It was led by the singles "Whippings and Apologies" and "Lord Have Mercy".

Background and recording

Sparks Live on the Moon was recorded in 2025,[1] after the duo finished their tour that year in support of their studio album Mad!. They promoted the live album as having taken place at the Taruntius crater on the Moon. It is the group's first live album of a full concert[2] and their second live album overall, following 2013's Two Hands, One Mouth: Live in Europe.[3]

Content

The songs on the live album cover material from Sparks albums as early as A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing (1972) up to their most recent album Mad! (2025), and it includes a notable songs such as "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us", "The Number One Song in Heaven" and "When Do I Get to Sing My Way'". Actress Cate Blanchett provided her voice for both the introduction and the outro.[4]

Singles and release

Sparks Live on the Moon was preceded by the singles "Whippings and Apologies" on June 15, 2026[2] and "Lord Have Mercy" the following July 22. The album was released digitally and on CD on August 14, 2026, through Transgressive Records. The double vinyl edition is expected to follow on September 4.[5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Classic PopStarStarStarStar[6]
Classic Rock9/10[7]
Rock & FolkStarStarStarStar[8]

In Classic Rock magazine, Sparks Live on the Moon was rated nine out of ten, with reviewer Sylvie Simmons commenting that the Mael brothers and their backing band sounded "sharp, cool and bonkers as ever". They singled out "So May We Start", "Goof­ing Off" and "Please Don't Fuck Up My World" as album highlights.[7] Elsewhere, critic Wyndham Wallace, in a four-star review for Classic Pop, said that there was "no shortage of [inspiration] here", citing their performances of No. 1 in Heaven (1979) tracks as prime examples.[6]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ron and Russell Mael.[9]

Sparks Live on the Moon track listing
No.TitleOriginal albumLength
1."So May We Start"Annette (Cannes Edition) (2021)3:59
2."Do Things My Own Way"Mad! (2025)3:54
3."Reinforcements"Propaganda (1974)4:17
4."Academy Award Performance"No. 1 in Heaven (1979)5:21
5."Goofing Off"Introducing Sparks (1977)3:51
6."Beat the Clock"No. 1 in Heaven4:36
7."Please Don't Fuck Up My World"A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip (2020)4:53
8."Running Up a Tab at the Hotel for the Fab"Mad!4:47
9."Suburban Homeboy" ("Ron Speaks" version)Lil' Beethoven – BMG deluxe edition (2022)3:12
10."All You Ever Think About Is Sex"In Outer Space (1983)4:27
11."Drowned in a Sea of Tears"Mad!3:32
12."JanSport Backpack"Mad!4:12
13."Music That You Can Dance To"Music That You Can Dance To (1986)4:21
14."When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'"Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins (1994)4:58
15."The Number One Song in Heaven"No. 1 in Heaven5:53
16."This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us"Kimono My House (1974)3:50
17."Whippings and Apologies"A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing (1972)5:32
18."Lord Have Mercy"Mad!5:05
19."The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte"The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte (2023)3:35
20."All That"A Steady, Drip, Drip, Drip6:46
Total length:91:01
Notes
  • On digital releases, all tracks are listed with "Live On The Moon" in parentheses.[9]

Personnel

Except where noted, credits are adapted from Tidal.[9]

Sparks

Backing band

  • Eli Pearl – guitar
  • Darren Weiss – drums
  • Evan Weiss – guitar
  • Max Whipple – bass

Additional contributors

Charts

Chart performance for Sparks Live on the Moon
Chart (2026) Peak
position
Scottish Albums (Official Charts)[10]11
UK Albums Sales (Official Charts)[11] 19
UK Independent Albums (Official Charts)[12]7

References

  1. ↑ "Fab Distribution". Exclaim!. No. September 2026. Toronto, Canada: Ian Danzig. August 4, 2026. p. 3. ISSN 1207-6600.
  2. 1 2 "Sparks to release first live album, Live on the Moon, allegedly recorded at the Taruntius Crater, literally on the moon". The Line of Best Fit. June 15, 2026. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  3. ↑ Gill, Andy (March 28, 2013). "Album review: Sparks, Two Hands One Mouth: Live in Europe (Lil Beethoven)". The Independent. Retrieved August 6, 2026.
  4. 1 2 Biggane, Dan (June 15, 2026). "Sparks announce new live album". Classic Pop. Retrieved August 6, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Sparks Stream 'Lord Have Mercy (Live On The Moon)'". AntiMusic. July 22, 2026. Retrieved August 6, 2026.
  6. 1 2 Wallace, Wyndham (August 6, 2026). "Reviews – New Albums: Sparks – Live from the Moon". Classic Pop. No. 108 (September 2026). Anthem Publishing. p. 82. ISSN 2050-6643.
  7. 1 2 Simmons, Sylvie (August 14, 2026). "Reviews: Sparks – Live On the Moon". Classic Rock. No. 357 (September 2026). Future. p. 73. ISSN 1464-7834.
  8. ↑ Soligny, Jerome (July 24, 2026). "Disques pop rock: Sparks – 'Sparks Live On The Moon'". Rock & Folk (in French). No. 708 (August 2026). Paris: Editions Larivière. p. 58. ISSN 0750-7852.
  9. 1 2 3 "Sparks Live On The Moon / Sparks / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 21/8/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 22, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Official Albums Sales Chart on 21/8/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 22, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart on 21/8/2026 – Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 22, 2026.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.