Having the freedom to bounce between genres and take your music in any direction you see fit is a powerful mantra. Artists that refuse to play by the “mainstream” rules have created some of the most important music out there. Our recent discovery Major Spark are purveyors of this freedom. They make music that feels right to them and listeners are here for the ride.
If their 2021 debut Beautiful Noise was Major Spark’s scrappy love letter to genre-hopping chaos—dipping toes into dance-pop one minute and surf-rock the next—then new album Walk Among The Poppies, is them going all in on what they are capable of.
Longtime friends Mark Goodman (vocals, the indie underground vet behind ’90s outfit Magnet) and Brian Charles (production wizard who’s engineered for everyone from Dispatch to Marina & the Diamonds) have distilled a decade of back-porch jams and cross-country collaborations into a 10-track beast that’s pure, unfiltered rock ‘n’ roll alchemy. The album is a defiant strut through the poppies. Clocking in at a taut 35 minutes, it hits like a double espresso chased with bourbon.
Right out the gate, opener “The Other Side” detonates with Moe Tucker leading the way on drums (borrowing the beat from the song “Julie” by Magnet which they previously worked on.) Layers appear on top including a Stones-y riff and a soul-groove swagger that growls like an escapee from the alt-rock ’90s. Opening with a harmonica solo sets the tone immediately. The vocals plead resilience turning personal pep talks into anthems for anyone clawing out of the dark.
From there, the album unfurls like a road map of reinvention. “Be My Key” is a poppy duet that brings some joy and a pep to your step. Miranda Serra pops in to add that female flair to the back and forth vocals. She also helps out on “Strawberry Road.” This one seems to start off with a dark tone but as with many songs by Major Spark the light comes through shining with positive energy.
The title track “Walk Among The Poppies” is a straight up classic rock jam. The slowed down pace allows the message to shine through. It is a riff on an Australian expression,”cut down the tall poppies.” That saying addresses the importance of taking down the cocky people who believe they are a step above others. Major Spark shows we are all just as important and meaningful. No one is better when we can all live together peacefully.
The guitar melody of “Perfect Star” is an immediate earworm. There is more joy in this track giving slight memories of the happy songs of The Beatles. We can all lift each other up if we try. (and damn that catchy little guitar lick is still repeating in my brain!)
For the closer “Birds Aren’t Real” we see how genre fluid Major Spark can be. The song goes from bouncy Jazz to Comedy to power Rock. Just a super fun track, and album for that matter. This one the melody didn’t get me but here I am resigning the chorus way after the record has ended. That is quality songwriting.
We definitely recommend you take a walk among the poppies with Major Spark. Solid songs no matter what genres you prefer. Keep up with the band on their WEBSITE.
