Balls (Sparks album)

Balls is the 18th album by the American rock band Sparks, released in 2000.[3]

Balls
Studio album by Sparks
Released	August 2000
Studio	Sparks Studios, Los Angeles, California
Genre	Electronic rock[1]
Length	48:45
Label	Oglio (US), Recognition (UK)
Producer	Ron Mael, Russell Mael
Sparks chronology
Plagiarism (1997) Balls (2000) Lil' Beethoven (2002)
Singles from Balls
"More than a Sex Machine" Released: September 1999 "The Calm Before the Storm" Released: August 2000 "The Angels" Released: 2000

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]

"It's a Knockoff" was recorded for the movie Knock Off, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, directed by the acclaimed Hong Kong based producer/director Tsui Hark[4] (who had appeared on his own tribute song by the band on the album Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins). It is featured over the closing credits.

Release

Balls was not a success in terms of chart performance and failed to match the performance of Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins. It did not chart in Germany, UK or US. The album was packaged in a translucent jewel case that came in 4 colours (red, yellow, green, and blue) with a reflective die-cut silver slipcase.

"More Than A Sex Machine", "The Calm Before The Storm" and "The Angels" were released as singles but did not pick up any significant sales or radio play.

Re-issue

In 2008, Sparks' own record label Lil' Beethoven Records reissued the album in a digipak sleeve, featuring different sleeve-art and with two bonus tracks; "The Calm Before the Opera" and "The Calm Before the Storm (Full Length Instrumental)".

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ron Mael and Russell Mael; except where indicated.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Balls"	4:24
2.	"More than a Sex Machine"	5:04
3.	"Scheherazade"	4:29
4.	"Aeroflot"	4:28
5.	"The Calm Before the Storm"	4:03
6.	"How to Get Your Ass Kicked"	4:19
7.	"Bullet Train"	4:20
8.	"It's a Knockoff"	3:42
9.	"Irreplaceable"	5:06
10.	"It's Educational"	4:02
11.	"The Angels"	4:48

Festival Mushroom Records Enhanced Bonus CD

No.	Title	Length
12.	"Now That I Own The ABC"	3:56
13.	"Balls" (Excerpt from Sparks Live in London)
14.	"Ron Levitates Baby Leroy" (Excerpt from Sparks Live in London)
15.	"Bullet Train" (Excerpt from Sparks Live in London)
16.	"Beat the Clock" (Excerpt from Sparks Live in London)
17.	"This Town Ain't Big Enough" (Ron Mael) (Excerpt from Sparks Live in London)

Lil' Beethoven Records bonus tracks (2008)

No.	Title	Length
12.	"Calm Before The Opera"	3:09
13.	"Calm Before The Storm" (Full-Length Instrumental)	5:03

Personnel

• Russell Mael - Vocals, production
• Ron Mael - Keyboards, programming, production
• Tammy Glover - Drums
• Aksinja Berger - Speech on "Aeroflot"
• Amelia Cone - Narration on "Scheherazade"
• John Thomas - Mixing, engineering

References

1. https://recordcollectormag.com/articles/sparks-456
2. Allmusic review
3. http://www.allmusic.com/album/balls-mw0000090005
4. J.R. Taylor. "Lively Sparks". New York Press. Archived from the original on 2006-05-27. Retrieved 2006-04-13.