Sparky's Magic Piano

A key struggle of any band is cohesion. Beyond hitting cues together and singing in harmony, songwriters benefit from being able to anticipate what each other are going to do before they do it. Getting in sync, simpatico, catching the same vibe, riding a wave together. Groups spend endless hours in jamspaces not only practicing their craft but working on fusing their ideas into the one big melting pot that is their sound. Innate communication is the key. What if your paths crossed more than just in the studio? What if you are life partners who also happen to make music together? The lines of communication would be even stronger, the telepathy even greater. It would give them a leg up on everyone else.

London-based Sparky's Magic Piano is a husband and wife duo who deal in a buoyant brand of indie pop that combines her airy coo with his moving, complimentary guitar melodies. Their latest album Never Twice the Same Colour has echoes of the warm indie of the late naughts mixed with the compositional elements of late 60s Beach Boys and mid-90s female-led alternative groups. The songs have a definite glove-in-hand feel with multi-instrumentalist Oli Bartlett composing pieces which are markedly complex for pop songs with Marion Barlett effortlessly weaving her delightful vocal threads throughout. The record explores ups and downs and comings and goings but with a shrug off the slights attitude and a trust in better things ahead.

Early on in the opener 'Tiny Shiny Shoes' the duo show off pristine vocal harmonies. Her pure voice lifts and falls like a bird on an updraft and Oli floats up to harmonize with an equally lofty tenor. 'A Pair of Keys' introduces a swaying bossa nova Oli's Harrison-esque leads bridge Marion's intoxicating verses. The second single 'Last Supper' picks up the tempo to the speed of Strokes-era New York indie. Again, Oli's lead lines are hooky and go expertly from point A to point B. This song instantly invokes the scene of a rooftop party with string lights hanging overhead, boozy cocktails, and a certain late summer heat that gets to your head.

'Colette' finds more jazzy territory with Oli's guitar chords hugging Marion's expository intro. This track explores an experimental side with drum and guitar crescendos that overwhelm the otherwise restrained playing. The song's climax is one of the most sublime moments on the record. The lead single 'Hanging For the Bang' hangs on the earworm of Marion's infectiously wistful vocals. The chorus is cute cinematic like an independently produced quirky rom-com.

'NTSC' shows off some edge with an in-your-ear fuzz and persistent drums but they juxtapose it with happy unison guitar-bass runs and chiming xylophone. 'Permanent Pen' recalls some of that mid-90s female-fronted aesthetic. The descending vocal hook echoes a Shirley Manson lick while there are glimpses of a lighter Hope Sandoval in her delivery. The album concludes with the folksy 'Good as it Gets', a duet where the couple takes stock of the repercussions of life's choices for good or ill. Mandolin, violin, and piano back their ode to accepting what can't change and fighting hard to change the things that can.

Never Twice the Same Colour is expertly crafted indie pop. The duo is ahead of the curve at piecing together complex arty tunes that come off as absolutely effortless. A salve for life's cuts and scrapes and open arms to greet you when you come home.