Basement Sparks is the second solo album by Last Great Dreamers frontman Marc Valentine, who is now signed to Steve Van Zandt's Wicked Cool Records. The album was recorded with a very similar team to his first solo album, the incredible Future Obscure. The album was produced by Dave Draper with a band that includes Steve Fielding, Denley Slade, Richard Davies, Carol Hodge and Emily Ewing.
The album bursts into life with the autotuned vocals of Complicated Sometimes that soon gives way to Marc singing in his usual voice, on a typically catchy as can be song wondering how we survived to tell the tale of recent times, scratching his head that he actually made it, we are all mightily glad he did.
Tyrannical Wrecks takes aim as the monsters lying to us constantly, never daring to admit how badly they have screwed the planet, country etc, over a glam stomper of huge proportions.
Skeleton Key sounds like classic Last Great Dreamers, as Marc tells us about all the ghosts he's running from, particularly your love, but this will quickly get stuck in your head as the guitars ensnare you in a web of delight.
Eve Of Distraction adds some very Mott keyboards to the mix, as Marc deals with information overload, the constant bombardment of info, both useful and useless, how to sift through it all with the guitars and keyboards shining a light on a way forward.
I Wanna Be Alone is a plea for a little bit of quiet, the ability to turn everything off and just decompress on your ownsome for once.
3am Anderson Drive is full of memories of growing up getting stoned and trying to figure out your place in the world, this expands out in the instrumental break with a widescreen look at how he will ever escape being the mixed-up kid he once was.
Strange Weather is playing tricks on Marc's mind, as we all wonder if things will ever seem normal again, back in a world where songs like this get played on the radio all the time and are huge hits.
You Are One Of Us Now takes us on a cool trip, Marc makes clear we all need to stick together to battle against the monsters. Let those guitars rip, join him in making the world a better place, as that coffee cup keeps on spinning.
Opening Chase Theme is every bit as speedy as the title suggests, Marc urges us all to keep going, keep chasing that dream, never be afraid to start again, just go for it.
Repeat Offender is exactly what Marc and his band are, they repeatedly make great records that should be huge hits, this being another one of those, super catchy guitars, steady as they come drums, super smart lyrics, what more do you need, oh yeah a skanking breakdown.
The album closes with the rather wistful Ballad Of Watt that takes things down a notch for this slower sad song full of memories for the baby he lost.
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