Proof of this maturity is exhibited in the sheer amount of musical ground covered on The Spark. In high gear on songs such as "Jump," the Kings evoke the spirit of swing great Louis Prima and then take the music back another decade for "Biggest Heartache on the Block," with its lilting clarinet melody. Meanwhile, the spirit of zydeco is alive and well at the heart of "In the Night," which provides a strange contrast to the eerily beautiful "If I'd Only Taken You Dancing." And then, as expected, the patented Kings-style blues rears its head on cuts like "Tuesday Man" and the biographical title track.
Some elite players make appearances on this record, including the first lady of Western soul, Hazel Miller, along with Tony Furtado, Richie Furay and Mollie O'Brien, making The Spark an amazing collection of talent to go with the well-written and expertly performed songs. And if that isn't enough, the album's ingenious packaging is sure to draw you in.
