With 1974's Kimono My House, Sparks refined the eccentric glam style for which they're remembered. The Beatles influences of their debut are gone, and they've emphasized their exaggerated songwriting, which relies heavily on Russell Mael's impressive falsetto register. The funny lyrics on songs like "Thank God it's Not Christmas" and "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us" come to the foreground when sung in this unusual register, but never to a point where it distracts from the rock impulses. The technical sound of Kimono My House has an odd bit of sheen. While the drums especially have plenty of impact and the frequency distribution is appropriate and even (some songs are only slightly bass-light), the album almost seems to have a weird scrim over it, and it's hard to tell the technical source. It almost foreshadows the SSL bus compressor sound that became popular in the 90s. While the front cover image is iconic, I particularly envy the Maels' fantastic wardrobe on the back cover image.
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