Channeling modern rock influences into anthemic choruses and themes of lust, loss and embracing your inner demons, Sparks The Rescue return with 12 impressive edgy pop-rock tracks on new album Worst Thing I've Been Cursed With. The band's second full-length is a step forward for the band, blending sassy lyrics and the dynamic, unique vocals of frontman Alex Roy into the melodic, infectious songs the five-piece have become known for.
The group is comprised of Alex Roy (vocals), Patrick O’Connell (guitar), Toby McAllister (guitar), Ben Briggs (bass), and Nathan Spencer (drums). Seasoned musicians of over a decade, the crew started playing together in high school where they spawned from three local bands. They shared stages frequently at local shows and events until they decided in 2005 to become one single entity, Sparks The Rescue (deriving their name from Nicolas Sparks’ novel The Rescue).
In 2007, STR released a six-song digital EP, The Secrets We Can't Keep on Double Blind Music. It didn’t take long for their music to catch the ear of WCYY’s Mark Kurdo, and soon the EP was getting heavy rotation on “Spin Out,” a weekly program that features local artists. Requests started pouring in for their tracks to get regular airplay on the station, and STR went on to sell over 10,000 units of their EP on iTunes as their fan base grew exponentially. Their success has stemmed from their popularity at WCYY, and they haven’t forgotten that. They’ve played over 300 shows to date and have shared the stage with great bands including All Time Low, Hawthorne Heights, As Tall As Lions, Mayday Parade, Chiodos, Forever the Sickest Kids, Mayday Parade and A Static Lullaby.
Sparks The Rescue released their debut full-length album Eyes To The Sun in 2009 on Fearless Records. Produced by Jonathan Wyman of Halo Studios, the album has gained rave reviews, with tracks receiving play on MTV’s The Hills and Real World: Cancun. 2009 was quite the year for the band, who has toured Europe with The All-American Rejects, hit the road with Hit The Lights and won MTV/Garnier's battle of the bands contest to appear at MTVU's Woodie Awards. But there's no resting for them, as they rounded off the year winning the hearts of every teenage vampire lover out there with their killer new video for single "We Love Like Vampires".
2010 found the band playing Warped Tour in its entirety along with contributing a single to compilation Punk Goes Pop 3. Most of their time in 2010 was spent writing and preparing to record their highly anticipated follow-up to Eyes to the Sun. The quintet is currently on the road with Go Radio on The District Lines Tour. "Worst Thing I've Been Cursed With" was released in 2011 on Fearless Records.
The band's new self-titled EP was released on August 28, 2012, and on August 13, the band released a music video for their new song "Disaster," which featured former member Marty McMorrow doing guest vocals and synthesizers. This led to many fans believing he had rejoined the band; however, in response to YouTube comments on the video, Marty stated that he did not rejoin, and that he was "just helping out some friends."
On December 21, 2012, the band announced on Facebook that Mike Naran, David Pait, and Dylan Taylor's last show would be December 22, 2012, at The Space in Hamden, CT. Roy and McAllister toured acoustically in early 2013 as Sparks the Rescue, and in April 2013 the band released promotion photographs with Mat Petrin (bassist) and Nick Bilotta (drummer), who are also members of Roy's side-project band Holly Heist and original high school band 2 Girls Later. The band began performing with this lineup as a four piece in the Spring of 2013, and released a new EP titled "Truth Inside the Fiction" on July 30, 2013. The EP debuted at #33 on the iTunes Top Pop Albums Chart.
On July 21, 2013, Roy and Bilotta along with a new guitarist, booked a cover show in Portland's historic downtown district at a night club called Oasis.
In the summer of 2013, the band announced the Taking The D-Tour with opening bands Kingsfoil (featuring Frankie Muniz on drums) and Lion In The Mane. The band continues to play cover shows under the STR name with a new line-up including Matt Libby (rhythm guitar/vocals), a member of Bilotta's former project The Derek Wilkinson Band. No more tours have been announced and the band is actively playing cover shows at colleges, casinos, and tourist destinations. Bilotta's departure from the band remains unknown, with no announcements made by him or the band. His last shows were in Key West at Sloppy Joe's in September 2014. Spencer is currently reseated on the drums.
Members:
Alex Roy – Vocals (2006-present)
Toby McAllister – Lead Guitar/Vocals (1999-present)
Matt Libby - Rhythm Guitar (2014-present)
Mat Petrin - Bass (2013-present)
Nate Spencer - Drums (1999-2012, 2014-present)
Marty McMorrow - Keyboards (2005-2008)
Pat O'Connell - Rhythm Guitar/Vocals (2005-2010)
Ben Briggs - Bass (1999-2011)
Mike Naran - Rhythm Guitar (2010-2012)
David Pait - Bass (2011-2012)
Dylan Taylor - Drums (2012)
Nick Bilotta - Drums (2013-2014)
Saco Boys Have No Class
Sparks The Rescue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If this is perfect,
Well then lets end "this" before it starts
We are not pictures, no
This couldn't last forever
And over time
All the colors fade away
We cut and paste the words
We cannot dare to say
I've got this new game
Where I walk to your house
And when my legs give
Then I'll drag myself down
To these state lines
'Cause we're so far now
This isn't desperate
This isn't desperate for me
So tonight, yeah
I'm miles away from your town
But I'll grow wings and I'll fly down
'Cause it's me and my face versus this wind
And I swear to god I'll make you mine again
I've got this new game
Where I walk to your house
And when my legs give
Then I'll drag myself down
To these state lines
'Cause we're so far now
This isn't desperate
This isn't desperate for me
So lets
Drop our guns and drop our guards
We'll forget every note
That we wrote to this song
So lets
Drop our guns and drop our guards
We'll forget every note
That we wrote
I'm miles from your town
But I'll grow wings and I'll fly down
'Cause its me and my face versus this wind
And I swear to god I'll make you mine again
I've got this new game
Where I walk to your house
And when my legs give
Then I'll drag myself down
To these state lines
'Cause we're so far now
This isn't desperate
This isn't desperate for me
I've got this new game
(I've got this new game)
Where I walk to your house
(No sex)
And when my legs give
(No drugs)
Then I'll drag myself down
(No rock'n'roll)
To these state lines
'Cause we're so far now
(no sex)
This isn't desperate
(no drugs)
This isn't desperate for me
(no rock'n'roll)
The song "Saco Boys Have No Class" by Sparks The Rescue tells a story of a couple trying to make their relationship work despite the distance between them. The lyrics speak of a desire to be with the person they love, even if it means walking or dragging themselves across state lines. The lyrics also highlight the frustration of not being able to articulate their feelings properly, resorting to cutting and pasting their words. The song's title seems to reference the idea that class and status do not necessarily determine one's worth, as the couple's struggle with distance and communication transcends socio-economic standing.
The chorus, "I've got this new game where I walk to your house and when my legs give, then I'll drag myself down to these state lines," represents the lengths that the singer is willing to go to in order to be with their partner. The lyrics also suggest a sense of determination as they swear to make the person theirs once again.
The repeated phrase, "This isn't desperate for me," adds a layer of complexity to the song. It could be interpreted as a defense mechanism, a way for the singer to convince themselves and others that their actions are not born out of desperation, but rather a pure desire to be with the one they love.
Overall, "Saco Boys Have No Class" is an emotional and relatable song, dealing with the struggles of long-distance relationships and the challenges of communication and expression.
Line by Line Meaning
If this is perfect,
If what we have is perfect,
Well then lets end "this" before it starts
We should end what we have before it even starts if it's supposedly perfect
We are not pictures, no
We are not perfect or flawless
This couldn't last forever
Our relationship cannot last forever
And over time
As time goes by
All the colors fade away
The vibrant and exciting parts of our relationship will eventually fade away
We cut and paste the words
We use cliches and generic sayings to mask what we truly want to express
We cannot dare to say
We are afraid to express what we genuinely feel
I've got this new game
I have a new plan or idea
Where I walk to your house
I will physically walk to your house
And when my legs give
And when I am too tired to walk
Then I'll drag myself down
I will force myself to keep going
To these state lines
To the border between states
'Cause we're so far now
Because we are physically far apart now
This isn't desperate
This isn't an act of desperation
This isn't desperate for me
I am not doing this because I am desperate
So tonight, yeah
Tonight,
I'm miles away from your town
I am physically far away from your town
But I'll grow wings and I'll fly down
I will do whatever it takes to see you
'Cause it's me and my face versus this wind
It's just me and my determination to see you despite obstacles
And I swear to god I'll make you mine again
I pledge to make you mine again
So lets
Let's
Drop our guns and drop our guards
Let's drop our defenses and be vulnerable
We'll forget every note
We will forget every detail
That we wrote to this song
That we attached to this relationship or moment
I've got this new game
I have a new plan or idea
(I've got this new game)
Where I walk to your house
I will physically walk to your house
(No sex)
This is not about physical intimacy
And when my legs give
And when I am too tired to walk
(No drugs)
This is not about substance abuse
Then I'll drag myself down
I will force myself to keep going
(No rock'n'roll)
This is not about any recklessness or excitement in life
To these state lines
To the border between states
(no sex)
This is not about physical intimacy
This isn't desperate
This isn't an act of desperation
(no drugs)
This is not about substance abuse
This isn't desperate for me
I am not doing this because I am desperate
(no rock'n'roll)
This is not about any recklessness or excitement in life
Contributed by James E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.