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)
I Swear That She's the One
Sparks The Rescue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She threw me down on this spinning world
I'm over my head, yeah it could have been
But I'm a bird with broken wings,
She's a song I love to sing
Come curl up to me, we'll let our bodies test their chemistry
She's got blue eyes and a smile like the sun
And then she cries "I think I'm done"
But then I swear that she's the one
(swear she's the one)
I swear that she's the one
(swear that she's the one)
I swear that she's the one
I swear that she's the one
That I'm falling for
Love's a tree growing in your heart
Better look out when the roots start
I'm the bloom that began such a long time ago
Now I'm waking up to the sounds of the birds
Whose shadows race me up her street,
And though my feet may never catch a flying thing
Well I am damn sure of it;
I could catch you
I would never let you fall
Eyes to the sun and then she cries
"I think I'm done"
But then I swear that she's the one
(swear she's the one)
I swear that she's the one
(swear that she's the one)
I swear that she's the one
I swear that she's the one
That I'm falling for
Where your feet meet your legs
Where your heart meets your head
There is a sound that echoes out supersonically
Do you think that we're all doomed the children
Of the oil bloom
Change the subject, put a flower in your hair
The world, it spins, but we go nowhere
She's got blue eyes, a smile like the sun
And then she cries
"I think I'm done"
But then I swear that she's the one
(swear she's the one)
I swear that she's the one
(swear that she's the one)
I swear that she's the one
I swear that she's the one
That I'm falling for
She's got blue eyes, a smile like the sun
And then she cries
"I think I'm done"
I swear that she's the one
I swear that she's the one
The lyrics of "I Swear That She's the One" by Sparks The Rescue talk about the struggles of falling in love with someone who is not easy to handle but is worth risking it all. The song is an expression of deep affection towards a girl who threw the singer's life upside down. The opening lines suggest that the girl knocked him off his feet and left him spinning in this world. Even though the singer knows he's in over his head, he still believes she's the one for him. He refers to himself as a bird with broken wings, while she is his song to sing. The song implies that even though the singer may not be perfect, he still believes that he's got something to offer to this girl. The lyrics "Come curl up to me, we'll let our bodies test their chemistry" suggest that the singer is willing to take a risk for this girl.
The verse "Love's a tree growing in your heart, better look out when the roots start" portrays the message that love comes unexpectedly, grows deep and can be challenging to get rid of. The woman in question is described as someone with blue eyes and a smile like the sun, an epitome of beauty. However, she is also vulnerable, as portrayed by her statement, "I think I'm done." The singer describes himself as a bloom that began a long time ago, and now he's waking up to sounds, racing towards her street, hoping to catch her attention.
Overall, the song is about falling deeply in love with someone, even though it's difficult and unpredictable. The singer expresses his feelings, even though they may be unrequited.
Line by Line Meaning
It started out when I met this girl
The story began when I met this girl in my life.
She threw me down on this spinning world
When I met her, my world spun out of control.
I'm over my head, yeah it could have been
I am in over my head, and I could be in trouble.
But I'm a bird with broken wings,
I am a person with flaws and limitations.
She's a song I love to sing
She is someone that is beautiful and enjoyable to be around.
Come curl up to me, we'll let our bodies test their chemistry
We will snuggle up together and let our bodies interact to see if we have a connection.
She's got blue eyes and a smile like the sun
The girl is beautifully radiant and warm person whose presence lights up the room.
And then she cries "I think I'm done"
Then all of a sudden, she says that she is finished, and she can't continue.
But then I swear that she's the one
But even then, I promise that she is the one for me.
Love's a tree growing in your heart
Love is a plant that grows inside your soul and blossoms in your heart.
Better look out when the roots start
Be careful because when the roots of love start to grow, it can become intense and powerful.
I'm the bloom that began such a long time ago
I am the flower that started growing a long time ago, and I am still growing and blooming.
Now I'm waking up to the sounds of the birds
I am now waking up to new possibilities and opportunities in my life.
Whose shadows race me up her street,
The birds' shadows move quickly, and it feels like they are urging me to go to her.
And though my feet may never catch a flying thing
Even though I may not be capable of doing extraordinary things, I still want to fly towards her and accomplish something great.
Well I am damn sure of it;
I am very confident and certain about my feelings towards her.
I could catch you
I will not let her fall or get hurt, I will always be there to catch her.
I would never let you fall
I will always be there to protect and support her even if she falls or fails.
Where your feet meet your legs
The intersection of your feet and legs is the foundation of your body.
Where your heart meets your head
The place where your emotions and thoughts interact is where you make decisions.
There is a sound that echoes out supersonically
There is a sound that reverberates at high speed and intensity.
Do you think that we're all doomed the children
Do you think that future generations are cursed or condemned?
Of the oil bloom
Due to the influence of the oil industry and its impact on the environment.
Change the subject, put a flower in your hair
Let's talk about something else and focus on pleasant, joyful things.
The world, it spins, but we go nowhere
The planet rotates, but we make no progress.
She's got blue eyes, a smile like the sun
The girl has an amazing smile, and her eyes are bright and beautiful.
And then she cries
Suddenly, she starts to cry.
I swear that she's the one
I promise and declare that she is the one for me.
Contributed by Lila F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.