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)
The Gravity
Sparks The Rescue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm the satellite crashing through to the ground
We'll throw a parade on the day that I return
Darling will I ever learn? Darling will I ever learn?
All my weakness gets caught up in my knees when you get near
I said I'm on my feet just fucking rising up again
I'm back against old ways (back against old ways)
I'm not loosing any ground just burning up in your atmosphere
Come now and signal the escape
You're the gravity that pulls me down
I'm the satellite crashing through to the ground
We'll throw a parade on the day that I return
Darling will I ever learn? Darling will I ever?
Five four three two one now I'm crashing to the ground
I'll stand up like a man if you think that it could to help my heart expand
(to help my heart expand)
My calico decisions in your hand Could you leave me standing here?
Come now and signal the escape
You're the gravity that pulls me down
I'm the satellite crashing through to the ground
We'll throw a parade on the day that I return
Darling will I ever learn? Darling will I ever learn?
I need to see an ocean an ocean (and let the water cover me)
I need to be by your side by your side (while we're standing by the sea)
You're the gravity that pulls me down
I'm the satellite crashing through to the ground
We'll throw a parade on the day that I return
Darling will I ever learn?
Darling will I ever learn?
The lyrics to Sparks The Rescue's song The Gravity seem to be about being in a relationship that is both comforting and overwhelming. The singer describes the other person as the "gravity that pulls me down" and themselves as the "satellite crashing through to the ground." This imagery suggests that while they feel safe and secure with this person, it is also a tumultuous connection that can be destructive.
The chorus speaks to the singer's desire to be with this person, despite the difficulties they face. They dream of throwing a parade on the day they return, which could represent the celebration of their reunion after a separation or overcoming the challenges they have faced in their relationship. However, the repeating refrain of "Darling will I ever learn?" suggests a doubt and uncertainty about whether it is worth it to continue with this person.
The final lines of the song express a need for escape and a desire to be by the ocean with this person. This could be either a literal or metaphorical longing for a space where they feel free from the pressures and difficulties of their relationship.
Overall, the lyrics of The Gravity seem to explore the complicated emotions and realities of being in a relationship that is both comforting and destructive, questioning whether the positives outweigh the negatives.
Line by Line Meaning
You're the gravity that pulls me down
The person addressed is like a force that is pulling the singer down.
I'm the satellite crashing through to the ground
The singer is like a satellite that is falling down to earth.
We'll throw a parade on the day that I return
The singer is looking forward to returning, and when they do, there will be a celebration.
Darling will I ever learn? Darling will I ever learn?
The singer is questioning whether they will ever be able to escape from the force that is pulling them down.
All my weakness gets caught up in my knees when you get near
When the person addressed is near, the singer feels vulnerable and weak.
I said I'm on my feet just fucking rising up again
Despite feeling weak, the singer is trying to stand up and keep going.
I'm back against old ways (back against old ways)
The singer is struggling to break free from negative patterns or habits in their life.
With an ominous tongue that screams I don't belong here
The singer feels like they don't fit in or belong in their current situation or with the person addressed.
I'm not loosing any ground just burning up in your atmosphere
The singer is not making any progress but is instead trapped in the presence of the person addressed.
Come now and signal the escape
The singer is asking for help to be freed from the force that is pulling them down.
Five four three two one now I'm crashing to the ground
The singer feels like they are about to hit rock bottom.
I'll stand up like a man if you think that it could to help my heart expand
The singer is willing to do what it takes to improve and grow, if it means they can be with the person addressed.
My calico decisions in your hand Could you leave me standing here?
The singer feels like they are at the mercy of the person addressed and fears being abandoned.
I need to see an ocean an ocean (and let the water cover me)
The ocean represents a place of peace and healing for the singer.
I need to be by your side by your side (while we're standing by the sea)
The singer wants to be close to the person addressed while in this place of peace.
Contributed by Leah N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.