Boston indie-rock duo Major Spark is back in full bloom with their sophomore album Walk Among the Poppies, a ten-track dive into melodic grit and unfiltered emotion. Mark Goodman and Brian Charles, longtime collaborators with serious alt-rock pedigree, deliver music that goes beyond the staples of time. Recorded at Charles’ Rare Signals studio in Cambridge, where analog warmth reigns supreme, the record straddles the line between experimentation and cohesion, with a flair for cinematic layering and heart-on-sleeve lyricism.
Leading the charge, “The Other Side” bursts open like a sunrise over a dusty highway, looped Moe Tucker drums thump steadily under fiery guitars, while Goodman’s vocals radiate with energy. He’s basically egging you on to run headlong into the day, like when he belts, “Kid, don’t be afraid to shine,” jolting us with the spark in our bones, like a pure dose of resilience.
Then comes the title track, “Walk Among the Poppies,” comes with a nice, catchy and tight rhythm. The guitars sway with a hypnotic riff, the drums pulse playfully, and to which he syncs up. The backing vocals sing along too. Meanwhile, the lyrics bite at consumerist apathy, “They are not gonna share the jewels they wear.”
By the time “Birds Aren’t Real” closes the record, Major Spark has gone full kaleidoscope, as layered guitars shimmer against glitchy percussion, cymbals crash like sparks, and the paranoia of digital surveillance seeps through every line.
All told, Walk Among the Poppies journeys through defiance, warmth, and wonder. Major Spark proves that even in a noisy world, authenticity still cuts through like lightning.
STAY IN TOUCH:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | SPOTIFY | YOUTUBE
Review by: Naomi Joan