Major Spark is Mark Goodman and producer Brian Charles. Their debut album Beautiful Noise is a stirring amalgam of garage rock, power pop, psychedelia, and synth-drenched textural soundscapes, all lovingly detailed, sturdily composed, and immediately catchy. Mark and Brian used drum loops and improvisational techniques to break free of their solid backgrounds producing dozens of indie rock albums.
Mark previously formed Magnet in 1995 when Moe Tucker from the Velvet Underground agreed to dust off her drums from the VU European reunion tour to record a full length titled Don’t Be a Penguin (PC Music/ADA). Mark also teamed with other talented musicians such as David Lowery (Cracker, Camper van Beethoven), Matt Wilson (Trip Shakespeare), and Steve Steve Schiltz (Longwave) for subsequent Magnet releases. Brian Charles is the owner of Zippah Recording Studio where he has produced and engineered excellent artists including Chad Stokes (Dispatch), The Sheila Divine, and Weakened Friends.
Major Spark aims to bring a positive vibe with lyrics that are plainspoken, sharp-witted, and instantly memorable. “Run Run Run,” the latest Major Spark single, is a star-struck ode to a female athlete of imposing strength: “she’s got muscles like a stoner’s got weed,” is the way the frontman sums it up. He’s matched this sentiment to a fizzy guitar-pop arrangement complete with a swinging riff and a singalong chorus. Fans of Magnet — or high-quality power pop in general — will be right at home.
But there’s more to Major Spark than catchy melodies, and “Beautiful Noise,” the title track from the group’s debut, combines a classic EDM beat with vintage guitars and keys with vocals that pay homage to Hope Sandoval and James Murphy. Brian’s production on the track is spellbinding, wholly immersive, and marvelously moody. Goodman’s sense of play producing the videos shines through. For “Run Run Run,” he engaged music producer Philip Stevenson to collect vintage clips of powerful women in action, running races, lifting weights, or heaving a discus. For “Beautiful Noise,” director Roger Metcalf blended studio moments with female circus artists performing high above the ground, radiating grace and power with every move.
