Propaganda

Sparks’s fourth album was almost a carbon copy of its third, the maniacally monumental Kimono My House, but Propaganda had its own subtle variations on what had proved to be an astonishing winning formula for Ron and Russell Mael. “At Home, At Work, At Play” continued the massive glam singalong approach to a T, but they also allowed themselves a sweeping ballad — of sorts, at least, lyrically speaking — in “Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth.” And who could resist a song called “Achoo” that begins with a pondering about singing invalids?