Sparks ended their ‘80s career with the enigmatic Interior Design, going on a long hiatus until 1994’s (very well received) Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins. Seemingly torn between the smooth synth pop of the ‘80s and their own penchant for quirk and experimentation, Interior Design speaks to Sparks’ earlier heat and brilliance. One can get lost in the opening “So Important,” an expansively produced number that drives layers of synths and edgy guitars into a well-cut gem of Sparks genius, and the energetic gallop of “Lots of Reasons” is a joy, with Russell Mael having more fun here than anywhere on the album. The bittersweet “A Walk Down Memory Lane” might have foretold Sparks’ impending hiatus (“We all expected champagne / But it never did come ...”), and “Love-o-Rama” imparts of a bit of B-52s goofiness so true to the time. “Madonna” was wonderfully, singularly Sparks (but did we need four versions, really)? Putting aside the smooth, suave (and too easy for Sparks) tracks like “You Got a Hold of My Heart” and “Let’s Make Love” (although their lyrics still amuse and sting: “I've been waiting all my life /For someone I could stand”), you find more rewards with the funky, seven minute remix of “So Important” and the truly touching “Toughest Girl in Town.”