Mark Oliver Everett created two stunning Smart Pop albums before founding Eels, working alongside Parthenon Huxley. I was reminded of it when I discovered Corkscrew Soul by Sparky Bosque this weekend, and it became my Sunday soundtrack. If you admire the quality of Everett and Huxley’s work, this album is highly recommended.

Sparky Bosque is the alter ego of UK-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mark Peter Woods.

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You can find ‘Good Together’ showcased on the Best Power Pop of 2024 Spotify Playlist.

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Could you share the journey of bringing this record to life? How did all the pieces come together to create the final product?

This record was pretty straightforward really. I did everything myself. Maybe there’s a correlation there! Not having to involve anyone else meant that I didn’t have to fit into anyone else’s schedule. I didn’t have to wait for someone else to do something. I didn’t have a record label or A&R person turning their nose up at something I’d written. Money didn’t have to change hands. I had the freedom to do whatever I wanted to do. I like having full control of the… errrr… controls.

There are downsides to being a one-man band. Sometimes it would be nice to have someone else make me a cup of tea, or scratch my back and laugh at my jokes, but overall I was pretty content creating Corkscrew Soul by myself.

I didn’t set out to create a particular type of album, or a specific sound really, and I wasn’t trying anything different to what I’d released previously. My official line is that this album is the third part of my amaretto trilogy. But that is really just a bit of a private joke with myself (you see, this is where having someone else to laugh at my jokes would help) because ‘amaretto’ basically means ‘a little bitter’, but it also tastes a bit sweet. Those two things may or may not come across in my lyrics and music. Oh, and it’s also a reference to Simon Pegg’s Cornetto trilogy. So there you go.

I’m not sure how many people have played the whole album from start to finish in one sitting, but I salute you if you have – rest assured I spent a long time (quite possibly too much time) deciding on the running order to help the album flow. But how people ‘consume’ music has changed a lot, so I’m not precious about it. You can listen to it backwards if you like.

I think there are four songs on the album that I’d written several years ago. They’d been sitting around without a home for a while and every now and then I’d feel them nudging me in the ribs and giving me a wink, as if to say ‘Hey, is it my turn yet, eh?’.

One of those songs is Good Together which probably fits quite nicely into the power pop mould. But then another is I Won’t Be Found which would likely be categorised as something else and hopefully shows another side to my songwriting.

Likewise, Gone Before is about Nick Drake and feels quite a long way from the album opener As Much as This which is probably my best impression of Wilko Johnson and Dr. Feelgood so far.

The rest of the album was written and recorded as I went. I thought I had 12 tracks for it. But when it came to mastering the album, I realised I had 13, so I just went with that. Maybe I should’ve called it ‘A Baker’s Dozen’ instead.

Success can take on different meanings as time goes on. When envisioning success for this new record, what does that picture look like now?

I didn’t really have any expectations for the album. I really enjoy creating an LP, EP, single or whatever it might be. But I’m not so keen on the bit that comes after releasing it. I find self-promotion somewhat tortuous and I’m not someone who spends much time on social media.

But for this album, I’ve had the help of 122 Music Management to get more people listening to it. It’s been a good learning curve on how to cast the net a bit wider for the next release. So in that sense, I would already call it a success.

A highlight has been having radio stations in far flung places like Germany and France playing my songs. The kind words and encouragement from the DJs have been really appreciated. And there’s something quite exotic about hearing one’s name in another language. Sehr schön.

Within this collection, do you feel that the best song you’ve ever written finds its home? If not, what distinguishes this record’s essence from your prior work?

This is tricky. It’s a bit like asking a parent to choose their favourite child. But I’d probably say the best song I’ve written is Magic Fur which ends the first LP, A New Low. But as a whole album, Corkscrew Soul might be my best work. Maybe.

Imagine you could collaborate with three co-writers of your choice for new songs. Who would you select, and what qualities or dynamics draw you to them?

I’ve never written a song with someone else. I’m not sure if it would be great or awful. But my default position is to assume the latter. Plus I think most of the songwriters I’d most like to work with are dead which might put a dampener on things.

Striking a balance between experimental artistry and commercial appeal is a challenge. How do you navigate this dynamic within your music?

Thankfully I don’t feel pressure to have commercial appeal, whatever that might mean exactly. I just write songs that I like, and then hope other people will like them too. If I release an album that only 3 people will listen to, that won’t affect my income, nor what I eat nor where I live. And other people don’t depend on my ability to appeal to as many people as possible either. There aren’t really any consequences to it either way. If there were, I’d probably quickly fall out of love with it and shift my focus to becoming the UK bog snorkelling champion.

Before I’ve released a song, and before I’ve recorded it, and before it’s fully formed, and way before it’s even a spark in my imagination, I have to accept that the majority of people on this planet or in this country won’t like it, or at most will be completely indifferent towards it. And I’m okay with that.

Lyrics often carry profound meaning. Are there particular lines you hope listeners will always remember from your songs? If so, what’s the significance?

I’ve never had anyone ask me about any of my lyrics, and I think I prefer it that way. Some lines are throwaway and complete nonsense – but you might attach some significance or meaning to them and I don’t want to spoil that for you.

There are some lyrics that are very personal and will always remain private.

I once had someone tell me that they like a track called Right Direction off my second album, Lying Flat, because of the uptempo energy and vibrance of the track. And musically, I suppose you could describe it as that. But I didn’t have the heart to tell them that the lyrics tell a story of domestic abuse and coercive control.

With the resurgence of cassettes, imagine curating your inaugural mixtape. Which five songs would be must-adds and why?

Right now I’d probably go with this somewhat homogeneous five. But ask me again tomorrow and it would probably be different.

Emitt Rhodes – Somebody Made For Me
Harry Nilsson – Gotta Get Up
Nick Drake – Poor Boy
Elliott Smith – A Passing Feeling
Grandpaboy (Paul Westerberg) – Eyes Like Sparks

And then I’d shimmy up into the loft to find my cassette player and a C90.

If tasked with introducing your music through three songs, which ones would you choose and what story do they collectively convey to new listeners?

Let’s have one from each LP. I’m not sure what story they convey. Maybe that all three albums sound quite similar.

Magic Fur
Eat the Sun (Decked Out in Blue)
Poor Annie

Looking ahead to the next couple of months, what exciting plans or projects are on the horizon for you?

I’m always tinkering. I have a home studio so I can dip in and out when the mood takes me. I’ve got another track and video ready to go actually, so that will probably be released in the next couple of months. That track has a different sound and vibe to what’s on Corkscrew Soul.

I’m also working on a cover version which will likely be stripped back to just vocal and piano. It’s not a particularly well known song, it’s just a track I really like. Piano isn’t my main instrument though, so by the time I manage to record a decent take with no bum notes, we might well be into 2025.

I’ve previously released covers of Ballad of Big Nothing by Elliott Smith and The Busy Girl Buys Beauty by Billy Bragg. I like to try and add my own stamp to them though – I don’t try and mimic the original.

In the digital age, visual elements are intertwined with music. How did you approach the album’s visual aesthetics, such as album art and accompanying visuals? How do they complement the sonic experience you’ve crafted?

I create all the visuals myself, although more recently I’ve been exploring using AI. The artwork for the first two LPs had my face on them, but I thought people might be getting sick of the sight of it, so I tried something a bit different for Corkscrew Soul. I’ve always liked pop art, so that was the vibe I was going for – and I think pop art and power pop blend together quite nicely.