105: Sparks - Interior Design (1988) - So Important

Interior Design opens with “So Important,” and immediately sounds like a very specific late-80s Sparks moment: glossy, electronic, slightly tinny, but also catchy, energetic, and more guitar-driven than expected. It may not hit instantly as a classic, but there’s enough going on — the chorus, the guitar bursts, the odd little recurring hook — to make it grow quickly.

We talk about how the production almost gets noticed before the song itself. This is very much 1988: sharp synths, club-friendly textures, big processed sounds, and a mix that places everything in its own little space. But underneath that, there’s a strong opener here, one that works both as a lead single and as an introduction to this strange, overlooked Sparks era.

Lyrically, it seems fairly direct at first — pleading, insecurity, dependence — but there may be more going on. Is this a relationship song, or a song about needing attention, success, or validation at a low point in their career? Either way, lines about “a cheap, tawdry scene” and self-esteem make it unmistakably Sparks.

A solid start to an album with a much worse reputation than it probably deserves.