New Music: Sparks, Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard, Simon Helberg – So May We Start

Sparks have teamed up with Leos Carax on the eagerly awaited film, Annette – the trailer is incredible, by the way. The Mael brothers are legends and outsiders, their brand of art-infused rock/electronica influencing much of the music we hear today. It should be no surprise that So May We Start, part of the Annette soundtrack, is pure genius.

So May We Start plays around with the traditional song narrative as only they know how. There’s a bridge, verse, and a chorus in there. Yet, the interplay between them and the vocal performances of Russel Mael, Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard, and Simon Helberg bring a Sondheim-like complexity and richness to the proceedings.

That mix of pop, opera, and rock that is a feature of the Sparks sound is also present. Here, the duo’s sound makes the greatest sense on a cinematic palette, creating more beauty than ever before. After five decades and twenty-five albums, the Mael brothers are as creative and maverick as ever – something we should all treasure.

About Annette, SPARKS say: “The characters live and breathe through the sensibility, tone, and lyrics of the music. In Annette, we set out to have virtually all the dialogue sung. It was a huge challenge, but one we are extremely proud of.”

They go on to say about the soundtrack album, “Initially, we conceived Annette as another Sparks album. Yet this time it would be a narrative story that would consist of three main characters, a small enough ensemble that would allow us to also present the ‘opera’ live on tour… The music, story and album were finished and ready to go, which is where the story takes a huge detour. After meeting Leos at Cannes, we felt a real kinship, so we thought we would send him Annette, not expecting anything other than to show him what Sparks was currently up to. And lo and behold, he said he really liked the album and would like to consider it as his next project. We were happily surprised and elated at his reaction. As fans of Leos’ films, to now realize that he would be directing a film of ours was beyond our dreams.”

You can find more listening options for Annette, which include YouTube Music and iTunes, by clicking here. The soundtrack album is released via Milan Records. Annette opens the 74th annual Cannes Film Festival on the 6^th of July and is the English-language debut from director Leos Carax. The film is released in the United States in theatres on the 6^th of August and subsequently on Amazon Prime Video on the 20^th of that month.

Discover the world of Sparks and find out more about Annette on the band’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram socials.