In Outer Space

By 1982, Sparks had begun to gain momentum in the American charts with the release of Whomp That Sucker (1981) and Angst in My Pants (1982), the latter from which the single "I Predict" was their first to enter the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 60.

In anticipation of In Outer Space, "Cool Places" was released as the first single from the album in March 1983, reaching No. 49 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was a duet with the Go-Go's rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Jane Wiedlin. Wiedlin's band was very popular, and her input gave exposure to the single, which led it to become Sparks' biggest hit in the US. "Cool Places" was extended for 12", and both formats were backed with the non-album track "Sports." The single also became the first of many entries for the band on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart where it peaked at No. 13. According to magazine Cash Box in April 2, 1983, "new music-oriented radio has already reacted positively" to "Cool Places," while stating that In Outer Space "may be the group's most accessible recording since 1981's outrageous Whomp That Sucker."{{Cite news |date=April 2, 1983 |title=Sparks in Outer Space – Sparks – Atlantic 80055-1 – Producers: Ron and Russell Mael List: 8.98 – Bar Coded |work=Cash Box |page=6 |volume=44 |issue=44}}

In Outer Space became one of Sparks' most successful albums in the U.S., peaking at No. 88 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and building upon the success of the band's previous two studio albums, Whomp That Sucker and Angst in My Pants. In France, the 1982 non-album single "Modesty Plays" (originally conceived for the TV series Modesty Blaise) was added and included as the final track.

The album track "All You Ever Think About Is Sex" was remixed and released as the follow-up single with "Dance Godammit" as its B-side, but it did not chart. An extended mix was also produced, and it was backed with a remixed version of the album track. Despite the success in the U.S., neither the album nor the accompanying singles were successful in the U.K.

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Dave |author-link=Dave Thompson (author) |title=Sparks – In Outer Space |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/in-outer-space-mw0000318869 |access-date=March 11, 2025 |website=AllMusic}}

| rev2 = Sounds

| rev2score = {{Rating|1|5}}

}}

Contemporary assessments of In Outer Space were mixed. Reviewing for the Santa Cruz Sentinel, Tom Long said that while it "isn't their best album, ... it's awfully representative of their work and a lot of fun to listen to, especially if you've got a strange sense of humor."{{Cite news |last=Long |first=Tom |date=May 13, 1983 |title=Sparks: "In Outer Space," Atlantic Records |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCS19830512&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-------- |access-date=March 11, 2025 |work=Santa Cruz Sentinel – Spotlight |page=20 |volume=2 |issue=19}} In contrast, in a one star review in Sounds, Dave Henderson found In Outer Space "inevitably tedious," adding "the coy campiness of their presentation and repetition of their initial idea has been overworked far too much."{{Cite news |last=Henderson |first=Dave |date=June 11, 1983 |title=Sparks – In Outer Space – (Atlantic 75 0055 1) * |work=Sounds |page=38}}

Retrospectively, Dave Thompson of AllMusic said that despite "the quickly dated framework of the album's production, the tunes bristle with a locomotive curiosity"; reflecting upon the legacy of "Cool Places" and In Outer Space and the success it spawned, Thompson suggested that in this brief period for Sparks, "an entire generation of new fans arose."

{{Track listing

| all_writing = Ron Mael and Russell Mael.

| headline = Side one

| title1 = Cool Places

| note1 = with Jane Wiedlin

| length1 = 3:23

| title2 = Popularity

| length2 = 3:52

| title3 = Prayin' for a Party

| length3 = 2:59

| title4 = All You Ever Think About Is Sex

| length4 = 4:09

| title5 = Please Baby Please

| length5 = 3:42

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Side two

| title6 = Rockin' Girls

| length6 = 4:42

| title7 = I Wish I Looked a Little Better

| length7 = 2:58

| title8 = Lucky Me, Lucky You

| note8 = with Jane Wiedlin

| length8 = 3:26

| title9 = A Fun Bunch of Guys from Outer Space

| length9 = 4:00

| title10 = Dance Godammit

| length10 = 3:26

| total_length = 36:37

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = French editions bonus track

| title11 = Modesty Plays

| note11 = Originally released in Germany, 1982

| length11 = 3:47

| total_length = 40:24

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Imperial Records (Japan) bonus tracks (2009)

| title11 = Miniskirted

| note11 = From the film Where the Boys Are '84

| length11 = 3:47

| title12 = All You Ever Think About Is Sex

| note12 = Unreleased Alternate Version

| length12 = 4:06

| title13 = Sports

| note13 = B-side of "Cool Places"

| length13 = 3:23

| total_length = 47:53

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Repertoire Records bonus tracks (2013)

| title11 = All You Ever Think About Is Sex

| note11 = Single version – Remixed by Brian Reeves

| length11 = 3:32

| title12 = Sports

| note12 = B-side of "Cool Places"

| length12 = 3:23

| title13 = Cool Places

| note13 = 12" mix

| length13 = 4:40

| title14 = All You Ever Think About Is Sex

| note14 = 12" club version – Remixed by Brian Reeves

| length14 = 5:06

| title15 = Dance Godammit

| note15 = 12" club version – Remixed by Brian Reeves

| length15 = 3:59

| total_length = 57:17

}}

Credits are adapted from the In Outer Space liner notes.{{cite AV media notes|title=In Outer Space|last=Sparks|year=1983|publisher=Atlantic Records|type=CD}}

Sparks

• Russell Mael – Vocals
• Ron Mael – All synthesizers (Roland JP-8)
• Bob Haag – Endodyne guitars and Roland guitar synthesizers, Tab cans, background vocals, and additional bass guitar
• Leslie Bohem – Bass guitar, background vocals
• David Kendrick – Drums
• James Goodwin – Additional concert keyboards

Guest musicians

• Jane Wiedlin – guest vocals on "Cool Places" and "Lucky Me, Lucky You"

Production and artwork

• Ron Mael – production, cover concept
• Russell Mael – production
• Dan Lacksman – engineering except "Cool Places" and "Lucky Me, Lucky You"
• Brian Reeves – mixing, engineering for "Cool Places" and "Lucky Me, Lucky You"
• Marc Moulin – album coordination
• Larry Vigon – art direction and design
• Jim Shea – photography

{{Reflist}}

• {{discogs master|86620}}

{{Sparks}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:In Outer Space}}

Category:Sparks (band) albums

Category:1983 albums

Category:Atlantic Records albums

Category:Carrere Records albums

Category:Oglio Records albums

Category:Repertoire Records albums

Category:Synth-pop albums by American artists