I’m Feeling Your Blue Skies: Introducing Sparks the Rescue

I’m Feeling Your Blue Skies: Introducing Sparks the Rescue
By Bryce Carr

l_df709bafaf0d4f2cafdd45c749aa3768Photo by Brooke Pifer

The land of Maine is known for things such as lobster, lighthouses, and unbearably cold weather. One thing to point out is that Maine is most certainly not a haven for alternative music. Yet Sparks the Rescue, a band hailing from Portland, Maine, has a driving presence and has spent this last year picking up steam on the music scene.

Constant touring and upbeat, rock driven guitar riffs have led to band to comparisons to the like of the All-American Rejects, Taking Back Sunday, and Mayday Parade. Numerous bands have selected Sparks the Rescue as opening acts and this last summer, the band found themselves touring Europe, opening for the All-American Rejects, selling out venues filled with thousands of fans.

At last Tuesday’s show with Hit The Lights, I sat down with a few members of Sparks the Rescue to talk about their recent success and what it feels like to be on the verge of breaking through to a wider audience. The lead singer, Alex Roy, told me how excited the band was when they heard that their song “Hello Mexico” was being featured on The Real World Cancun. Alex also told me that their first single “Autumn” was going to be on The Hills that night and that the whole band was stoked.

With over 200 shows so far this year, the band has obviously created quite a following amongst fans of this genre. The just last week, Sparks the Rescue won a contest sponsored by Garnier Fructis and will be featured playing in an upcoming commercial. The band also recently filmed a video for their new single “We Live Like Vampires” and the video will premier on MTV later this year. It seems like things are looking good for members of this band.

After spending time with the band, I realized that the five guys are just as much in awe of this whole process as everyone else. They agreed early on that music was a shared passion and they recognized the importance of hanging out with their fans. By allowing people to enjoy their songs and by making them happy, the band has developed a desire to make Sparks the Rescue their career. With continued exposure and in between album growth as seen before, I’m willing to bet that with their next album, we’ll see the band headlining tours. For fans of bands such as Taking Back Sunday, Anberlin, and Mayday Parade, I encourage you check out this group. Their song “Autumn” is one of my favorites right now, and has been a featured pick on my Unnamed Alternative Show.