Sparkly Parts

Amber Preston works in a specific comedic lane, contrasting her warm, lilting Upper Midwestern cadence with deceptively blue jokes about sex, corporate cubicles, and growing up in North Dakota. Her debut album, Sparkly Parts, leans heavily into this disconnect. She knows exactly how she sounds, turning her native regional charm on its head to surprise listeners with sharp, self-deprecating observations that go well beyond the usual wholesome stereotypes.

Released in April 2020 on Stand Up! Records, the album was produced by Dan Schlissel and recorded live by audio engineer Bernard Beaudry in Minneapolis. In the track “Fargo Story,” Preston breaks down a backhanded compliment from a man who told her she was “sexy in a Fargo sort of way,” leading her to wonder if she looks cute shoving someone in a wood chipper. Other standout bits cover the monotony of cubicle life in her former finance career, her father’s low-expectation parenting style, and the visual absurdity of being cast as a Puerto Rican shark girl in a North Dakota production of West Side Story.

Despite launching at the onset of global pandemic lockdowns—which canceled her planned promotional tour—the album hit number one on both the iTunes and Amazon comedy charts. Preston managed the setback by taking her natural crowd-work chemistry to virtual release shows, proving that her detailed regional material translates perfectly even to audiences stuck at home.