Three years after their last album, Spoon returns with a powerful, diverse follow up in �Transference.�
The Austin locals have risen since their start in 1993 to catch the eyes of the present day mainstream. The piano-driven, rambunctious album has the Baskin-Robbins effect�there is a little something for everyone. Frontman Britt Daniel�s vocals change with each new genre as Spoon wrestles with post-punk, blues, synth-pop and funk in their most progressive album yet.
The raw opener, �Before Destruction,� has a low-fi introduction that lingers throughout the song. With a dark, garage-rock quality, it strays from the rest of the album, but reminds the listener that Spoon was born from the Nirvana era and are heavily influenced by post-punk rock.
�The Mystery Zone� begins with chunky, fragmented guitar chords and progresses into a synth-formed dance groove.
Similarly, �Who Makes the Money,� gets funky with an electronic feel. The funk bass line is complemented by Daniel�s take on an R&B voice similar to what Jim James of My Morning Jacket attempted on �Evil Urges.�
The album takes a significant turn as Spoon begins to rock out in �Written in Reverse.� With its heavy blues distortion in the guitar riff, they are reminiscent of the Black Keys.
�I Saw the Light,� an emotional multi-part rock tune, proves to be a highlight of the album. The piano jam that ends the song trances the listener as it juxtaposes repetition and variation, using simplicity as a means of seduction.
�Trouble Comes Running� uses poppy guitar chords and a catchy hook. The song sounds like it belongs on a Kings of Leon record rather than in Spoon�s repertoire, most noticeably in Britt Daniel�s voice.
The album ends weaker than it begins. �Goodnight Laura� is an emotional, slow piano ballad that has potential but never develops. The last two songs, �Out Go the Lights� and �Got Nuffin,� are a disappointment. �Out Go the Lights� dances between pop and emo, while �Got Nuffin� is a punk song without unique texture.
Despite a weak finish, �Transference� may be Spoon�s best album yet. It has the diversity to carry into a number of genres and has the emotional and musical depth to keep a strong fan base.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Davis Brown at Brownfd@colorado.edu.
3 comments
Really? You just go through the track listings, make a few clever references to other artists and albums, and blandly describe a few of them as “disappointments”? Pot calling the kettle black? Man, you’re writing a review of an album, not reciting the Nicene Creed. Spice it up a bit — act like you WANT to write it.
P.S. It may have been a bit of a lame read, but props for the slick vocabulary.
Spoon continues to amaze. There is not a single “disappointment” on this album. Listened to in sequence as a album it flows like a river: steady and unrelenting. Well worth the wait for this one. Britt, you rule!