Author: Hillary Holmes
Organic, raw and proverbial are three words I would use to describe the indie rock band Spoon’s latest album “Transference.” With this album, the Austin, Texas-based quartet fronted by Britt Daniel executes a successful balance of experimentalism and commercialism that sets this album apart from their previous records.
Spoon formed in 1993 and has released seven studio albums since. Though the band garnered some success with its first major album release “Soft Effects” on Elektra Records, it is still not that widely known.
The band has, up until this release, had only one album in the top 10. However “Transference” has been widely anticipated and has already reached the number four spot on the Billboard charts.
For those of you who enjoyed the band’s 2007 release “Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga,” filled with catchy hooks and packed with horn embellishment shown in tunes like “Don’t You Evah” and “You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb,” “Transference” is different – but only slightly. This album is characterized by the unmistakable early, gritty Spoon sound, a departure from the band’s more recent projects.
With that said, fans who were introduced to the band with its poppier 2007 release won’t be immediately turned off, but may need some time to adjust to the new album’s lack of refinement.
The album is filled with rich yet raw harmonies – most captivatingly in “Before Destruction.” The album also features Daniel’s gritty screaming in the song “Written in Reverse.”
The lyrics of many of the songs on the album are nothing special (and sometimes sound like the work of a wannabe high school poet). Even still, some songs do occasionally make poignant remarks about broken love and searching for what isn’t there. Other songs feature notes of humor (or maybe just a lack of imaginative rhyming), such as: “I’m writing this in reverse/someone better call a hearse.”
Overall, the album is an enjoyable listen. It is something that both music novices that favor more mainstream alternative rock and seasoned Spoon aficionados can enjoy.
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