First Great Album of the New Decade
The new album has most of the qualities of earlier Spoon albums before their mainstream success. Front man Britt Daniel continues to create cryptic lyrics and deliver understated vocals. There is an energetic hypnotic effect from the drums and the guitars, not at all unlike the Gimme Fiction and Kill the Moonlight albums.
The production in Transference is wonderfully raw. Gone are the horns that adorned Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga tracks such as "The Underdog" and "Yr Cherry Bomb." Long time fans of Spoon will appreciate the exclusion of the brass, while those new to the band might be initially disappointed with the lack of mainstream appeal.
Still, there are many tracks that will appeal even to the mainstream fans. "Trouble Comes Running" sounds as if it could fit comfortably on the last album, somewhere between "Black Like Me" and "Rhythm and Soul." Both new fans and old will be impressed with the drum work on "The Mystery Zone" and the wry lyrics in "Is Love Forever?"
As is the case with all Spoon albums, Transference does include some forgettable tracks. "Who Makes Your Money," in particular, seems to drag on so aimlessly that even singer Britt Daniel sounds bored by the time the song finally ends. The effort to slow down on "Goodnight Laura," which hints at a farewell to the former first lady, leaves the band relying too heavily on the piano and sounding unenthusiastic.
The album does finish strongly with "Out Go the Lights," a slow but entrancing track that reveals an insecure side of Britt Daniel. The guitar riff in "Got Nuffin" will remind older fans of "25 or 6 to 4" by the 70s band Chicago. The bass-led "Nobody Gets Me But You" closes out the album, leaving fans assured that Spoon is the perfect band to lead us into a new decade.
Published by Doug Poe
I am an English teacher in a small rural district near Cincinnati. I write novels mainly, occasionally jotting down a poem or two. I love music, baseball, and the Simpsons. I am a huge Dylan fan, and I still... View profile
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