It's midnight; the fog rolls in heavily, enveloping the bleak urban landscape with a layer of haze. Only the warm light of the streetlamps can penetrate through. Shady men congregate at steet corners and smoke their cigarettes while engaging in illegal business. This is sleek, moody, modern, in a 1940's way; very dark, very sleek, very now. No, this is not a film noir;
Humphrey Bogart is irrelevant to this post. This is the sound of Spoon's masterpiece "Girls Can Tell".
After having released two raw and urgent post-punk albums that were heavily indebted to Wire, Gang of Four, Nirvana and the Pixies, Spoon finally found their own unique voice on this 2001 release. Rather than adding elements to their music for dramatic effect, Spoon pare their sound down to only the most essetial elements; a sort of minimalism akin to a
Mondrian painting. These songs are lean, mean and direct in a way that recalls Elvis Costello, yet is unique to Spoon; in an era where bands are becoming increasingly pompous and self indulgent (Muse anyone?), Spoon's self councious minamalism is a breath of fresh air. The album exudes the stylish swagger of Film noir, an effect enhanced by liberal use of vibes, mellotron, viola, harpsichord and percussion. However, they never pile on too many instruments and always know how to let the music breathe, a skill which is lacking these days in most bands (I love you Arcade Fire, but you're a prime culprit).
Singer, guitarist and composer Britt Daniel draws from many influences (among them Elvis Costello, Motown, the Beatles, Gang of Four), but rather than becoming a slavish impersonator, he takes from them the indescribable qualities that make music classic and timeless. Daniel's vocals are raw and emotional, sometimes to the point of sounding angry and confrontational; in my opinion, he is one of the great rock vocalists of all time. The lyrics are literary and largely obscure in nature, but they are smart and often fascinating.The marriage of intellectual lyrics with an aggressive and wiry guitar attack makes for an exciting listening experience. Throughout all of this, Spoon never loose track of their pop instinct and their roots in classic rock'n'roll, unlike nearly everyone of their indie rock peers (finally, a rock band who sound like a rock band!).
This eclectic and brilliant album states its intentions from the get-go. "Everything Hits At Once" an ominous pop song driven by vibes and electric piano is a mini masterpiece; longing and hurt pride are evident in Daniel's impassioned vocal. "Lines in the Suit" is a great slice of guitar pop with a brilliant middle section that recalls John Lennon. "The Fitted Shirt" is a Ray Davies/Kinks style homage to shirts that fit right, set to a groovy guitar riff, funky drums, and a harpsichord on which Daniel laments the loss of more proper times and better shirts: "I Long For The Days/They Used To Say/Ma'am And Yes Sir/For Now I'm Going To Find/Buttons For My/ Dad's Old Used Shirt." "10:20 AM" is a great piece of trippy '60's style folk, complete with harmonies and flute mellotrons. The pulsating "Take A Walk", the soulful and minimalistic "Take the Fifth", the upbeat and poppy "Anything You Want" and the jagged "Believe Is Art" are testaments to the diversity of this records, yet all of the songs are performed with the same emotional, gritty and stylish verve, which gives the album a consistency almost never found in albums these days. "This Book Is A Movie", tense and chilling instrumental and "Chicago At Night", a pop song that is just chilly and jagged enough to keep up the albums noir vibe close this beautifully succinct, 36 minute record on a high and slightly creepy note.
Next time you go out to get your fitted shirts pressed, pick up a copy of this creative rock and roll jem. This is the record that will make the curmudgeons who say "they don't make records like they used to" change their tune.
Key Tracks:
Everything Hits At Once,
Me and the Bean,
Lines In the Suit,
The Fitted Shirt, 10:20 Am
