By Adam Perry for the Albuquerque Alibi
In times of hugs and LSD, a line like “picture yourself in a boat on a river” was apropos and captivating; today, when Brit Daniels sings “picture yourself set up for good in a whole other life” on Spoon’s new hit record Transference, the reality of our economic crisis is fittingly set to music. Since their 2005 masterpiece Gimme Fiction, Spoon – a major label failure in the 90’s – has excelled at indulging in cinematic indie rock, sucking listeners into rhythmic stories filled with gentle synths; fat, simple drums; and jagged guitar bursts. In the thick beats and dynamic vocals of Transference tracks like “Who Makes Your Money” and “Written in Reverse” the Texas-bred band returns to entrancing, car commercial-ready funk-rock ala “I Turn My Camera On,” and Daniels continues throwing out unforgettable lines like “I’m writing this to you in reverse / someone better call a hearse.” If only people danced at indie rock shows, Spoon would be mirror-ball gurus for the 10’s.
Adam Perry 