Transference - Spoon

As preparation for Forecastle this weekend I thought I'd listen to Spoon's latest album released in January, Transference.  They're playing on the West Stage, 8:45pm on Sunday, saving the best for (almost) last.  It'll be my first time seeing them and I'm pretty excited even before I hear this album (I'm admittedly long overdue for a so-called fan).  They never fail to produce catchy hooks, witty lyrics, and a lot of upbeat energy - all of which promise to deliver a great live performance.  Transference is a different kind of album for Spoon, however.  It is their first self-produced album, resulting in a rawer sound which in turn is less like their pop tendencies and reveals more of their grittier indie side. 

One of my favorite aspects about this band is their elusive rhythms and tempos that seem so simple, but are so hard to actually pin down.  It separates them from the rest of the pack in lasting interest and places them higher in compositional proficiency.  "Is Love Forever?" begins this way, but as the beat becomes more cemented, the answer to question of the title becomes more evasive.  It's an interesting shift.

"The Mystery Zone" is fun, one of my instant favorites for its catchy groove and Britt Daniel's intermittent ventures into his falsetto.  "Who Makes Your Money" is another laid back song, this time punctuated with keyboard chords to support Daniel's solo singing of multiple rhetorical questions and perhaps recreate the lyrics "when all is quiet and on your own."

This quiet reflection is immediately broken up by the louder, more emphatic chords of "Written in Reverse."  Here again, music and lyrics reinforce each other.  Daniel now only sings in absolutes and the result is not uplifting, but it is effectual.

"I Saw the Light" has the swagger and soul of a 60s hit (think The Zombies, The Byrds, etc.) but is filled out with amped electronics and interrupted by an abrupt instrumental section which begins with only a drum set beat, then builds with keyboards and final the electric guitars that gave personality to the vocal section.  The ends as abruptly as it begins and after a pause the piano ballad "Goodnight Laura" begins.  "Out go the Lights" follows this lullaby theme, however, in a more ambient way.

"Got Nuffin" was released on EP a full six months before the release of the album and was the first released in over a year for the band.  Along with "Nobody Gets Me But You" it rounds out the album with a boost of energy.

This album seems to rank up there with some of my favorite Spoon albums, their last three releases.  I'll be sure to get a good spot to see them live.