Label - Merge Records
BLURB - Admittedly, I've never really listened to Spoon. I knew that they were some sort of indie rock band of note, with perhaps a couple of big singles over the past five or so years. I ended up buying "Transference" the day it came out because every trade post insisted it would be epic. Two months later, I'm still having trouble getting into the album. There are brief stints of greatness, but the overall record lacks a sense of continuity and flow. Some tracks come off as polished and tight, while others sound like they were recorded on a four track in someone's basement. Considering all of the hype prior to this release, it's fairly easy to understand why all of the commotion has died down.
Rating - 5 out of 10
FULL STORY - Of the fleeting glimpses of brilliance on "Transference," the third track "The Mystery Zone" has been receiving most of the attention. Muffled organs and strings reel the listener in with a daze and sense of confusion. While the song is somewhat monotonous, there is an aspect of garage-band-psychadellica going on that really catches your ear. Listening to the song feels like you're being sucked into some kind of...mystery zone. Adding to the confusion, the song cuts out mid phrase as it's ending.
"Written in Reverse" has a certain indie-bluegrass-ragtime feel to it. Huge, bouncing piano chords serve as the foundation for the track while equally huge vocals are dished out by Britt Daniels. The song ebbs and flows with varying degrees of intensity and chaos allowing listeners to remain interested.
Another one of the better songs on the album is actually the last track. "Nobody Gets Me But You" is a new-wave sounding ditty with an incredibly wet base line. Being injected into this funky beat are random effects with both piano and guitar riffs. It's definitely a very experimental track (although it still has a solid core) and one which I feel I'll be one of the few who actually like it. Much like the rest of this album, this track feels more like an idea as opposed to a song. But the tight groove mixed with some weird sound effects and distortion are usually right up my alley.
"Transference" in the end, has to be considered some sort of a bust. The whole album feels forced and unnatural. There remains to be seen, any kind of flow or momentum to the record - which makes it impossible to get into. I know because I've been trying to appreciate this album for the past two months and it's just not happening. It's like someone suggested - 'hey lets make another album' on a whim, and "Transference" was the outcome. Fragmented ideas and open ended musical elements are far too common here. Aside from the three tracks I mentioned above, the remnants are boring filler material that fail to accomplish any one thing. Maybe it's just my musical taste, but this album is just not my brand of tea.
Tracks
1.) Before Destruction
2.) Is Love Forever?
3.) The Mystery Zone
4.) Who Makes Your Money
5.) Written in Reverse
6.) I Saw the Light
7.) Trouble Comes Running
8.) Goodnight Laura
9.) Out Go the Lights
10.) Got Nuffin
11.) Nobody Gets Me But You
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