Spoon has always struck me as being a bit underrated. True, 2002’s “Kill The Moonlight” was a critical smash, but fewer people seem aware that their album before that, “Girls Can Tell” (2001) is just as much of a masterpiece. It was around that point that the group fully shifted from the Pixies-punk of their first two albums into a mature group, displaying a knack for outstanding and unconventional songwriting. Their new album, “Gimme Fiction” is one of the Spring’s most awaited albums, and Spoon once again delivers with a great collections of songs, simultaneously following their path of catchy songs while also engaging in a bit more sonic explorations.
The main caveat to this recommendation, however, is that “Gimme Fiction” is less immediately thrilling or accessible as “Kill The Moonlight” (which starts with one of the best 1st track-2nd track album combos in recent years). While the piano bounce of “My Mathematical Mind” is vintage Spoon, many of the other tracks here unfold more slowly, reveling in a more relaxed groove. Take, for instance, opening number “The Beast and Dragon, Adored” (surely the greatest heavy metal title for a non-heavy metal song I’ve ever heard). The song lets its chords linger a little longer and the drums carry the beat more emphatically than on earlier records. There’s also the white-boy strut funk of “I Turn My Camera On,” where Britt Daniel allows the bass to propel the rhythm, while channeling his best Mick Jagger/Prince vocal delivery. Some listeners may even find the album a little underwhelming initially, but the songs require some getting use to, their grooves take root more slowly than, perhaps, “Kill The Moonlight’s” pop sensibilities.
Spoon’s recent albums have always allowed songs to openly breathe in a wonderful way, but “Gimme Fiction” is their most minimalist work to date. Perhaps the greater openness stems from the fact that, for this recording, Spoon was pared to its two permanent members, singer-instrumentalist-songwriting Daniel and drummer/producer Jim Eno. The free space allows Daniel to apply textures subtly over the course of a song, such as the percolating ambiance of “Was It You?” or the swelling moog strings in “Merchants of Soul.”
Don’t take this to mean that “Gimme Fiction” is dull or overly experimental. Spoon is just as much fun, if a bit more chill. “The Delicate Place” and “Two Sides/Monsieur Valentine” showcases Daniel’s natural sense of tunefulness in familiar ways, while “I Summon You” mixes a compelling and emotional melody with a complexly structured acoustic guitar progression. “Sister Jack” is a radio-friendly piece of jangle rock, as well. The one real misfire on the album is “They Never Got You,” which drags a simple guitar progression reminiscent of Eddie Money’s “Baby Hold On” out to five minutes without much development.
One of Spoon’s strengths has always been writing memorable songs that seem simple but are not. Daniel eschews the verse-chorus-verse structure, making the songs build in unexpected and natural ways. “Gimme Fiction” continues Spoon’s string of excellent indie pop albums in a similar pattern: there are subtle but significant changes, additions and subtractions that ultimately result in a distinctive yet evolving sound. |