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Listen to “Trouble Comes Running” from Transference
Spoon has become the stuff of legend. Throwing together post-punk/R & B styled rock ‘n’ roll from the 70’s, Spoon rode what was arguably the longest winning streak in modern rock history. From the storied battles with A&R managers nearly a decade ago, to their rise from Saddle Creek records, Spoon has always found a place in indie critic’s hearts despite being one of the most recognized bands in pop culture. A catalog of records on “best of” lists, the world over, Spoon was the band that could do no wrong. However, on their latest record, Transference, the band seems to be throwing the creativity-transmission into neutral and chose to cruise with what they’ve got. This isn’t a bad thing . . . it’s Spoon for god’s sake . . . but at some point, we’re going to get sick of listening to Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga.
Sneakily releasing an EP in 2009, with the Got Nuffin’ EP Spoon was prime for a breakout year in 2010. The stars had aligned, and everyone’s favorite pop supergroup had reformed into the megatron robot that they were. With the release of Transference, rock critics and hipsters were already salivating and ready to reorganize their “Best of the Decade” lists. What happens on Transference, though, is a mystery. There is no complete thought in the entire album and the band securely carves a niche in the grooves and rhythm of their classic rock ‘n roll’ schooling instead of venturing out and into more innovative writing.
The album takes a few tracks to really get to a point, as openers “Before Destruction” and “Is Love Forever?” mix the classic hipster formula into a frothy, pop milkshake to reaffirm listeners that they are, in fact, Spoon. The credit seems to fade though, as the clicks-and-pops of the apparently impromptu “Mystery Zone” throws a slow jam into the mix and leaves the band at a loss for lyrics. At points, Spoon becomes so enthralled with their own beats and R&B, that they ignore the full composition of the song, let alone the entire album . . . the very skills that catapulted Spoon to Godhood.
In all fairness, there certainly are bright spots with the single, “Written in Reverse”, the very-Spoon-sounding “Trouble Comes Running” and “I Saw a Light”. Afterwords, Spoon relaxes into a victory lap of sorts on Transference, and lounge comfortably into the producer chair, at the helm of their new record to fulfill a 3-year void. Thankfully, “Got Nuffin’” appears later in Transference’s track list to add a bit of spark to the mix, or else the entire composition would’ve come crumbling down.
Transference is still worth a leisurely listen or two, and makes a good addition to a Spoon listener’s collection. This, however, is not the place to start for newspooners. So enriched with pop-sugar, this album seems more geared towards commercial jingles than it does live staples and club-jammers like past albums have. Anyone looking to see how and why Spoon became the band that every college kid loved, start, indefinitely, early on with A Series of Sneaks, Kill the Moonlight, and Gimme Fiction. These are the albums that show a band of leather jacket wearing, indie-band drop outs; ready to “drop off a few tunes at the studio”. Everything on these albums breeds improvisation and snot-nosed melodies. Everything after just seems a bit forced into the mainstream.
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Gotta say, I totally agree with your review. I was stoked after hearing Got Nuffin last year and thought it was one of the best songs in their expansive repertoire. Transference was kind of a letdown. I don’t begrudge them a self-produced/self-indulgent album (they’ve earned it) but sometimes an outside producer is there to tell you that you should in fact try to finish your musical thoughts. My disappointment though has certainly not deterred me from buying tix to both nights of their Denver run.
Thanks! Yeah, I totally agree with you on the “producer-effect” on an album/endeavor like Transference. It’s always an unknown factor.
I’ll definitely be at those Denver shows, I’ve never had the opportunity to see Spoon live, so I need to see what all the fuss is about. Hopefully I can get some photogs and other writers in to get a good live review.
The fuss is deserved – they really do put on a good show. First saw them in Denver when they toured for Kill The Moonlight. My friends and I were so impressed we ditched work a couple of days later and drove to Phoenix to see them again. 116 degrees in the shade but it was worth it.