Album Details

• Artist: Spoon
• Album: Transference
• Label: Merge
• Year of Release: 2010
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: tosnob on 2010-02-06

Spoon are a band at a crossroads. They are undeniably one of the most popular bands in indie rock. Their last album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, was possibly their most accessible, which of course brought them to a wider audience than ever before. So what do they do for their follow-up? Do they continue down their existing path and produce an album that will be embraced by the masses (as mass as indie rock fans can be) or do they detour into a more artistic sound?

The answer we get from the new album Transference is firmly the latter.

Taking a page out of the Wilco playbook, Britt Daniel and company have produced an album that is both familiar yet experimental. The band uses their well-established sound as a jumping off point. Tethered by their metronome-like rhythms, the group is free to push the boundaries.

Nearly every one of the tracks has an element of experimentation to it. From the jazzy snare of album opener "Before the Destruction" to the multi-track echo vocals of "Is Love Forever?" to the Wild West saloon piano aura of "Written In Reverse" there is plenty to absorb.

There's a loose, laidback jam feel to much of the music as well. "Who Makes Your Money" settles into a hypnotic mellow groove. "I Saw the Light" begins its life as a blues-inspired track, but morphs itself into a free-flowing sonic journey of discovery.

There are a couple of songs that should hold mass appeal. "Trouble Comes Running" boasts a solid hook, punched up by great backing vocals. A Joy Division-esque guitar riff pumps life into the rocker "Got Nuffin'".

Transference may not propel Spoon to the top of any radio playlists, but it is a magnificent document of a band that is evolving and growing its sound.

User Reviews and Comments

on 2009-12-01 dscanland Said:

Transference is the most anticipated album of 2010... By me anyway! lol
Not Rated