Spoon -- Ga Ga Ga GaIt's tempting at times to think of
Spoon as almost minimalist. The course of their concise discography isn't overflowing, it's a neatly packed collection of trim pop songs borne from a DIY ethos that they've probably graduated past, but clearly never ventured too far from.
Compared to a contemporary like say
Ryan Adams,
Britt Daniel could appear downright stingy.
6 albums in ten years?
What's he waiting for -- the time to write, record and compile cohesive collections of songs?
It's a novel, almost nostalgic approach to a music career that feels neither as forced or false as the Luddite pretensions that
Jack White used to distract us from his other collection of gimmicks and the off-handed way he's applied his substantial talents.
But truly, I wouldn't even call
Spoon thrifty.
The arrangements are economical for sure. They understand the power of well planned tambourine and shaker on the central nervous system of higher apes (it's the "power to move you," obvs). They aren't past augmenting the verse/chorus changes of "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb" or "Underdog" with some tasteful horns. But they never exceed their own careful musical constructs.
The tambourine is
Carey Grant's perfectly placed pocket square.
The strings on "My Little Japanese Cigarette Case" are the creases in
James Bond's tux pants.
The light but near constant harmonies are Crown Royal on the rocks -- classic, a little Coke would just fuck it right up.
In every other direction popular music is positively Baroque.
Hip hop use to be a trio of MCs and one DJ. Now you need beats phat enough to make people shit their pants from the subsonics and least 5 dudes to yell "UNNNHH, Yeah."
Beyonce and
Christina Aguilera have bent more notes in the past 5 years than in the entire proceeding history of gospel music. And all with 50 costume changes a night and more dancers than the standing armies of a third world country. (In a shocking turn of events, the Bootylicious Dancers have invaded Gana and overthrown the democratically elected parliament. Truly ladies and gentlemen, today will go down as the Drrrtiest day in modern African politics.")
Jeff Tweedy has a lot of
Wilco fans wondering how getting OFF drugs lead him on the wank path to
Garcia-ville.
Sure, sometimes bigger can work.
Right now I'd say
Arcade Fire is making their circus tent of performers pretty compelling, but they're about one more a-hole with a glockenspiel or an extended hurdygurdy solo away from getting a beat down with their own didgeridoos.
Spoon is cool.
Spoon is in control.
Spoon is throughly modern and thus throughly classic.
Spoon is band that you can call (what at one time wasn't really a compliment for professional band, but rather a requirement) a tight band.
Here's to good taste judiciously dispensed and here's to hoping
Ga Ga Ga Ga is another stepping stone, not a pinnacle.
Got a nice beat. Easy to dance to. Give it about a ...
Rating: 4/5
-GorillaLabels: 4, Gorilla, Spoon
