Transference

As soon as the album begins the haunting synth of ‘Before Destruction’sets the stage for Spoon’s latest journey through sound. Unfortunately the arrhythmic transitions and sense of déjà vu make the album feel fractured and prosaic. In their past six albums the band had moved past their likening to The Pixies to create their own sound, which slowly evolved and entranced fans who had been with them from the beginning. I feel that Transference fails to be a big step forward, but then again is certainly not a step back; to me it feels like a tribute to their past works.

Though perhaps lacking in originality when compared to other works, there are still a few good tracks and some fine examples of true Spoon sound. As said before, the opening track, though not as racy as the beginning of other albums, is certainly captivating in its simplicity and raw production. According to the band, this track among others is the original demo version, giving it a more personal feel, almost as if you are right there in the studio. In a world of pop where overproduction and piercing vocals are the norm this is a refreshing change. In tracks like ‘I Saw The Light’ Britt Daniels’ voice often feels like it is a secondary instrument to the guitars or drums. Only in the first single from the album, ‘Written In Reverse’, does Britt force his voice to its limits. The falsettos and screeching of “I’m not standing here” aren’t complex and yet are full of emotional vigour. It is almost a shriek of pain and in an upbeat tempo it enforces the theme of frustration over empty love integrated in the lyrics. All of the album’s sounds are simplistic and the melodies subtle, yet each track still manages to feel packed with always something to listen to. As such this is very much an enjoyable listen, but it fails to leave a lasting impression. It puts forwards more of a mood than a melody, one that is slightly more world weary than their previous efforts. ‘Trouble Comes Running’ features the only earworm the album has to offer, which for those addicted to hooks may make it boring on the whole. Though there are certainly some interesting tracks, they perhaps belong in a shuffled playlist as they don’t flow together in this order. Nevertheless Transference is worth a listen. Indeed, it delivers if you aren’t expecting an original masterpiece.