CD Review: Spoon Cement A Legacy With Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

It's tough to believe that Spoon have been playing in Austin for almost thirteen years. Few who saw them gig during their early, Pixies-inspired days would've predicted that in 2007, Spoon would have one of the most bulletproof catalogs in indie rock. Their entire tenure with Merge Records has been stellar, showcasing a band who found confidence in independence and the concept of a slow but deliberate artistic and commercial build. Britt Daniel hasn't relied much on showmanship during the process, as his black and white outfits aren't a White Stripes-style diversion but rather a reflection of his simple and precise musical raison d'être.

What we admire most about the band is the ability to stay consistent while continuing to grow. While other rock saviors get stuck repeating themselves (Interpol, The Strokes) or overreaching (The Killers), Spoon seem to keep some core elements in place (short songs, great basslines, and concise lyrics) on every album, but throw us new twists every time. This formula of 80% reliable, 20% experimental has turned them into the Clint Eastwood of the genre: critically respected, commercially accessible, and appreciated more over time.

The winning streak continues on Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, Spoon's oddly-titled but hugely enjoyable new album. The experimentation is surprisingly pushed right to the front of the running order, as politically charged "Don't Make Me A Target" marries angry words about "nuclear dicks with their dialect drawls" with discordant noise that gradually moves to the front of the mix over the song's short playing time. Second track "The Ghost Of You Lingers" gets even weirder, with staccato piano bits mixed with heavily muffled, haunting vocals. "Ghost" is jarring on first listen, but gradually gets prettier as one gets their mind around the spooky minimalist vibe. So about eight minutes into the record, you're sure that Daniel has decided to go arty at last, gunning for a "statement" album at the expense of casual fans and record sales. And then...

"You Got Yr Cherry Bomb" is the most commercial and radio-friendly track Spoon have ever recorded. It's even got a horn section, for the love of Stax. The 3:08 of "Cherry Bomb" may be the most fun thing you hear on an album this year, and will undoubtedly be played to death on satellite radio and on umpteen fall TV shows. Not that we mind. The album then mines familiar territory with "Don't You Evah," which has Girls Can Tell written all over it for the devoted Spoon listener. Also, it has lots of clapping. The album's midsection continues in this vein, evoking the beloved sounds of Girls and Kill The Moonlight with lots of space between notes, great hooks, and a faintly sinister vibe a la "Everything Hits At Once." That section concludes with the second catchiest tune on the album (and first single) "The Underdog." The horn section is once again employed to positive effect, and the song's simple chord structure and shuffling rhythm section put the listener into the mood to dance, or at least shoulder shimmy a bit. The album's close returns to some slight experimentation, as there's a noisy art number with static and sitar ("My Little Japanese Cigarette Case"), a jammy bit ("Finer Feelings"), and an acoustic, Beatlesy ending ("Black Like Me"). As with other Spoon releases, the band is smart enough to keep the album length short and leave the listener wanting a little more.

In the end, at the very least Spoon will be remembered as the benchmark for Austin's indie-rock scene. But it's more likely than not that they'll continue in the vein of bands like Wilco, forging ahead with their personal musical mission while continually building a groundswell of support for who they are and what they do. And in today's download-crazy, short attention span musical climate, that's as much as one can ask.

[Spoon MySpace]
[Spoon Official Site]

Image via Merge Records.