Album Review | Spoon : Gimme Fiction (2005, Merge)

Britt Daniels' music has been a study of careful restraint, coupled with a peaked anticipation in every note. It was not until A Series of Sneaks was released in the wake of being dropped by Elektra, that Daniels became a darling with the indie crowd. Taking the indie-paved road of endless touring and releasing 7-inches, singles and split EPs, followed with brilliant records, his every movement became eagerly awaited by both followers and critics. A decade years into careers their, Daniels and his long-time musical cohort Jim Eno (drums) release their fifth full-length, on the surging on the pressure of their biggest critical praise yet.

On Gimme Fiction, Daniels' graveled, nasal croon takes the knowing stride of an aged guide touring a foreign, fading life. His voice is as dryly soulful as indie rock gets, shaming his contemporaries. "I Turned My Camera On" is a metronomic timebomb tick tuned to blue-eyed soul as Daniels channels the smoothest of white boy grooves. Cooing harmonies and scratching guitars layer over bass heavy piano rhythms on "My Mathematical Mind", as Daniels' driving lyrical proclamation is eventually overcome by unrestrained cymbal work washing the eardrums.

Spoon has shown over the last several records a much more dense concept of their own music, incorporating more instrumentation into their repertoire. 2002's Kill the Moonlight took them in off in a different path from their prior record (2001's Girls Can Tell) with a quieter, more sparse sound combined with more emphasis on lush key arrangements around Daniels' willowy wail. On this record they seem to combine this with the pounding, focused release of Girls Can Tell, still maintaining the starkness and distance that gives their much it's depth.

Proving the formula is "Delicate Place", which floats with a Byrds-ian shimmer and spasms with the occasional Neil Young-reminding, choked guitar freak-out. The trippy monotonal dirge of "Was It You" interweaves keys, bass and synth pulses until thunder and lightning lead seamlessly into the strumming melody of "They Never Got You". The song then fades the record out as a singular cello vibe expands into a wide, vibrantly arrangement that apexes downward into shuffled hand claps.

With all eyes and ears focused on Daniels and company, they have used the opportunity well. Gimme Fiction is the record that will unite the sides of Spoon as well as their supporters, possibly making them one of the brightest forces in independant music. Only time will tell if all the attention can help the band maintain their consistency from one record to the next.



Spoon's Official Website www.spoontheband.com
Merge Records Website www.mergerecords.com/

Reviewed for www.earlash.com