WERS 88.9 fm - Album Review: Spoon - Transference

February 16^th, 2010

On their seventh studio album, Spoon comes full circle and returns to a stripped down sound reminiscent of their early albums.  2010's Transference is quite the contrast from the catchy rhythms of 2007's Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga.   On Transference, Spoon opens up their arms and embraces their indie-rock roots with a stripped-down do-it-yourself sound.

Spoon treated this album as a total in-house project.  All of the songs were written by front man Britt Daniel. They recorded the tracks in Daniel's home. The recording sessions were engineered by Daniel and the band's drummer Jim Eno, and they produced all of the tracks themselves.  The result of the band taking such a hands-on approach gives the record a raw feel that matches Daniels lyrics to a tee.  His vocal grit shines through against the albums minimalism to truly convey the emotion of every single song. 

The band shows their musicals goals in the first two tracks; the album opener "Before Destruction" is the perfect example of the demo-style Spoon was trying to capture.  In fact "Before Destruction" is so stripped down that the second track, "Is Love Forever?" sounds cathartic, even though it fits perfectly with the less-is-more theme of the album.  The combination of the demo-style and the produced tracks creates a musical texture that keeps the listener attentive and guessing what they have up next.

Lyrically, this album takes you on a rollercoaster ride of a failed relationship.  While another album about heartbreak may seem like white noise, Britt Daniel has found an interesting way to share it with his fans.  Each song is another step in the saga of this relationship.  It is presented in a very personal way that connects with anyone who has found themselves in a similar situation.

While Transference may be a diversion from the typical Spoon sound, it is a welcomed changed that brings the band full circle and back to their Indie-Rock roots.

-By Katie DiMartile