Spoon albums
		Spoon is one of those bands. It is hard to describe what they do, but they do it well. It is hard to put them in a genre, besides rock music, but they do whatever it is they do very well. The band covers about every kind of rock music they can, but they remain always emotional, rocking, soft, and heartfelt. They are a band that truly has evolved, and though they were always rather well known for an independent band, they were one of the first "indie" band's to seem and break through in the mid 00's. That is just luck I guess but they deserve all the credit they get, being one of the best all around bands to come out of the 1990's. Their reputation can do nothing but get better and better. Band Members:         Britt Daniels - Vocals, Guitar                                  Jim Eno - Drums                                  Josh Zarbo - Bass                  (it's surprisingly hard to find credits for these guys, I could be wrong here...) Best Album: Girls Can Tell Biggest Influences: Pixies, The Beatles, Elvis Costello                                                          1996                                                          Telephono -  5/8  This band called Spoon sure got off to a great start as far as energy goes. Every song on here kind of speeds by in a very enjoyable way. The thing is, it gets to be a little much sometimes and a bit "same sounding". No matter, even if the whole 14 song album doesn't quite work yet, a lot of this does. Opener "Don't Buy the Realistic" jumps out and sticks with you; "Cvantez" proves the band can do a hell of an emotional ballad; songs like "Neferious", "Towner" and "Dismember" have great parts that point to a hopeful future (great melodies and harmonies, though sometimes a little too heavy). Other great moments (there really are many) include the instrumental "Theme to Wendel Stivers" and the closer "Plastic Mylar".  It's a very half and half album, and the main thing that doesn't work is too many tricky tempo changes and jerky rhythms. Just like the kings of such things, Pixies, Spoon tries to get all in-your-face a little too much. "Government Darling" is the best example of this, trying to use the same trick as "River Euphrates" but not working near as well. There are some pretty bad tracks scattered thoughout....but this is all getting us no where. Despite nit picking everything, Telephono is a sometimes intriguing listen and definitely a promising one, but the band hasn't quite nailed the consistency of a good record yet.  - Trevor e.y. 1.don't buy the realistic- 4 2.not turning off- 3 3.all the negatives have been destroyed- 2 4.cvantez- 4 5.neferious- 3 6.claws tracking- 3 7.dismember- 3 8.idiot driver- 2 9.towner- 3 10.wanted to be your- 1 11.theme to wendel stivers- 4 12.primary- 1 13.the government darling- 2 14.plastic mylar- 4                                                          1998                                                          A Series of Sneaks - 7/8  Spoons second album is their leap into greatness, an album that fulfils the promise of Telephono's best songs ("Plastic Mylar", "Cvantez"). There is not a moment when the album doesn't command the room - truly a force to be reckoned with. There is pure pop - "Car Radio", "Utilitarian", and "Quincy Punk Episode" are all super catchy. Mostly though, the album is littered with songs that reach for the stars, by expanding the band's sound and enriching it. "Metal Detektor" is more than a ballad, it's a soul searching road anthem; "Minor Tough", "Guestlist/Execution" and "No Your Not" have enough twists and turns for two songs apiece while rocking you out; "Chloroform" and "Advance Cassestte" show off new influences - Guided by Voices and the Beatles. Jim Eno shines on many of these songs, becoming more than just a drummer - the MVP in the band. There is enough variety in the album to keep it going throughout its already brief listen; unlike Telephono's struggle to make it all the way through without turning it off. There are some lesser spots, "June's Foreign Spell" and "Starting on the Board" kind of lag, but in all this points the way to a great future for an ever evolving band. - Trevor e.y. An Interruption if You Will: bonus tracks "Laffitte Don't Fail Me Now" & "The Agony of Laffitte"are            great additions to the album. 1.utilitarian- 4 2.the minor tough- 4 3.the guestlist/the execution- 4 4.reservations- 3 5.30 gallon tank- 4 6.car radio- 4 7.metal detektor- 4 8.june's foreign spell- 2 9.chloroform- 3 10.metal school- 3 11.starting on the board- 2 12.no your not- 4 13.quincy punk episode- 4 14.advance cassestte- 4 (15.laffitte don't fail me now- 4) (16.the agony of laffitte- 4)                                                          2001                                                          Girls Can Tell -   8/8    Spoon continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Their 3rd album is the strongest yet and one of the masterpieces of pop music. Fusing The Beatles harmonies, Talking Heads rhythms, and Liz Phair's approach to atmosphere, Girls Can Tell is a force to be reckoned with. It takes a couple of listens to get it all. Each song is an observation on a state of mind - down and out, bad relationships, shitty jobs, and life in general. Some songs make powerful repetitive points ("Believing is Art", "Anything You Want", "10:20 a.m.") and others just groove along in a super melodic fashion ("Everything Hits at Once", "Chicago at Night", "The Fitted Shirt", "Lines in the Suit"). The band unleashes it's best tune to date, "Me and the Bean", creating a yearning and thoughtful account of a love lost that will hopefully sprout again. Also, the instrumental skill of every member shows up in their best non vocal track yet, "This Book is a Movie". The point of all this, is Girls Can Tell works because the band believes in what its doing, Daniels confidence shines though as Spoon constantly evolves. Whatever the band evolves to from here (each album has been a step in the right direction) there is no doubt in my mind that it will be hard to make an album this consistently great again. Here's hoping! - Trevor e.y. 1.everything hits at once- 4 2.believing is art- 4 3.me and the bean- 4 4.lines in the suit- 4 5.the fitted shirt- 4 6.anything you want- 4 7.take a walk- 3 8.1020 am- 4 9.take the fifth- 3 10.this book is a movie- 4 11.chicago at night- 4                                                          2002                                                          Kill the Moonlight -  8/8  Spoon's Kill the Moonlight is a trip in styles. You'd think after Girls Can Tell they would be out of ideas, but they keep getting more and more infatuated with every kind of genre. It works unsurprisingly (the band has always been good at this), Spoon has crafted songs that sound like nothing else the world has ever heard; the band uses various sound effects to make danceable, enjoyable songs. The songs are incredible: "Jonathan Fisk" pays tribute to a Sonic Youth type jam; "Stay Don't Go" reminds us of Roxy Music with just as much emotion; "The Way We Get By" is just plain awesome in only the way Spoon can be. The album only has a couple of song flaws, "All the Pretty Girls" sounds like it borrowed the riff from "A Girl Like You" by Edwyn Collins of Orange Juice fame; "Don't Let it Get You Down" is one short little song too many and sounds a little weary. The album is still a masterwork of sorts though, it is kind of hard to say why - it differs GREATLY from Girls Can Tell, and it expands the bands sound to a more "accessible" kind of rock music. Suffice to say, "Someone Something", "Paper Tiger", and "Back to the Life" would not have been possible on old Spoon records, they are yet another evolution. Kill the Moonlight is short, about 35 minutes long, but it doesn't seem like it goes by too fast. Instead, people are left with the catchy tunes that are very meaningful, that just won't go away, in a good way! Probably the band's most "enjoyable record"; it's so laid back it hides its greatness. - Trevor e.y. 1.small stakes- 4 2.the way we get by- 4 3.something to look forward too- 4 4.stay don't go- 4 5.jonathan fisk- 4 6.paper tiger- 4 7.someone something- 4 8.don't let it get you down- 3 9.all the pretty girls go to the city- 2 10.you gotta feel it- 4 11.back to the life- 4 12.vittorio- 4
	2005                                                            Gimme Fiction -  6/8    This always happens .Yeah yeah yeah... don't give me that it's their best album crap. I like this record, but it pales in comparison to their last three: Series of Sneaks, Girls Can Tell, and Kill the Moonlight. Don't believe the hype, get any of those first! That said, the first four songs on here point to a new direction for the band and they are all great. "Sister Jack" and "Merchants of Soul" are also good and surprisingly accessible for the band. These six songs see the band moving in a good direction, citing everything from past Mick Jagger ("I Turn My Camera On") to futuristic pop ("My Mathmatical Mind", "Beast and Dragon, Adored"). If the rest of the record was consistent with this, it would have worked, and how! But it doesn't: it reverts to techno and acoustic songs. I hate this boring acoustic sound and the faux techno on here, that better not be the way Spoon is going, because they are a great band and it gets in their way. "I Summon You", "The Infinate Pet", "Was it You", "They Never Got You", all horrible songs. It's the classic case of good first half/ bad last half (save the last track) and it's a bloody shame, though still an interesting artifact in this great band's career. - Trevor e.y. 1.the beast and the dragon, adored- 4 2.the two sides of monsuier valentine- 4 3.i turn my camera on- 4 4.my mathmatical mind- 4 5.the delicate place- 3 6.sister jack- 3 7.i summon you- 2 8.the infinate pet- 1 9.was it you- 2 10.they never got you- 2 11.merchants of soul- 4                                                              2007                                                              Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - 6/8      This album may not have the highs of 2005's Gimme Fiction, but it also doesn't have the lows. What we are left with is a less experimental album that takes every noise the band has made in the past and condenses it into normal rock songs. This is the most accessible Spoon album yet, though not the best. The conciseness makes it an easy listen though, and it is nice to see the band in fine form on many tracks. It's literally all over the place, with more instruments ever tried on a Spoon record before. "Rhythm and Soul", "Black Like Me", "Don't You Evah", and "The Ghost of You Lingers" (the only experimental track, with Phillip Glass like piano repetition) are the best songs; "You Got that Cherry Bomb", "Eddie's Ragga", and "Finer Feelings" (best set of lyrics) ain't half bad; "Japenese Ciggertte", "The Underdog", and "Don't Make Me a Target" don't quite work. Notable differences are an emphasis on Zarbo's bass playing, lyrics about selling out, samples, and a sense of fun and freedom present. Honestly, taking the best of this and Gimme Ficiton would have resulted in a great record instead of 2 merely good ones with a bunch of filler.....but this album really just puts you in the mood to sit back and enjoy life. That's some kind of summery after ten years of being a band, I'd say a good one, but I'm hopefully they'll learn toward something more experimental next time - for now just dance along. - Trevor e.y. 1.don't make me a target- 2 2.the ghost of you lingers- 4 3.you go that cherry bomb- 3 4.don't you evah- 4 5.rhthm and soul- 4 6.eddie's ragga- 3 7.the underdog- 2 8.my little japenese ciggertte holder- 2 9.finer feelings- 3 10.black like me- 4