TOP 100 ALBUMS EVAR: #81
Spoon: Gimme Fiction (2005) <Merge>
Genre: Rock
Nationality: USA (Austin, TX)
This was my first experience with Spoon, and it’s still to this day my favorite. I’m not sure why. Spoon is one of those bands that has a pretty much immaculate catalog. Almost every album represents the Austin collective just as well, each one slightly different, but wholly alike simultaneously. Gimme Fiction was a step up in production from the effectively sparse Kill The Moonlight. The fidelity increased, and the rhythm got even tighter than ever. The combination of Jim Eno’s precise and unique drumming styles keep Britt Daniel’s affection for static noise from sliding into chaotic confusion. This makes Gimme Fiction a very effective experiment in tension and release. Progressions and structures are kept simple, working in forms of crescendos and climaxes that squeeze and pulse with a sense of urgency. “My Mathematical Mind” slowly climbs in intensity, “The Beast And Dragon Adored” looms with sinister lows, and “Sister Jack” features fits of static convulsions. And while the tension is palpable, the release into mellowed acoustic led numbers like “The Delicate Place” and “I Summon You” are effectively rewarding. This is an album crafted by experts, calculated but organic, vintage sounding but original and unique. This is the kind of stuff that remains timeless for years to come. With a catalog that they have now, Spoon is destined for rock legacy. Key Tracks: “The Beast And Dragon Adored,” “I Turn My Camera On,” “My Mathematical Mind,” “I Summon You”
For Fans Of: The Beatles, T. Rex, Elvis Costello, Pixies