The Indie Changeover

With Indie-gone-electronic bands like The Postal Service and Granddaddy headlining the Indie scene, it seems as if the unknown bands are joining the electronic revolution as well. Spoon is no exception. Their newest effort Gimme Fiction is taking the band to a new level. Though still based in their original arena of Classic Rock-influenced songs, Fiction seems to be more about the arrangement and production rather than the stripped-down songwriting of their previous albums. The most obvious example is in “Was it You?” a song with instrumentals and drum lines closely akin to some by the world-renowned DJ Shadow. Other aspects are in the production of such tracks as “I Summon You” which incorporates an acoustic guitar, “The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine” which utilizes a string section and “The Beast and Dragon, Adored” which puts reverb to good use making the vocals sound like that of a young John Lennon, circa The White Album. This gives the album a darker, eclectic and more substantial sound. However, in tracks like “The Infinite Pet” sometimes the instrumentals become monotonous and aren’t so easily swallowed. The blues-y backbone coupled with the lyrics, like chapters from different books spliced together, make sure that the repetitive aspects are not the sole focus.

In the end, Gimme Fiction is Spoon’s most successful endeavor as of yet. It marries their talent for songwriting with technical flair displayed in the production with richly composed lyrics. It is a more comprehensive version of their original music, updated as they join the masses of other bands in utilizing technology to refine their musical voice.