On their eighth LP, Spoon want to you sing along. Where four years prior, Transference found the stylish indie-rock outfit embracing mood and long, groovy passages, They Want My Soul is the shiny pop album Spoon have heretofore only hinted at with songs like "The Underdog" and "I Summon You."
"Knock Knock Knock" and "They Want My Soul" each sport big, boisterous choruses, but in typical Spoon fashion, they're imbued with a sense of space and decorated with sonic curlicues (whistling on the former, barbershop harmony beds on the latter) that ensure they'll linger in your mind. "Inside Out," "Outlier" and "New York Kiss" sparkle with synth flourishes courtesy of new member Alex Fischel, while highlight "Rainy Taxi," on which singer Britt Daniel howls over a propulsive rhythm section, retains Spoon's minimalist signature.
Following the longest between-album wait of their career, They Want My Soul is a bold and swaggering declaration that Spoon have undoubtedly still got it — in spades.
(Loma Vista)"Knock Knock Knock" and "They Want My Soul" each sport big, boisterous choruses, but in typical Spoon fashion, they're imbued with a sense of space and decorated with sonic curlicues (whistling on the former, barbershop harmony beds on the latter) that ensure they'll linger in your mind. "Inside Out," "Outlier" and "New York Kiss" sparkle with synth flourishes courtesy of new member Alex Fischel, while highlight "Rainy Taxi," on which singer Britt Daniel howls over a propulsive rhythm section, retains Spoon's minimalist signature.
Following the longest between-album wait of their career, They Want My Soul is a bold and swaggering declaration that Spoon have undoubtedly still got it — in spades.