RON HARRIS
Associated Press
“They Want My Soul,” Spoon (Loma Vista/Republic)
The Austin, Texas-born band Spoon is out with its eighth album, “They Want My Soul.” It’s a lush jangle of guitars, smart lyrics and catchy refrains that continues to set the band apart from, well, other bands you’re not quite sure you’ve heard of.
Therein lives the mystery of Spoon. They’re just good enough to make a 20-year career out of music while producing albums and songs you’ve probably overlooked.
That may not last much longer thanks to a couple of standout tracks that are certain to be late-summer earworms once “They Want My Soul” migrates into frequent rotation.
“Do You” is the one song you must know about. It asks of the listener “”Do you want to get understood?/Do you want one thing or are you looking for sainthood?” It has a great pace and is delivered with matching emotion by the band’s electrifying lead singer Britt Daniel.
While “Do You” offers straight-ahead rock, “Outlier” has a more modern feel with its danceable backbeat and ghostly keyboard echoes.
Spoon can do a little bit of everything, and does so on “They Want My Soul.” To sound this fresh after two decades of work speaks to the band’s smartness and savvy. They were one of the crowd favorites during their set at the Shaky Knees Music Festival in Atlanta this year with an energetic stage presence.
Spoon is wearing its experience well these days.
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