{"id":633,"date":"2007-07-10T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2007-07-10T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2008-12-10T23:03:42","modified_gmt":"2008-12-10T23:03:42","slug":"spoon-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/spoon-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga\/","title":{"rendered":"Spoon&#8217;s <em>Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga<\/em> Induces New Album Fever"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe class='youtube-player youtuber' type='text\/html' width='425' height='355' src='http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/z_HlMQuwtEw?rel=0&amp;fs=1&amp;ap=%252526fmt%253D18' webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen frameborder='0'><\/iframe><br \/>\nMy music loving buddies and I have a term, I don\u2019t know if we invented it or not, but we use it all the time, it\u2019s called <strong>New Album Fever<\/strong>.  New Album Fever can best be described as the instant love of a new album by a favorite band, the proclamation of it as <em>the best album since<\/em>\u2026 New Album Fever, like most fevers, eventually goes away, and you realize that actually, now that the initial excitement has worn off, the album really isn\u2019t that good.  Bands like <strong>Wilco<\/strong>, <strong>The White Stripes<\/strong>, and <strong>Radiohead<\/strong>, all are known to cause varying degrees of New Album Fever.  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Spoon<\/strong>\u2019s last album, <em>Gimme Fiction<\/em>, the follow-up to the massively critically acclaimed <em>Kill the Moonlight<\/em>, induced a huge case of the Fever with me.  It pushed all the right pleasure buttons, but really didn\u2019t hold up for me over the long haul.  I know a few of you will remember that it was one of our early Thursday Selection albums, and it was under the really close scrutiny I gave it then, that I came to the realization that other than a handful of songs, it wasn\u2019t a very good album.<\/p>\n<p>So I came upon the new Spoon album, <em><strong>Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga<\/strong><\/em>, with a feeling that they had to prove something to me as a listener.  Would they continue in the vein of <em>Gimme Fiction<\/em>, which not only lacked cohesion, but also lacked a real identity?  Would this album be a return of the experimentalism of <em>Kill The Moonlight<\/em>, or would it be a return of the <strong>Pixies meets GBV<\/strong> sound of their first two albums?<\/p>\n<p>The answer is really <em>none of the above<\/em>.  This album feels like their transitional third LP, <em>Girls Can Tell<\/em>, which coincidentally is also my second-favorite Spoon album.  And like that album, it has a laid-back, confident, more mature feel. Don\u2019t read too much into that, they\u2019re still trying some new things, and they pull them off too, but more on that in a minute!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2001%20Don't%20Make%20Me%20A%20Target.mp3\" title=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2001%20Don't%20Make%20Me%20A%20Target.mp3\"><strong>Don&#8217;t Make Me A Target<\/strong><\/a><!--Media Player file:http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2001%20Don't%20Make%20Me%20A%20Target.mp3--><br \/>\n<!--more--><br \/>\nOpening track <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2001%20Don't%20Make%20Me%20A%20Target.mp3\" title=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2001%20Don't%20Make%20Me%20A%20Target.mp3\">&#8220;Don\u2019t Make Me a Target&#8221;<\/a><\/strong> opens with a guitar riff that is so drenched in reverb that <strong>Dick Dale<\/strong> would drown in it.  I like it.  It\u2019s full of short little guitar bursts threatening to short out your speakers.  I have no idea what the song is about, but it works for me.  It\u2019s catchy, it rocks a little, it has a little walking the bass thing groove thing happening, <strong>Jim Eno<\/strong>\u2019s drums sound cool, and lead Spoon man <strong>Britt Daniels<\/strong>\u2019 voice, which has always been a major draw for me, is on.  He\u2019s got one of those cool rock voices, where it doesn\u2019t really matter to me what he\u2019s saying.  Daniels isn\u2019t the greatest guitar player by any stretch of the imagination, he\u2019s a more than capable rhythm guy though, and he can carry a solo.<\/p>\n<p><iframe class='youtube-player youtuber' type='text\/html' width='425' height='355' src='http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NKmgUdRAzxQ?rel=0&amp;fs=1&amp;ap=%252526fmt%253D18' webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen frameborder='0'><\/iframe><strong>&#8220;The Ghost of You Lingers&#8221;<\/strong>, track 2, is where things really get interesting.  Daniels multitracks his vocals, so it almost sounds like different people singing back and forth across the room to each other.  It sounds great in headphones.  His voice has a real longing here.  A very emotional track, it\u2019s all built on top of a simple piano riff, with the different vocal parts weaving in and out of the mix.  This is highlight number one of the album.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2003%20You%20Got%20Yr.%20Cherry%20Bomb.mp3\" title=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2003%20You%20Got%20Yr.%20Cherry%20Bomb.mp3\"><strong>You Got Yr Cherry Bomb<\/strong><\/a><br \/>\n<!--Media Player file:http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2003%20You%20Got%20Yr.%20Cherry%20Bomb.mp3--><\/p>\n<p>Track 3, <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2003%20You%20Got%20Yr.%20Cherry%20Bomb.mp3\" title=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2003%20You%20Got%20Yr.%20Cherry%20Bomb.mp3\">&#8220;You Got Yr Cherry Bomb&#8221;<\/a><\/strong> is highlight number 2 of the album, and introduces a new sound for the band.  The backing track reminds me of a wall of sound girl group track, with bells, vibes, tambos, and that four on the floor drumbeat. It also introduces a horn section, for I believe the first time on a Spoon record, but it\u2019s not that <strong>Frat Boy party sax<\/strong> sound, it\u2019s that lets get to the dirt underneath sound, it augments the track, it doesn\u2019t dominate it.  This is a really cool track, it\u2019s a hit in my world, for what ever that\u2019s worth.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8220;Don\u2019t You Evah&#8221;<\/strong>, is a bit of a groove piece, the guitar drops into the background, and the bass and drums come up in the mix.  There\u2019s not a whole lot to say about this song, Spoon has done this before, and they do it well here.  Again, I don\u2019t have a clue what he\u2019s singing about.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8220;Rhthm and Soul&#8221;<\/strong> &#8211; no that\u2019s not a typo &#8211; is another song that could\u2019ve been on <em>Girls Can Tell<\/em>, it\u2019s not really remarkable, but it\u2019s not bad either.  It\u2019s filler, but the good kind. I\u2019d say it\u2019s a winner; it\u2019s just not particularly memorable.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8220;Eddie\u2019s Raga&#8221;<\/strong> is actually pretty forgettable, it reminds me of &#8220;Monsieur Valentine&#8221;, so if you liked that track on the last album, you\u2019ll like it.  I\u2019m not doing back flips over this one.  They\u2019ve been there done that.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2007%20The%20Underdog.mp3\" title=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2007%20The%20Underdog.mp3\"><strong>The Underdog<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--Media Player file:http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2007%20The%20Underdog.mp3--><\/p>\n<p>Things start to get interesting again with track 7, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2007%20The%20Underdog.mp3\" title=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2007%20The%20Underdog.mp3\">&#8220;The Underdog&#8221;<\/a>, which apparently, they recorded in LA with <strong>Jon Brion<\/strong>.  But have no fear, this doesn\u2019t sound like a <strong>Fiona Apple<\/strong> track; believe it or not, it sounds like a <strong>Billy Joel<\/strong> track.  It\u2019s a dead ringer for &#8220;Only the Good Die Young&#8221;, and that\u2019s a good thing, at least in my world.  They\u2019ve got a cool handclap thing going on here, and again the horns really make the track.  Well that and the syncopation, NICE.  This is going to be one of the hits of the summer for me, it\u2019s a really cool tune, a head bobber.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8220;My Little Japanese Cigarette Case&#8221;<\/strong>, is actually better than the title would suggest; it sounds cool, but I don\u2019t really think the song is about anything, if it is, I can\u2019t figure it out.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2009%20Finer%20Feelings.mp3\" title=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2009%20Finer%20Feelings.mp3\"><br \/>\n<strong>Finer Feelings<\/strong><\/a><br \/>\n<!--Media Player file:http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2009%20Finer%20Feelings.mp3--><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2009%20Finer%20Feelings.mp3\" title=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/spoonRTH\/Spoon%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%2009%20Finer%20Feelings.mp3\"><strong>&#8220;Finer Feelings&#8221;<\/strong><\/a> is another standout track for me, a cool little riff, and it\u2019s another industry song.  If Britt can find Commercial appeal, can he find love, will his heartache be chased away?  Dude, I have no idea if you have any commercial appeal, but this song is great.  Keep em coming.  I like when you sing about something.  Of course this band has felt the <strong>Judas Kiss<\/strong> of the majors before, will they be lured into that again, or will they stick with Merge, there home since being dropped after <em>A Series of Sneaks<\/em>?  Who knows, this song leads me to believe that their eyes are a little more wide open this time.  They know what to expect should they be courted again.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8220;Black Like Me&#8221;<\/strong> is standout track number 5.  Here we find Daniels really searching for a soul mate, there\u2019s genuine yearning in this song.  I believe it when he says all he wants is someone to take care of him tonight.  He sounds lonely, but not defeated, a little hopeful maybe.  This song is the perfect album closer, it slowly builds from just voice and acoustic guitar to a full-blown band track with building strings in the background, and then, it just abruptly ends.  Nothing.  It leaves you wanting more.<\/p>\n<p>At 10 tracks, and 36 minutes, the album feels just about right.  It leaves you <strong>wanting more<\/strong>, not feeling exhausted or bored as often happens in this digital age.  I find myself hitting the skip button more and more, or scrolling to another album on the mp3 player if I start to get a little bored.  I have too much music at my fingertips to put up with too many tracks that sound the same.  Give me a cohesive piece of art; give me an album that has ups and downs, that is well paced.  This is a well-paced album, the sequencing is really nice, it has peaks and valleys, a real flow to it.  The middle sounds like the Spoon you\u2019ve known, but the front and back ends of this album are really amazing.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m not sure about the album title, <em>Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga<\/em>. Is there some significance to that?  Are they saying it doesn\u2019t really matter what you call an album these days, &#8217;cause it\u2019s just a download anyway?  I really don\u2019t know but I suspect that might be the case.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m back on board the Spoon bandwagon. They followed up an album that disappointed me with an album that has really taken hold of me.  I bet I\u2019ve listened to this 20 times in the past couple of weeks.  Sure I thought it was a bit lackluster at first, my expectations were low, but man, it has won me over in a big time way.  Check it out if you haven\u2019t already.  It continues the hot streak that <strong>Merge Records<\/strong> has been on for the past few years, of just releasing stellar album after album.  They\u2019re the best label around, and they look to be upping the ante with this one.  This one is going to be on just about every year-end best of list.  Ignore the hype, and just have some fun with it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My music loving buddies and I have a term, I don\u2019t know if we invented it or not, but we use it all the time, it\u2019s called New Album Fever. New Album Fever can best be described as the instant love of a new album by a favorite band, the proclamation of it as the <a href='https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/spoon-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga\/' class='excerpt-more'>[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[342],"tags":[65],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/633"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=633"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/633\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}