# IRC Artist of the Month: Joseph Denney, aka Spirit Spine

- Link: https://indierockcafe.com/2009/02/irc-artist-spirit-spine/
- Published: 2009-02-07T15:13:00-05:00
- Author: Max Hammer

[[Spirit Spine self portrait
 New musicians popping up in recent weeks are beginning
to make 2009 look like a promising year for indie rock, electronica and pop.

Yet another relatively unknown talent has caught our attention, and we think his
sound will appeal to many people who have reacted so positively to Blind Man’s Colours’
post a couple of weeks ago.

Joseph Denney, aka, Spirit Spine, is a freshmen at Indiana University in Bloomington,
who began a “music project” last fall that friends encouraged. His friends were 
right to encourage him. The result is a collection of sprawling, dreamy, psychedelic
and pop-oriented songs that we keep playing again and again.

[[“My new album,” Denney wrote in an email to IRC, “is self-titled and has been 
compared to “Panda Bear + MGMT + New Order” and ‘The Beach Boys fronted by Lou Reed
high on Nyquil and Redbull’ I was greatly influenced by Phil Spector’s “Wall of 
Sound” Technique as well as Surf Rock and 80’s Pop.”

That’s an excellent comparison. You can hear more of his other influences – like
Joy Division and Beck, in Denney’s music as well, not to mention the obvious Animal
Collective influences.

Denney says he created all of the music using the the computer software program 
Garageband on the Mac and some 8-tracking. This is an amazing example of how one
talented young musician in the technological age can write, record, manufacture,
distribute and market his own music for the rest of us to enjoy.

Highlights from Spirit Spine’s debut include “Trickledown”, “Crashers (Highs and
Lows)”, “Heart Races”, “Raptures” and “Faustian Vice”.

Related Post:  Dead Kennedy's Singer Ron 'Skip' Greer Joins Brooklyn Indie Rock 
Band Lightouts

Spirit Spine is a force to be reckoned with in 2009, and hopefully many of you will
agree. The album Spirit Spine is available on iTunes through Lovegiffrae Records.

“Trickledown” – Spirit Spine from s/t
 “Crashers (Highs and Lows)” – Spirit Spine
from s/t

[Spirit Spine MySpace page ](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/spiritspine)

Check back for a follow-up review on this amazing indiest of indie releases for 
2009.

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