In considering the 10th studio album by Spoon, we take a moment to appreciate what kind of an underappreciated milestone that represents.
Among bands that can be considered part of the first- or second-generation American indie rock cohort, there are plenty of heroes (Pavement, Modest Mouse, the White Stripes, Death Cab for Cutie) who either couldn’t keep it together long enough or have seen their output slowed to a crawl.
Lucifer on the Sofa finds Spoon joining the double-digit club (waddup Sonic Youth, Sleater-Kinney, Guided by Voices, Flaming Lips) in full control of the distinct talents and trademarks that have become familiar on the nine previous LPs – this one distinctly more driving and aggressive than predecessor Hot Thoughts, where synths and atmosphere were the ruling order.
The album’s bookended by its two longest songs and two of the more ruminative tracks, leading off with a faithful cover of Smog’s “Held” and closing with the title track that begins by showcasing moody, scene-setting saxophones for a late-night travelogue through Lavaca Street, West Avenue, thoughts about Dale Watson, and an unnamed someone who has left the narrator to deal with remnants that include records, cassette tapes, letters, pictures, and what lead man Britt Daniel paints to be a small fortune in cigarettes.
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