Spoon - Transference poill

We should poll this.

I haven't really kept up since Telephono -- is it wrong to think "Don't Buy the Realistic" should have been included?

This thread revival sent me back on a Spoon kick, revisiting most of their stuff. For me, they're one of those bands that have a few great tracks per album (see my above playlist!), and the rest I can do without... the exception is Transference. There's something about this album that makes it extremely "sticky" for me... every track keeps me hooked in. It's full of all these pleasurable moments and musical ideas -- in particular, terrific guitar parts throughout.

I remember playing the CD for the first time, and snapping to attention when that gtr lines comes in in "Who Makes Your Money" (at around 1:38; you know the one) -- I was like, "Oh damn... this is gonna be one of those albums."

Also, "The Mystery Zone" is their only "funky" song where the "funkiness"really works for me... I've already praised "Trouble Comes Running" to the rafters (above)... etc.

It really has a different sound from all their other Merge albums. I can't really put my finger on why -- many of its elements appear elsewhere, as well -- but even the usual "stiffness" and not-quite-"rock" feeling of Eno's drumming doesn't become tiring to me on this one. It's almost like Transference was recorded by a somehow better, cooler, more interesting band than the other albums... or there was just something special in the water this time, I dunno.

Transference, to me, feels like a return to the Spoon of A Series of Sneaks. More restless, noisier, stranger production choices. A little more of a sketchbook feel. I don't think it's a coincidence that it's their first self-produced album, and their first without Mike McCarthy to reign in their weirder tendencies.

That's the Spoon I like. To me, it'll always be: 1/2. Sneaks/Telephono, 3/4. Girls Can Tell/Kill the Moonlight, 5. Telephono ... then everything else.

So to answer xpost's question: No, not at all. Same goes for "All the Negatives" and "Plastic Mylar"

Did you mean 1/2. Sneaks/Transference? If you did I totally agree

Ga Ga and Transference are where I amicably parted ways with Spoon, I like them both fine but they seemed to have pushed their sound as far out as it could go with Gimme Fiction imho, everything after that has seemed like variations on a theme.

Dunno why hot thoughts is so underrated here. Album effing grooves imo

It's one of my favourites of theirs. Never listened to A Series of Sneaks and Telephono though.

Did you mean 1/2. Sneaks/Transference? If you did I totally agree

― nate woolls, Monday, June 24, 2019 1:40 AM (six hours ago)

No, sorry, I typo'd. I meant: 1/2. Sneaks/Telephono. 3/4. Girls/Kill. 5. Transference.

Admittedly, I should probably revisit Telephono. It's been a long time.

https://www.stereogum.com/2069817/spoon-transference-turns-10/franchises/the-anniversary/

hard to believe the last "beginning of a new decade" was ten years ago.

this album is great, the problem is it followed the three headed beast.

https://www.brooklynvegan.com/shoegaze-cult-heroes-drop-nineteens-discuss-5-albums-that-influenced-their-first-lp-in-30-years/

Greg Ackell – 5 Albums that helped shape Drop Nineteens’ Hard Light

Spoon – Transference

Spoon. Could have picked any one of their albums as an inspiration for Hard Light. I also could have made this list five Spoon albums, because there’s no band I listen to or study more. But then I’d have to leave five Spoon albums out. Britt sounds a little exasperated on this one, coming down from heights of Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga probably. And it’s his least favorite Spoon album. He does seem a little lost. But it’s a very honest album (as a result?). It’s still the only album they self-produced. That line “Times that we met before we met”-just smart as hell. “Out Go the Lights” and “Nobody Gets Me But You” have the kind of outros that make outro heavy bands (like my own) British racing green with envy. It’s hard to make a great album, not sure I’ve made one yet. Now imagine making TEN albums without any being the slightest bit short of great. They didn’t even slip one mediocre one in. Spoon.

I think I own a Drop Nineteen album but never really warmed up to them too much. Anyways, found this and agree with his take.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdMI5w_RVLI