Album Review: Transference - Spoon

In criminal law, the burden of proof is on the accuser. And in music, the burden of proof is on the artist. I don’t listen to a lot of indie/alternative rock, so pretty much any band I do listen to has some extra work to do to convert me. Transference is a new album from Spoon, and while it doesn’t convert me, it’s certainly worth a download and a listen.

Stereotypes are dangerous, and I admit that I have a few. When I think of the genre, I picture a grungy band in a pub or cozy concert venue with exposed brick all around, playing laid-back guitar and piano-driven tracks about relationships and other everyday abstractions. Most of the songs on this album make me feel like I’m in one of those intimate live music venues, nursing a Newcastle, and thinking, “Hey, these guys are pretty good,” but ultimately knowing I’ll forget about them the next morning.

A couple of songs did get my attention though:



The Mystery Zone offers some extra funk and comes off sounding a little like the Rolling Stones’ Miss You. Out Go the Lights has crossover appeal that would translate well to radio, which is a compliment from an indie novice like me. Finally, the metronome-like percussion and abbreviated guitar notes in Nobody Gets Me But You make it sound like an 80s pop-rock amalgamation.

Anyway, whether you religiously listen to indie and alternative rock or not, Transference is an enjoyable album. I give it a 3.75 out of 5. But if you’re an aspiring indie listener seeking an ideal starting point in the genre, keep looking.

Listen to samples and download the MP3 album: