Very often you hear a band's album for the first time and it prompts you to dive into the band's previous releases in search of more. But, very occasionally, you get an album that's not only absolutely exquisite, but you know that, since it's the band's 9th album, it's actually taken the previous 8 albums to come up with something as amazing as the latest one – and this is my feeling on Spare Snare's brand new offering which is nothing short of mind-blowing. A quintet from Dundee, they've come up with something that's new, refreshing, different and succeeds on every level.
The album opens with “And Now It's Over” and immediately you're launched into a world filled with shards of jangly guitar that cut like a knife, restrained megafone-esque lead vocal that's got a real haunting quality to it, garagey drums with booming resonance, sparingly used background synth fx for extra depth and texture, deep bass and, ultimately, a striking melodic lead guitar figure that covers the layers of ringing and chiming guitars that provide the expanse over which the vocals intone and there's an almost Krautrock feel to the arrangement. “Zappa Is Sound” opens with more of that magnificent sounding drum work and I'd love to know how they produced this to get such a huge yet loose sound out of those drums. Joining this is a strident, powerful upfront bass guitar lead that cycles this melody round and round over the ever intensifying crunch of the drums. All around this, synths swoop and soar until, eventually, the vocal emerges as this guy sounds positively drugged out, providing a lead vocal that's on another planet, to which are added brief harmony vocals, more chiming fx, cut-ups and treated guitars somewhere, the result being the finest track that vintage seventies Faust never released. The overall effect is a mix of mesmerising, disturbing, and absolutely brain-melting – it's the aural equivalent of a scary movie that really messes with your head – and just stunning!
“Gold In Her Hand” opens with a flare of lead guitar before the whole band come crashing in on this tidal wave of garage rhythms, fx, guitars and more as the megafone, laconic lead vocal intones the lyrics like some kind of serial killer on a day off, as the whole track stomps, crunches and burns with flaming density, so much going on, you're almost being defied to take it all in one sitting and, once again, the effect is unlike anything else you've encountered in decades.”All The Little Things” opens with bouncing fx, crashing percussion, more laid-back lead vocal, more crashing percussion as this time the vocal goes from almost whispered low register to high-end whine as the background of crashing, crunching percussion, drums and hi-density bass are joined by a distant organ figure, more fx and the whole song is like a collision between Syd Barrett and seventies Faust, utterly compulsive listening and the work of completely insane geniuses, that drums sound the stuff of dreams and nightmares alike. “Up Against It” starts with the brooding vocal – on its own – scarily so – then suddenly it's plunged into the title as the singer intones it in almost choir-like fashion with an almost church-like fx backing, then the drums crunch in with another insistent rhythm, the bass pounds in the foreground to powerful degree and this rhythm is absolutely stunning. On top, a combination of hi-pitched lead guitar, fx and the multi-tracked lead and harmony vocals provide the repeated intonation and singing of the title to hypnotic degree and it just takes you over, holding you in its arms with loving care at the same time threatening to crush you at any moment, but you never once want it to let go. “Obviously Too Obvious” is a short instrumental featuring acres of electric and electrifying guitar intensity surrounded by, then ultimately dropping down to, circular electronic fx, more cut-ups, geiger-counter electronics. “Didn't Know Much” then maintains the sedateness of the mood as gentle acoustic guitar and warm electronic undertow are joined by a melodic harmonica, more flowing electronic undercurrents, deep bass, lilting percussives and there's an almost optimistic quality to it – then the lead vocal enters with its brooding but slightly more energetic quality, that provides the darkness to complement and contrast with the main melodic qualities of the song, as the percussion gathers strength and pace, while the track never loses its light and airy yet mysterious feel throughout. “In A State” returns to the stonking rhythms only this time in a lighter vein although still resonant as what amounts to the closest thing to a “normal” song ensues. The low-down pitch of the lead vocal intones the song with feeling as the electronics and guitars backdrops blends together, the bass equally resonant, added vocal fx and more cut-ups becoming the icing on a still weird sounding cake. But if that was strange, wait till you hear “My Mister Men” which opens with clattered percussion then gives way to a lone lead vocal that sounds amazingly like Can's old singer Malcolm Mooney, before the bounce of a deep electronic rhythm comes to the fore over which a plethora of spoken-word samples mix with electronic backdrops as the rhythm provides the hook and more layers are added frfom instruments and vocals, but this time with more subtlety to it all as the strangeness of the psychedelic vision cuts and drives, bleeps and soars, adding layers and becoming another mesmerising, bubbling concoction that's just smoking. The album ends with “Excuse My French” and if you'd not had your senses reeling by now, this one will have them in a spin for sure as this cyclical mix of ringing, chiming, scything lead guitars, pounding bass, crunching drums and all manner of fx, not to mention that deep, dark, haunting lead vocal, all combine to end the album on a mind-expanding, never-ending trip.
Overall, this album's faultless, innovative, unlike anything else around since the inventive and adventurous days of early seventies Faust and Can, but taking that spirit into completely modern realms and coming up with a work that's complete genius. An album to be treasured!!!