Muso's Guide - Displaying items by tag: Matador Records

First Listen : Iceage - Catch It

12 February, 2018
Published in First Listen

First Listen is the part of Musos' Guide where we tempt you in with lesser played tracks from the recent past or this very minute. Enjoy.

Live Dates:-

Wed. May 2 – Copenhagen, DE @ Hotel Cecil
Fri. May 4 – Berlin, DE @ Private Club
Sat. May 5 – Amsterdam, NE @ Bitterzoet
Sun. May 6 – Brussels, BE @ Botanique
Mon. May 7 – Paris, FR @ Petit Bain
Tue. May 8 – London, UK @ Scala

Thu. May 10 - Seattle, WA @ Nordic Museum
Wed. May 16 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Thu. May 17 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
Fri. May 18 - Washington, DC @ Union Stage
Sat. May 19 - Richmond, VA @ The Camel
Sun. May 20 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle
Mon. May 21 - Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge
Tue. May 22 - Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
Wed. May 23 - Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
Thu. May 24 - New Orleans, LA @ Santos
Sat. May 26 - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
Sun. May 27 - Austin, TX @ Barracuda
Tue. June 5 - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah *
Wed. June 6 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theater *
Thu. June 7 – Felton, CA @ Don Quixote’s International Music Hall *
Fri. June 8 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall *
Sat. June 9 - Sonoma, CA @ Huichica Music Festival *
Mon. June 11 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios *
Tue. June 12 - Vancouver, BC @ Cobalt *
Thu. June 14 - Spokane, WA @ The Bartlett *
Fri. June 15 - Bozeman, MT @ The Rialto *
Sat. June 16 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court *
Sun. June 17 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater *
Mon. June 18 - Omaha, NE @ Waiting Room *
Tue. June 19 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St Entry *
Wed June 20 - Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club *
Fri. June 22 - Detroit, MI @ El Club *
Sat. June 23 - Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace *
Sun. June 24 - Ottawa, ON @ The 27 Club *
Mon. June 25 - Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa *
Tue. June 26 - Portsmouth, NH @ 3S Artspace *
Wed. June 27 - Boston, MA @ The Sinclair *
The. June. 28 – New York, NY @ Market Hotel *

* = with Mary Lattimore

Spoon - Hot Thoughts

24 March, 2017
Published in Albums

Now in their 24th year as a band, Spoon are still experimenting and pushing genre boundaries on 2017’s Hot Thoughts.

Beginning the record with an electronic jerky feel, title track ‘Hot Thoughts’ rings out a smoothly tense and echoey launch. The unpredictable nature of this record as it unfolds its various musical styles throughout is refreshing to hear. There are nods to dance, indie rock, post-punk and garage rock in there, but not for long. Blink and its dispersed. Just as you've had time to decipher in which direction Spoon have decided to take you, you’re left bewildered and intrigued. ‘Can I Sit Next To You’ and ‘WhisperI’lllistentohearit’ are restless and enthralling highlights.

Moving away from the lo-fi sounds of 2014’s They Want My Soul, Hot Thoughts has moved in a much more digital direction but hasn't forgotten to skilfully blend instrumentation into its craft. Britt Daniel’s gravelly voice accommodates each style particularly well and the power that he achieves is carried out rather smartly in addition. Packed with disco beats and alternative offerings Hot Thoughts is neither unsurprising or lacking in variation. It is in fact quite the opposite. With its modern and refreshing perspectives on musicality, it is perhaps a route that isn't used often enough – luckily one that Spoon are willing to hurtle through.

Seeing off the record with an ominous saxophone passage, Spoon’s goodbye in ‘Us’ is in clear contrast to the edgy tracks that come beforehand. It is an exit until the next time. Spoon have assembled yet another brilliant set of songs and presented them in a way in which they should be delighted with. There is absolutely no risk of boredom here and they have made sure of it.

Hot Thoughts is available via Amazon and iTunes.