Album Of The Week: Spoon’s Hot Thoughts

When a band has been around for a couple decades, musical lulls are to be expected. It’s rare for an act to consistently put out gems of songs and albums as if it was all planned from the beginning; however, the Austin, Texas, indie rock stalwarts Spoon is one of the rare ones. They released their ninth album, Hot Thoughts, on March 17 and the album shows how far the band has come from the raw angst of their ‘90s material. Today, their rhythmic rock has doses of pop while maintaining a distinct edge. They fuse numerous styles to form an original sound that only Spoon can pull off.

A few of the tracks off of Hot Thoughts are jazzy while a handful of others are funky. Britt Daniel has his trademark charisma flowing with his beatnik lyrics while his guitar slings. Jim Eno, Rob Pope and Alex Fischel join Daniel on multiple instruments. This combination of talents is a perfect recipe for rock ‘n’ roll that stays with you. Whether it’s Daniel’s singing or the variety of structure and rhythms, Spoon goes straight for the soul and never lets go.

What’s the secret to Spoon’s consistency? They’ve never put out a bad album or song despite being fearless with their artistic progression. Perhaps the best answer to the question lies within the music, so get some answers by listening to my top tracks off of the Album Of The Week:

There’s a good reason why the title track, “Hot Thoughts,” both starts the album off and is the lead single. It’s catchy, groovy and can make people move, especially with the way the guitar sneaks in and out. That funk comes through in “Can I Sit Next To You?” Daniel gets his soul on while the bass and drums find the pocket and stay in it. For anyone who has been a long-time fan, “Shotgun” can be a bit nostalgic. The track has an edge that harks back to the band’s early days while the synth gives it a modern feel.

Spoon will be coming back to the New England area and will take the stage at the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion in Boston on July 21. It promises to be one of the best shows of the summer, so it’ll be wise to not miss it. This Texas quartet usually plays something out of the ordinary when they play live, too. Before you see them at your friendly neighborhood music venue, grab a copy of Hot Thoughts. It’s more than hot, this album is on fire.

Stream Spoon’s Hot Thoughts’ via Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/25Z3GFmKx6ntosMpCSngnI; Spoon’s Website: spoontheband.com