Spoon came through NYC and played the cavernous (yet awesome) Radio City Music Hall last week on their Transference tour. Much has been said of Spoon being able to craft meticulous albums of tensioned restraint – their songs always seem to be on the verge of something epic and just as a face-melt crescendo might occur the reins are brought in before anything can really let loose.
As records, the Spoon albums are machined to be compact and are carefully calibrated for an optimal dosage. Live, however, the methodical modesty of their work can be a bit tedious for me.
As someone who is all too willing to give hair-brained advice to those who don’t need it, I think Spoon would do well for themselves if they were to emote a bit or even go full-tilt emo. As of now, Daniels has a great John Lennon-esque shredded voice that is underused on the Spoon songs to-date and a little emotional ‘sturm and drang’ would make a welcome change, or if nothing else, a welcomed juxtaposition to their current body of work.
Anywho, The Damned cover included here was the clear highlight of the show for me. This is a cover of The Damned’s raver “Love Song”, which, as Spoon has done here – slowed it down, makes for a much more interesting song. [Side Note:] The Damned is an example of a band that criminally under-uses the vocal talents of a great voice in the lead singer. I alluded to this point in a post some time ago here.
Anyway, Spoon’s treatment of this particular song suits it quite well.
[audio: http://www.thesoundofindie.com/archive/2010/20100407/Spoon-LoveSong.mp3|titles=Love Song (The Damned Cover Live)|artists=Spoon]Download: Spoon – Love Song (The Damned Cover Live)
