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CMJ gives praise to Spectrals’ “Bad Penny”
from CMJ.com:
Jones’ accented vocals are a bit more fittingly monotone for the gloomy verses of “Get A Grip” as he croons, “I need to get a grip/I always seem to let my smile slip,” full of melancholic romanticism. Somewhat bluesy guitar melodies, short, rolling drums from Jones’ brother Will and a gentle piano riff feed into the ’60s feel on “Lockjaw,” as Jones lackadaisically contemplates the problems with missing something he never had. “Big Baby” is heavy on the bass drum with surf-pop guitars and a youthful feel. More upbeat than some of the other tracks, “Big Baby” still sticks to the lovelorn theme as Jones sings, “‘Cause I’m a big baby/’Cause, girl, that’s what you made me/Why, why, why?”
CMJ is also offering a free download of Spectrals’ song “Confetti”, available on their site.
Posted on December 13, 2011 with 15 notes
Source: cmj.com
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The Owl Mag features Spectrals on Hear This
Meet Louis Jones, the 21-one-year-old Leeds native behind Spectrals. After touring extensively with modern jangle-pop purveyors Real Estate and Ducktails, he has just released his debut full-length on Slumberland (and on Wichita in Europe) to mostly praiseful reviews. Bad Penny is something else, too. Although rooted in American garage rock and the current wave of vintage pop revivalism (think Best Coast and White Fence), Jones puts a discernible spin on it in the shape of sophisticated, old-timey rhythm and blues undertones. Spectrals’ music is equal parts Felt and surf-rock, “Louie Louie” and “Sh-Boom.” Highly recommended listening.
Stream tunes and read on at The Owl Mag
Posted on November 10, 2011 with 33 notes
Source: theowlmag.com
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Pitchfork: Spectrals: Bad Penny
… the record’s main dividing line is the production, as there is a real philosophical shift that comes with moving away from lo-fi. Slumberland devotees might identify more with Spectrals’ original grassroots mentality, but the album’s more broadly inviting sound ties the band into a realm of music that rock critic Ellen Willis called “ecumenical pop.” It’s music pleasant enough to carry intergenerational appeal, characterized by a youthful spirit but rooted in a classic sound.
Read the rest at Pitchfork.
Also, there’s still copies of the limited edition tricolor vinyl by mail-order only at the Slumberland site!
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Nice live Spectrals review from this week’s NME.
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BBC Review- Spectrals Bad Penny
“… immediate, full of pathos, and somehow also cool of heart.”
Slumberland began operations in 1989 as a collective effort consisting of members of DC area bands Velocity Girl, Big Jesus Trash Can/Whorl, Black Tambourine and Powderburns. We were inspired by such musical happenings as C-86, early Creation, Postcard, K, Bus Stop, lower East Side noise, and also the renegade art aesthetics of people like Cage, Burroughs and Duchamp. We were complete musical neophytes but so pumped-up about all the amazing things going on in post-punk independent music that we just had to jump in.
The explosion of punk had left behind a thriving network of 'zines, labels and distributors and we felt that there was room for our noise-loving, pop-obsessed aesthetic. While there were loads of US indie labels releasing a steady stream of 7"s, there wasn't much pop going on. Notable exceptions included Bus Stop, K and Picture Book, and we hoped to join that group and help chisel out some space for melodies amongst the noise.
Early releases from Velocity Girl and Black Tambourine struck a note, and we found like-minded popsters getting in touch from all over the world. As we expanded the label roster and our own horizons, the goal was always to bring you great songs and interesting sounds from a range of styles. And so it continues over twenty years later and 150+ releases later. We still get excited about listening to and sharing new music, and hope to be delivering sublime slabs of pop beauty for many years to come.
