The Spills debut album is one that will get better and better every time it is listened to. Released on the Philophobia Music label and produced by Lee Smith and Jamie Lockhart at Greenmount studios, this is an album which keeps to a style without becoming predictable. It has moments from a hazy summer mixed in with atmospheric drones which are broken up by thrashing guitars and choruses.
‘Summer Vibes’ is a summer pop/rock song with attitude that would be completely at home on a sunny afternoon at a festival, as would ‘Coiled Springs’ which has a happy and hyperactive Nirvana style to it.
‘Oh Say Do’ sticks to this theme with a more relaxing feel to it and a catchy chorus, with vocals reminiscent of The Walkmen.
In between these tracks however is ‘Heat Death Of The Universe’ which changes the pace as well as demonstrating the instrumental as well as vocal ability of the Wakefield band. Similarly ‘Silver Bullets’ and ‘White Flag’ add some melancholic atmosphere with the latter again showing good vocals in contrast to the snarls in ‘Jury’s Out’.
The songs are positioned well in this album with the first half more lively than the second. However the changes in tempo within the songs mean that the album flows from one song to another and does not feel disjointed. The Spills strength is their instrumental ability and vocal variety which shine through most prominently on the more light hearted, up-tempo songs such as ‘Summer Vibes’.
‘Occam’s Razor’ is well worth a listen, particularly when the sun is shining , and although the rawness of this debut adds another dimension, one can’t help but think that there is more to come from this band.
6.5/10
By Danny Foy
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