The Spinto Band
The Borderline
Thursday, 25th September 2008
The Spinto Band are back in England, which can only mean one thing - the kazoos are here too. Over two years since they arrived in the UK, carried by a frenzy of hearsay and hype, the Delaware six-piece could have returned to London with a new attitude and mature approach. To the delight of everyone present, they haven't, they still sound exactly the same. That's not to say it's an identical show, with unheard tracks from their upcoming album packing the set. But newcomers to the band, plenty of whom are present here tonight, would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between new and old.
To their credit, the new songs don't include kazoos. Brown Boxes does, however, and is aired early on. Its cupid/stupid lyrics and bouncy, bubbly nature is painfully infectious, bringing bobbing heads onstage and off. Worries the giddy joy of this old favourite will be isolated prove unheralded though, as new number Later On brings similar toe-tapping tomfoolery. There's cleanliness to their sound, the six instruments managing to fit together without sounding too jumbled or complicated. It's all terribly simple, with joint frontmen Nick and Thomas naturally switching singing duties.
Crack The Whip is slightly more refined, bass-driven and sung with blithe understatement by Nick, the humour and slickness of the delivery drawing the crowd in. Old favourites slip into the cracks between cuts from new record Moonwink, papering over any hesitancy from the audience. Current single Summer Grof is already a beloved fixture in the show, its circular rhythm and cute refrains of two-faced honesty as punchy as they are playful. Lapping it up, the band repeatedly thanks their audience, to the point where it would be annoying if their music wasn't so inanely endearing.
Nothing is challenging though, it's a gig for all ages and faces. It's difficult to care what has been played and what hasn't, let alone keep track, as each oldie and newbie contains the same all-encompassing goofiness. Being so undemanding takes talent though, a knack for nagging melodies persistently allowing the audience to connect with whatever the band cajoles them with next; there's always certainty the safety net that some Beach Boys harmonies will arrive before the final chorus. Technical proficiency is buried beneath the bouncing, the keys never plodding and each member's contribution knitting neatly into the sound. Three guitars sometimes seem a tad unwarranted, especially on the keyboard-led Pumpkins and Paisley. Nevertheless, the clear camaraderie in the band justifies the stage being so crowded.
Oh Mandy validates turning up. Its glowing vocals and effortless exquisiteness are irresistible, standing up above and beyond the rest of the set's fun but dispensable fodder. Returning for an encore, it's another past hit, Late, that brings the jolliness to a conclusion. Containing the rare quality of songs with verses more catchy than their choruses, it heralds an unconventional sing-along. Most new tracks seem destined to slot sweetly into the Spinto catalogue but lack the pithy immediacy of Nice and Nicely Done, yet there's little hint of future glories. It's all a bit too enjoyable to care about things like that though, pass that kazoo…
The Borderline
Thursday, 25th September 2008
The Spinto Band are back in England, which can only mean one thing - the kazoos are here too. Over two years since they arrived in the UK, carried by a frenzy of hearsay and hype, the Delaware six-piece could have returned to London with a new attitude and mature approach. To the delight of everyone present, they haven't, they still sound exactly the same. That's not to say it's an identical show, with unheard tracks from their upcoming album packing the set. But newcomers to the band, plenty of whom are present here tonight, would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between new and old.
To their credit, the new songs don't include kazoos. Brown Boxes does, however, and is aired early on. Its cupid/stupid lyrics and bouncy, bubbly nature is painfully infectious, bringing bobbing heads onstage and off. Worries the giddy joy of this old favourite will be isolated prove unheralded though, as new number Later On brings similar toe-tapping tomfoolery. There's cleanliness to their sound, the six instruments managing to fit together without sounding too jumbled or complicated. It's all terribly simple, with joint frontmen Nick and Thomas naturally switching singing duties.
Crack The Whip is slightly more refined, bass-driven and sung with blithe understatement by Nick, the humour and slickness of the delivery drawing the crowd in. Old favourites slip into the cracks between cuts from new record Moonwink, papering over any hesitancy from the audience. Current single Summer Grof is already a beloved fixture in the show, its circular rhythm and cute refrains of two-faced honesty as punchy as they are playful. Lapping it up, the band repeatedly thanks their audience, to the point where it would be annoying if their music wasn't so inanely endearing.
Nothing is challenging though, it's a gig for all ages and faces. It's difficult to care what has been played and what hasn't, let alone keep track, as each oldie and newbie contains the same all-encompassing goofiness. Being so undemanding takes talent though, a knack for nagging melodies persistently allowing the audience to connect with whatever the band cajoles them with next; there's always certainty the safety net that some Beach Boys harmonies will arrive before the final chorus. Technical proficiency is buried beneath the bouncing, the keys never plodding and each member's contribution knitting neatly into the sound. Three guitars sometimes seem a tad unwarranted, especially on the keyboard-led Pumpkins and Paisley. Nevertheless, the clear camaraderie in the band justifies the stage being so crowded.
Oh Mandy validates turning up. Its glowing vocals and effortless exquisiteness are irresistible, standing up above and beyond the rest of the set's fun but dispensable fodder. Returning for an encore, it's another past hit, Late, that brings the jolliness to a conclusion. Containing the rare quality of songs with verses more catchy than their choruses, it heralds an unconventional sing-along. Most new tracks seem destined to slot sweetly into the Spinto catalogue but lack the pithy immediacy of Nice and Nicely Done, yet there's little hint of future glories. It's all a bit too enjoyable to care about things like that though, pass that kazoo…
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