It's always seemed to me absurd to rank bands' records relative to each other, but what the heck: this is very possibly Spoon's best record yet. Fantastic.

Another masterpiece from Britt Daniel!

Great follow up to Kill the Moonlight

This album is destined to be a classic. I was expecting more of Kill The Moonlight but this album overshadows all of their earlier efforts. It sounds like Revolver!

Fantastic! One of the best of the year.

Varied is the word. From the surprising Scissor Sisters-esque sound of 'I Turn My Camera On', through to the minimal, but wonderful, 'I Summon You', and the more conventional Spoon tunes, like 'Sister Jack' & 'The Beast & Dragon, Adored', this album will surprise and delight.

Indie masterpiece. "I turn my camera on" and "My mathematical mind" the highlights. Prepare to listen 3-4 of the best Spoon's songs ever.

Flows through many different styles and hits all of them amazingly well. This is a very powerful "rock & roll" record -- raw and polished at the same time -- a gem in a sea of coal.

Like all spoon albums, its a keeper....not quite kill the moonlight but almost there.

Critics just don't get Spoon, but I do, and they're my favorite band. One Spoon song is worth 100 Fiery Furnaces songs to me.

This album is increadible on so many levels. Though Spoon consitently creates albums with no filler, this time around they have created an album with a perfect flow. It has ups and downs, evoking a wide range of emotions, and somehow being serious and honest while maintaining Spoon's trademark playfulness. In all this is a perfect album and I Summon You is perhaps one of the most chilingly beautiful songs I have ever heard.… Expand

AMAZING album. This is a band that just get better and better with every release.

Fantastic album. A more straightfoward rocker than Kill the Moonlight, but no less transcendent. Spoon maintain their status as one of the most interesting and inventive rock bands around these days.

Yet another great disc from Spoon. Very highly recommended!!

The starkness of Kill the Moonlight, the warm, smooth beats of Girls Can Tell, the pure energy of A Series of Sneaks have impossibly combined to form Spoon's most complete album and the best album released so far this year.

This album might at first seem like a disappointment, but let it sit with you -- or, like all Spoon albums, it will lodge itself in your brain and not let you forget it. This definitely deserves its place among the brilliant series of albums started with A Series of Sneaks, and for the first half, blows even those away. Denser, darker, and more solid than Kill the Moonlight, this one will be looked on as their true classic.… Expand

Spoon is awesome!

Gimme Fiction's first four songs are as good as the first four songs on any album in recent memory. This is the sound of a band at the top of its game.

Solid album from my favourite American band

This is simply the most satisfying album released in 2005 - so much going on in the corners of the songs, the twisted and oblique lyrics that make more sense everyday - to those finding these intricate moody puzzles lacking urgency or form - look closer! There is nothing tired or old here - just concentrated emotion and intellect! Viva la spoon.

Everyone knows this band for "That's the Way we Get By" but this should help in giving them the exposure and popularity that they deserve. Totally cool album with instant classics "Sister Jack" "The Beast and Dragon Adored" "I Turned My Camera ON" and "I summon you". Check it out if you already haven't.

It took a few listens, but as soon as you're familiar enough with the music to notice the tiny pieces that make up the whole, it sinks in deep through your skin and takes you by force. I fell in love with kill the moonlight, but rather than being disappointed in a less-than-superb sequel I'm equally impressed and entranced. Britt Daniel is an incredible songwriter-- more like song sculptor-- and Spoon is a simply incredible band.… Expand

Thus far, album of the year. MORE!

Competing heavily with Face the Truth for album of the first half of this year.....simply astonishing.

Just a solid album, through and through. Does a great job of building expectation as you move through each track; like all great efforts, it's a panoply of furies, rather than a collection of stuff with the few catchy tracks. Although I've been a bit distanced from Spoon's previous efforts, Brett and Co. have fianlly put together a sound that's unique, yet approachable enough to give a good listen. If you thought their ealier albums were okay, but maybe a little too, um, wierd, for your taste, give this a shot. As far as I'm concerned, it's the best overall listen since The Meadowlands.… Expand

This album blew me away. I loved every song, especially Two Sides/Monsieur Valentine. Spoon managed to put 11 excellent tracks in a row in this album.

best record of the year

Loved the entire thing

The best album that Wilco never made.

Spoon... what can i say... Britt Daniel is a genius.. while "Kill the Moonlight" and "Girls can Tell" are vastly superior that merely indicates that this at best really great and not classic

Stoater of an album, 'Was It You' is the most addctive slice of slow chugging indie funk I have ever heard. Catching them at the end of the month at tuts can't wait!!!!!!!

For people who haven't heard Spoon before, I'd like to think this would be a very fresh start for them. A lot of solid tracks. The album doesn't really kick in until the crazy guitar solo in the amazing intro "The Beast and Dragon, Adored". Then, track after track, the album gets amazing. The closer to the cd is kind of weak, but overall, a great album. I highly recommend it for everyone.… Expand

I have never heard Spoon-lived in Austin 15 years. I don't die over every song. I die over Beast and Dragon,Adored.. every time. It feels like Double Fantasy Lennon came back to do vocals,or maybe Bowie...anyway,the other songs are growing on me, too. I have my new rock crush.

minimal at it's best, very hypnotic

this album is worth listening to. its got an old rock flare to it that reminds you of days when rock music was still good.

great!

excellent album- simply addictive

very sexy

extremely simple, yet complex, yet perfect in its matter. One of the best albums out right now. Gimme Fiction is less but more an amazing album to say the least

The best album of 2005. Keep 'em coming Spoon.

Spoon is the best band in the world, since At the Drive-In called it quits.

Good cd... Haven't yet gotten their 1st of 2nd but they are probably good considering that I liked this one and they got better reviews then this one. I agree with Steve's review... the last few songs are forgetable unless you listen to them over and over again... almost like a Radiohead cd (except with much more... unweird... vocals. Radiohead is also one of my favorite bands!). So overall a very good cd that you should definately pick up. a quick song analysis: #1 The Beast and Dragon, Adored: a pop song on the weirder side. Still a decent song. #2 The Two Sides/Monseiur Valentine: A very good song. One of the cd's best. I love the piano with the guitar #3 I Turn my Camera On: Surprisingly, it's not one of my favorites... Not my style. It's almost a candy coated song. Still a decent song however. #4 My Mathematical Mind: Very unique piano. A good song plus they do it well live (see Austin City Limits on PBS). #5 The Delicate Place: Almost a Beatles sounding song until the guitar at the end that sounds like a Radiohead solo. A good track. #6 Sister Jack: the cd's most rockiest track, it's one of the cd's best tunes. I love the lyrics... especially the Drop D metal band! #7 I Summon You: Heard it on myspace and it originally was one of my favorites. I love the guitar... don't know if it is effects on an acousitc or a classical guitar but it sounds good with the drum beat. #8 The Infinate Pet: I like this song a lot though it is kind of weird. It has a lot of piano sort of like a Radiohead Kid A song. #9 Was it You?: Probably the worst on the cd... Where the album starts losing it's greatness. #10 They Never Got You: Another weak track... still it's sound surpasses Was It You?. #11 Merchants of Soul: Thankfully, in my opinion, Gimmie Fiction ends on a good note with this one. It is a good song that sounds kind of like a Raising the Fawn song. Well there it is. Overall it is a good cd 9 stars… Expand

It completely enamourmed me on my first listen. It just struck me as so raw and indefinably perfect.

I go through phases with this album, but the last few months it has been fantastic. 'Infinite Pet' is unfortunately filler and deadly boring, 'was it you?' meanders and never finds itself - the same could be said about 'never got you' but the hand-claps at the end are irresistible. 'My mathematical mind' and 'the beast, the dragon, adored' build to satisfying rocky fuzz conclusions. piano and drum loops in 'Merchants of soul' are catchy, and who can ignore the guitar romps of 'sister jack' and 'turn my camera on' that are typical of the album, and highlights of both the record and spoons whole discography… Expand

Every person who likes rock should own this album. Dark, polished, concise, crafty, witty. Is it Britt Daniel or John Lennon singing on this album? Man, does he have a great voice! All songs on this album are amazing. Great guitar riffs and pop classic feel to this album. My favorite Spoon song is on this album... I Summon You. This is my favorite Spoon album (that is saying a lot), one of the decade's best overall.… Expand