Hot Thoughts

1. midnightmyth

   Mar 17, 2017

   10

   Spoon's latest LP is packed with surprises yet remains familiar. Draws on the simple yet stunning melodies that rocked their early career andSpoon's latest LP is packed with surprises yet remains familiar. Draws on the simple yet stunning melodies that rocked their early career and pulls from more modern influences. Drumbeats that feel hip-hoppy, electronic manipulation that puts us in the Radiohead world, and a haunting sax to close the whole thing out. But there's no denying it's Spoon through and through. Best songs include "Do I Have to Talk You into It?" and "Tear It Down." Makes me want to get up and dance. Waiting for that final song "Us" to end up in the Twin Peaks revival.… Expand

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2. molecular

   Mar 20, 2017

   10

   It is very exciting to hear Spoon constantly evolving on every new album (especially after 20+ years.) They strike a great balance ofIt is very exciting to hear Spoon constantly evolving on every new album (especially after 20+ years.) They strike a great balance of experimentation and accessibility on Hot Thoughts and Dave Fridmann's production is layered but subtle. The best band in America? Yes.… Expand

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4. PaulAndrews

   Mar 17, 2017

   10

   Spoon just keeps getting better and better! Standout tracks aside (and they're phenomenal), it's the un-typical Spoon tracks that get me. AndSpoon just keeps getting better and better! Standout tracks aside (and they're phenomenal), it's the un-typical Spoon tracks that get me. And also, the last track IS NOT a weak Radiohead ripoff (cough cough, Mappes' terrible review and harbinger of Pitchfork's long-foreseen demise) it's bloody beautiful Britt & co.
   And btw, what's with the "small stakes" refs all over the place for this album? Spoon has been life-and-death stakes since Kill the Moonlight! Don't read reviews, go to shows. See Britt jump. Jump Britt. Jump.… Expand

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5. buzzlight

   Mar 17, 2017

   9

   This is a beautiful and dark album. The song I Ain't The One is my favorite in the mix, moody and sad but sticks like glue. The drum beatsThis is a beautiful and dark album. The song I Ain't The One is my favorite in the mix, moody and sad but sticks like glue. The drum beats and keyboard sound vintage goth or new wave, but with a dose of funk. No doubt stand outs are Hot Thoughts, WhisperI'lllistentohearit,, Do I Have to Talk You Into It and Can I Sit Next to You. Songs Pink Up and Us offer up tranquil mostly instrumental pleasures never heard before on Spoon albums. I believe Alex Fischel and Dave Fridmann at really contributing to these new sounds. Thank you Britt and Spoon for keeping it fresh and glorious, every album. Listen to this album at night, sitting in the rain with the Northern Lights on the horizon.… Expand

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6. BlownSpeakers

   Jun 21, 2017

   8

   It’s hard to believe indie rock greats, Spoon, have been around for over 20 years, considering that bands five years their junior are alreadyIt’s hard to believe indie rock greats, Spoon, have been around for over 20 years, considering that bands five years their junior are already embarking on “classic” album tours. To put it simply, Spoon has yet to cash in on their "classics" because their latest output, despite the band's age, is still good. Although their last two LPs, Transference and They Want My Soul, felt a bit too familiar, it still saw the band staying relevant in a time where many of their contemporaries disappeared into obscurity. Their latest release, Hot Thoughts, is a refreshing change of pace in that it’s a majorly up-tempo affair that focuses its efforts entirely on mood and groove.
   
   Spoon are no strangers to throwing in a couple of dancey tracks that “hit [you] like a tom” on their albums, but on their latest record they seem to be making it their major. A lot of these up-tempo numbers tastefully sugar its propulsive rhythm with tropical instrumentation, giving the album a pastel colored punch. Just listen to “Last Caress” and “Hot Thoughts” and try not to get up and bust a move (and if you’re me- bust your ass shortly afterwards). In contrast, “Do I Have To Talk You Into It,” slows things down to caveman-like waltz, but is so buried in groove that it'd take a gravedigger to unearth Britt Daniel and company.
   
   On every Spoon album, there’s always at least one song that dedicates itself entirely to atmosphere. These songs employ what I’ve come to coin as the Ghost of You Lingers Method. Before some knowledge is dropped on your beautiful face, first revisit the Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga classic.
   
   As you can imply, these types of songs are chorus-less, driven by a simple, repetitive melody whose sole purpose is to set a particular mood. As they progress, various instrumentation/vocals will be added in, piece by piece, in such a way that the track ends up feeling much bigger than it did in its outset. “Pink Up” and “Whisper…” employ this method to varying degrees. The latter follows a looped electronic for a while until eventually breaking into conventional guitar/drum interplay, while the former spends its entirety contemplating in its sultry, yet mysterious atmosphere. Nonetheless, interspersing these atmospheric songs between the more conventional ones gives the album a greater space to breathe.
   
   The problems with this record are minimal. There are certain artistic choices that might raise an eyebrow, e.g. the mechanical drumming on “I Ain’t The One,” but they’re easy to look past. The bigger problem comes with the tracks that waste their momentum. “Can I Sit Next To You” would be a funky romp if it wasn't stuck in lyrical limbo, with Daniel forever declaring how he’s going to “get kicks in the night” and “walk a tight rope." “Shotgun” on the other hand, comes up short musically. It gallops with great fervor, but because it doesn’t vary its sounds, does so without a destination in mind.
   
   It doesn’t feel that long ago, I was laying in my bed obnoxiously singing along to “Japanese Cigarette Case,” for what seemed like the billionth time to my Freshman year roommates (sorry Marcus and Brad). Although Hot Thoughts might not feel as anthemic as some of their greater works, it will still have you playing your favorite tracks on infinite repeat to someone's dismay. Overall, this vibrant, energetic sound is a welcome push in a new direction for the band. Hopefully, it's more than enough to keep them from embarking on that nostalgia tour for another couple of years.… Expand

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7. jotaeseche

   Apr 30, 2017

   8

   Few other records manage to concoct rock and electronic music that effortlessly than Hot Thoughts. Each track is the vivid proof of someFew other records manage to concoct rock and electronic music that effortlessly than Hot Thoughts. Each track is the vivid proof of some pretty well-executed and produced idea and, above all, just people who know how to do things having real fun together.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
8. gorinilo1

   Jul 21, 2017

   0

   this is a horrible cd, this brand produces nothing but garbage, they are extremely overrated, linkin park and lil wayne are much better thanthis is a horrible cd, this brand produces nothing but garbage, they are extremely overrated, linkin park and lil wayne are much better than these frauds!… Expand

   • 0 of 2 users found this helpful

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