They Want My Soul
by Spoon
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 145 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 134 out of 145
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 145
  3. Negative: 6 out of 145
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  1. All_ButTrU4
    Mar 12, 2022
    7
    **** fantastic stuff right here! It's a modern classic which stands as a testament to their consistency. These songs each sound epic and urgent moving you wherever they want you to go.
  2. Kremyy
    Mar 14, 2020
    10
    One of my fav album of all times. "Do You" is one of their best ever. Truly can't get enough of this band.
  3. atmosphericrex
    Feb 16, 2016
    8
    This is a very solid release. Extremely listenable and with a large amount of replay value, the only thing this record falls victim to is being a tad basic. It's indie rock, but it isn't much more than that. That doesn't have to be a bad thing though, that is what it aims to be, just don't expect an extreme deviation from its genre.
  4. harrisonjr98
    Aug 16, 2015
    10
    Catchy enough to grab you at the first listen, with enough substance to keep you coming back for quite some time. Simply put, it's just another fantastic edition to the growing catalogue of great Spoon records. 9.6/10
  5. MadRek
    Mar 21, 2015
    8
    What can I say? Catchy, groovy, well-produced, well-performed, energetic. Is that enough adjectives? Yeah, I think so. This album's pretty damn great.
  6. ptrman900
    Oct 15, 2014
    8
    Spoon returns with a more up-front sound than their previous recordings. They want you to get the hook of songs like "Do You" and the title track "They Want my Soul". The sound is richer these days with head Spoon man Britt Daniel investing more time in his work. Daniel recruited Alex Fischel to play guitar and keyboard which gives this Spoon a bit more bite.

    This is the perfect record    Spoon returns with a more up-front sound than their previous recordings. They want you to get the hook of songs like "Do You" and the title track "They Want my Soul". The sound is richer these days with head Spoon man Britt Daniel investing more time in his work. Daniel recruited Alex Fischel to play guitar and keyboard which gives this Spoon a bit more bite.

    This is the perfect record for a drive because it doesn't overload the senses, but just gives the listener something fun to sing a long to. A very good experience.    … Expand
  7. DanDanReviews
    Oct 12, 2014
    8
    One of Spoon's strongest efforts. While some of the songs fall short of being something great, others are possibly the best songs of Spoon's brilliant career, and the album as a whole is a very good listen. Highlights include Rent I Pay, Do You, They Want My Soul and New York Kiss.
  8. molecular
    Sep 14, 2014
    10
    How do these guys do it album after album? Is there another band this confident and daring? I feel sorry for (or maybe envious, because of the epiphany-like discovery they would have) anyone who likes rock music and hasn't heard Spoon.Easily the best so far this year,
  9. AaronP2187
    Sep 13, 2014
    10
    The only word I can think of to describe this album is FLAWLESS. The first time I listened to it I was just waiting for a track that I didn't care for very much, but it never happened. Every single song is so incredibly catchy and unique that it doesn't surprise me that it's been on repeat for the last four days. At a time where there are so many bands that are experimenting and trying toThe only word I can think of to describe this album is FLAWLESS. The first time I listened to it I was just waiting for a track that I didn't care for very much, but it never happened. Every single song is so incredibly catchy and unique that it doesn't surprise me that it's been on repeat for the last four days. At a time where there are so many bands that are experimenting and trying to evolve their sound and falling short (I unfortunately have to site The Strokes as one of those bands, despite the fact that they are one of my favorites), Spoon is consistent and very rewarding.

    I'm sure that the next time I sit down and try to compile a list of my favorite ten albums, "They Want My Soul" will have worked it's way into it.    … Expand
  10. exodus9237
    Sep 9, 2014
    9
    Simply, this album made me want to listen Spoon. I haven't heard of them and now I seriously regret it. I was amazed by the crafting of the songs, the variety of such, and the alternative mood that never leaves the band. After this I listened all Spoon albums and made me realize what an excellent band they are. Conclussion: in comparison to other Spoon albums, They Want My Soul is great,Simply, this album made me want to listen Spoon. I haven't heard of them and now I seriously regret it. I was amazed by the crafting of the songs, the variety of such, and the alternative mood that never leaves the band. After this I listened all Spoon albums and made me realize what an excellent band they are. Conclussion: in comparison to other Spoon albums, They Want My Soul is great, for first listeners the tip of an amazing musicianship.… Expand
  11. Vampire25
    Sep 7, 2014
    6
    Spoon's an ever-evolving quintet that consistently proves time and time again, with each preceding record, they're a band you can count on. By count on, I mean they've yet to make anything less than exceptional. With "They Want My Soul", Spoon's sound seems tighter, very slick in it's style of production. This is their cleanest sounding record to date. Might obviously have to do with themSpoon's an ever-evolving quintet that consistently proves time and time again, with each preceding record, they're a band you can count on. By count on, I mean they've yet to make anything less than exceptional. With "They Want My Soul", Spoon's sound seems tighter, very slick in it's style of production. This is their cleanest sounding record to date. Might obviously have to do with them changing their record label and adding a new keyboardist, Alex Fischell, but to a fault this might feel like too much a good thing. I'm more a fan of Spoon sounding, for lack of a better term, unhinged. Britt's crunchy guitars are here, but never do they sound off-kilter, which some may enjoy but personally I'd choose Kill The Moonlight, Gimme Fiction, or Transference any day for this reason alone. These records in particular because they almost have this sense of improvisation, as if they're making a song for the first time in the studio and it gets put directly onto the album. They Want My Soul effectively sounds like the opposite of that. Not to say that any of this is terrible, or even a bad thing; I understand they're expanding their sound, but this sudden lack of raw aesthetic that I typically adore from Spoon is now gone, it just leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

    All In All, there are some highlights that need not go un-listened. "Inside Out"' showcases keyboardist Alex's great potential in future Spoon records. "Rainy Taxi" has a very punchy guitar lead, colorful songwriting. "Rent I Pay" sounds like classic Spoon. If only, and I repeat, IF ONLY... they stayed on Merge records. This album maybe would've been one of Spoon's best. B-    … Expand
  12. rickunbopper
    Aug 30, 2014
    8
    As people celebrate their 21st birthdays, they’re slapped in the face with new challenges. Vestiges of teen angst, rebellion, and perceived invincibility fade while convention, conformity, and experiential wisdom begin to harden. It can feel as if life is getting more exciting with each year, but it all can feel like it’s getting a lot more boring. It’s probably a little bit of both.As people celebrate their 21st birthdays, they’re slapped in the face with new challenges. Vestiges of teen angst, rebellion, and perceived invincibility fade while convention, conformity, and experiential wisdom begin to harden. It can feel as if life is getting more exciting with each year, but it all can feel like it’s getting a lot more boring. It’s probably a little bit of both. Nevertheless, they find themselves at a crossroads. There are forces at both ends that want their souls. What path do you take?

    As they celebrate a remarkable 21 years of making music, Spoon has come to a similar crossroads. For a band that showed signs of slowing down with Transference (2010), a convoluted, mundane record, some Spoon fans - myself included - regrettably began to accept that Spoon’s best days were behind them. Whereas Kill the Moonlight and Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga were imbued with punchy hooks, catchy melodies, and vibrant rhythms, Transference found Spoon playing it safe at the crossroads of complexity and convention. And like many who venture into adulthood, the timelessness that made Spoon so Spoon was starting to fade.

    Or so we thought.

    With their latest, They Want My Soul, Spoon has proven that they have yet to run out of any steam, returning with their freshest, catchiest record to date. On Soul, psychedelic synths, creamy bass riffs, crunchy guitars, and pop pleasures are tightened and distilled to perfection under lead singer Britt Daniel’s raspy swagger. Britt Daniel calls They Want My Soul “one for playing loud in your car,” but it’s really an album that you should be playing loud everywhere. Soul fills the void of a rather weak summer for music in 2014 and should be turned up all the way to let that be known.

    A weak summer for music, however, shouldn’t overshadow the statements They Want My Soul makes both musically and lyrically. Splitting from Merge Records after 13 years together, Spoon came to Loma Vista for a change of pace. “Card sharks and street preachers want my soul, upsellers and palm readers want my soul, all they want’s my soul, yeah, they want my soul!” proclaims Britt Daniel on They Want My Soul’s eponymous track, ostensibly tired of the bureaucratic organization of the music industry. Throughout their career, Spoon notes being pushed, pulled, nudged, and tugged in all directions. On Soul, Spoon’s liberation from the industry’s bureaucrats is illustrated masterfully with artistic defiance and musical refinement. All the more reason to play this album even louder.

    Despite Soul’s rebellious lyrical content, the album is more so a celebration of Spoon’s musical maturity than industry frustrations. Twenty-one years is a long time for any band to continue to write music so damn good for so damn long, almost unprecedented. “Outlier,” which sounds like a locomotive Radiohead-esque bass jam, finds Spoon toying with echoed synths, chaotic yet precise beats, and funky guitar riffs. Sonically one of Spoon’s most complex songs to date, “Knock Knock Knock” boasts strong beats and cyclical guitar licks that join climactically with swelling organ explosions and overly distorted guitars. Although “Do You” and “Rent I Pay” are both of Soul’s singles, “Inside Out” is the true gem of the album and one of the most beautiful songs Spoon has ever written; it features a lengthy, slow-building waterfall of buttery synths that hover over a hip-hop like beat. The song then falls into a 48 measure instrumental break of arpeggiating calypso steel drums and heavenly synths, lifting listeners up and then caressing them back down into a gradual fade. “There’s only you I need, they do not make me complete.” sings Daniel, expressing love for something or someone of great importance. The soul-suckers, music manipulators, and industry bureaucrats couldn’t make a song so beautiful; there’s only one thing, perhaps a love of unadulterated creativity and musical freedom that can make Spoon complete.

    Even the most successful bands start to decline. There’s pressure to continually produce, pressures to bend over backwards for audiences’ tastes, and pressures from the myriad entities thirsty for a band’s soul. When a band becomes captive to commercial interests, authenticity and inspiration is lost and the band’s reputation is greatly tarnished. The temptation is always there, getting stronger with each day. Spoon tells us with They Want My Soul that you have to make temptation your **** or it will suck everything out of you and spit you out a hollow, lifeless shell. After 21 years, the temptation for Spoon to sell its soul could not be more enticing. Yet they’re still not giving in. “When you leave you know you don’t come back for good.” Daniel croons on “Rainy Taxi.” Adulthood and maturity bring with it many kinds of temptations. And when you give in, there’s no coming back. I can only hope my 21st birthday will give me that sense of clarity.    … Expand
  13. JUIKER
    Aug 30, 2014
    9
    I was prepared for more of the same from Spoon. While there is that, there are also some very different turns, including the breezy Outlier. the rolling title track and the acoustic-tinged Let Me Be Mine. Britt seems influenced very positively by his Divine Fits collaboration. This could be the best album yet, by a great band.
  14. skwm
    Aug 25, 2014
    6
    Okay, first: anyone who says this is better than Kill the Moonlight or Girls Can Tell needs to have his or her head examined.

    I've been listening to Spoon for a long time. At this point in their career they're obviously exploring new territory. To be honest, the strongest tracks on this album are the ones that sound like pre-Transference Spoon. On the whole, this album is forgettable.
  15. lesmartels
    Aug 17, 2014
    10
    Since I'm not at all familiar with what Spoon did prior to They Want My Soul, I can say, as a ''Spoon virgin'' that this album is a gem. Here and there you hear a bit of Oasis (I Just Don't Understand), Arcade Fire (Outlier), Pink Floyd circa 1975-77 (Knock Knock Knock) or The Rolling Stones (Rainy Taxi). There's garage-rock (They Want My Soul), New Wave (New York Kiss) and pop catchySince I'm not at all familiar with what Spoon did prior to They Want My Soul, I can say, as a ''Spoon virgin'' that this album is a gem. Here and there you hear a bit of Oasis (I Just Don't Understand), Arcade Fire (Outlier), Pink Floyd circa 1975-77 (Knock Knock Knock) or The Rolling Stones (Rainy Taxi). There's garage-rock (They Want My Soul), New Wave (New York Kiss) and pop catchy stuff (Do You, Let Me Be Mine). Still, it never feels like it's been done that way (or that well !) before. They Want My Soul is a great album from track 1 until the magic ending New York Kiss. So far, it's the best album of 2014. I highly recommend it. HIGHLY.… Expand
  16. adhamhany
    Aug 10, 2014
    9
    Significantly different from their 2007 album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. While I'm not a very big fan of bands changing their style, I can sometimes make an exception. This is one of those times, because it's simply wonderful.

    Tight music, from the guitars to the keyboards (Alex Fischell is an awesome addition to the band). The lyrics are great, and so is Britt's vocal performance (it always is).    Significantly different from their 2007 album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. While I'm not a very big fan of bands changing their style, I can sometimes make an exception. This is one of those times, because it's simply wonderful.

    Tight music, from the guitars to the keyboards (Alex Fischell is an awesome addition to the band). The lyrics are great, and so is Britt's vocal performance (it always is). The music and atmosphere are quite varied, with some being totally new (you'll never find anything like Outlier in Spoon's discography).

    With the exception of a track or two at most, the album is a complete pleasure to listen to.    … Expand
  17. Rob1986
    Aug 7, 2014
    9
    Some of the criticisms I've seen have been more the result of comparing this album to the other greats Spoon have cranked out. I don't know why anyone would care. The album is very good. Nothing else needs to be considered.
  18. mattrays13
    Aug 6, 2014
    10
    Excellent production, catchy and dynamic songs, and tracks that only get better with repeat listens. It's a bit different from the Spoon you may know, but not a completely different direction - and I can assure you that it only makes the album better. While some bands hit their peak early on and ride success for a few more albums, They Want My Soul (the band's 8th entry) is yet anotherExcellent production, catchy and dynamic songs, and tracks that only get better with repeat listens. It's a bit different from the Spoon you may know, but not a completely different direction - and I can assure you that it only makes the album better. While some bands hit their peak early on and ride success for a few more albums, They Want My Soul (the band's 8th entry) is yet another mark in the band's journey to the top. Spoon doesn't get the mainstream attention they deserve, but this album may be the one to launch them to new heights.… Expand
  19. DaveFox05
    Aug 6, 2014
    9
    Another predictably excellent album from Spoon. They Want My Soul is packed with tight, catchy, punchy rock and roll songs--but don't think Spoon is playing it safe, they're still pushing their sound into new directions. Don't see this one leaving the turntable for quite some time.
  20. twms
    Aug 5, 2014
    10
    Some of the tracks on here are a little predictable, but it ultimately doesn't matter considering how well written, well performed, and great these tracks are. This is the culmination of all of their previous work into one masterpiece.
  21. clppngfan
    Aug 5, 2014
    10
    Spoon's best album to date, even better than Kill The Moonlight. The production is so good and finely tuned on here it's even up there with Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. Every track is catchy and different, and their different production gives them an even better style.
  22. buzzlight
    Aug 5, 2014
    10
    They Want My Soul is a modern classic. When the quality of your music is constantly compared to Lennon, Rolling Stones, Bowie and Costello you are doing something right. Tight guitar hooks, sharp lyrics, masterful sound production. Alex Fischell on keyboards adds a new and original dynamic to Spoon on songs like Inside Out and Outlier (like nothing else in the Spoon archive). SongsThey Want My Soul is a modern classic. When the quality of your music is constantly compared to Lennon, Rolling Stones, Bowie and Costello you are doing something right. Tight guitar hooks, sharp lyrics, masterful sound production. Alex Fischell on keyboards adds a new and original dynamic to Spoon on songs like Inside Out and Outlier (like nothing else in the Spoon archive). Songs Rainy Taxi and Knock Knock Knock are like Gimme Fiction on drugs. Rent I Pay and They Want My Soul show they haven't lost their rock roots. Play it loud!… Expand
  23. hedonistaltruis
    Aug 5, 2014
    9
    They Want My Soul marries the consistency of Gimme Fiction, the heights of Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, and some of the instrumental quirkiness of Transference. What's not to love?

Awards & Rankings

91
#91 Best Album of 2014
55
#55 Most Discussed Album of 2014
69
#69 Most Shared Album of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Universal acclaim - based on 42 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 37 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 42
  3. Negative: 0 out of 42
  1. Classic Rock Magazine
    Dec 17, 2014
    70
    They Want My Soul has a spiky, timeless quality, and frontman Britt Daniel's sharply wry lyrics add a nicely acidic edge to the sweetness of their melodies. [Oct 2014, p.91]
  2. cokemachineglow
    Sep 10, 2014
    80
    The tone is set: They Want My Soul gives pleasures immediate and unlocked, a freshly bitten peach dribbling sweet nectar down your chin.
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  3. Absolute Punk (Staff reviews)
    Sep 9, 2014
    95
    On They Want My Soul, Spoon’s most wide-ranging and eclectic album of its career, this isn’t a band who are settling in to their collective stride, but searching for new places entirely.
    Read full review
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