Album Review: Spoon's sixth album worth going gaga over

10/16/07 - Keeping up with Spoon can be quite a task on its latest release, the ludicrously titled, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, but it's more than worth the effort.Ga Ga is Spoon's most commercial outing to date. But before that scares you off, take a listen. And then more listens. It's one addictive little devil, as long as fans leave their expectations at the door.

That's not to say Ga Ga isn't clearly a Spoon album. The streamlined sound that defines the band is still present, as is lead singer Britt Daniel's distinctive gravelly voice- which, when combined with the often very buoyant melodies, creates an incongruous and yet appealing dynamic that drives the album.

Such a lively album may be a bit of a departure for Spoon, but the change makes for one exhilarating ride.

"Don't Make Me a Target" opens the album with the familiar pulsing, gritty rock that has been at the forefront of some of Spoon's most popular songs.

Its strong political leanings, while not typical of Spoon, are not unusual in the music world, but front man Daniels delivers them especially blisteringly here, singing, "Clubs and sticks and bats and balls/For nuclear dicks with their dialect drawls."

"Don't Make Me a Target" is a misleading start though, one designed to pull in fans, before hitting them with the seriously off-beat, very oddly placed "The Ghost of You Lingers," which is clearly trying to repeat the atmospheric beauty of "Paper Tiger," but to no avail.

That misstep however, is the only one on this otherwise great album. While a lot of the lyrics are still quite dark, poppy, upbeat melodies dominate the album, starting on the third track, "You Got Yr Cherry Bomb."

The Motown-influenced breakup song is a sharp contrast to its predecessor, and thankfully so. This pattern continues throughout the album, with Spoon creating a consistent, tight group of songs, none being more pleasing (or surprising) than the brass-laden single, "The Underdog"

The Billy Joel-esque ditty, a warning to the bearers of the status quo about the powers of the underdog, is arguably one of the best nods to classic pop any band has put out in recent years.

The contrast between it and the next track, "My Little Japanese Cigarette Case" is evident and only serves to intensify the sly smoothness of "Cigarette Case."

The album's closer, "Black Like Me," is as close to a ballad as Spoon comes on Ga Ga, and while the whole album is incredibly heartfelt, no other song on the album is quite as wrenching.

The song opens with the profoundly simple line, "I'm in need of someone to take care of me tonight," and that sincerity is what makes the track a true gem.

Spoon's increasing confidence is palpable on Ga Ga, the most emotional and forceful album the band has released yet.

The maturity of the album and the band's uncanny ability to reinvent its sound while staying true to itself makes for an unsurprisingly amazing sixth album from the Austin-based band. One that is sure to strike a chord with rock aficionados everywhere and grant the band the popularity it deserves.