The Black Spoons - The History of Modern Silence

The Black Spoons surfaced on the independent scene with their stellar 2004 debut My Dear Radium. Cerebral yet unpretentious, modest without being meek, the album highlighted the New York group’s ability to mix the musings of vocalist Tom Sean, uncharacteristically transparent for a rock singer, with tightly-wound grooves and decidedly rock and roll backbeats. Influenced by such diverse artists as David Bowie, Leonard Cohen and Cat Power, The Black Spoons are able to deal in such contrasts without ever appearing untrue. Aided by producer Paul Mahajan (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The National, The Liars), the band’s second effort is initially more visceral and direct than My Dear Radium but proves every bit as complex and challenging. The album opens with the vigorous, guitar-driven “Mmwmm,” employing dynamic contrast and eerie female backing vocals to ominous effect. “Always Almost” and “Julia Heartache” follow, as Sean’s vocals go from being quietly intense to passionately pointed without missing a beat. The latter is especially intense as Sean sings, “Blue prince to hold your breath against until silence dislocates your jaw/Minds go places good girls cannot follow/Tongues preferring flavors we can’t swallow.” On such up-tempo rockers, drummer Ruben Mercado’s precise playing propels the group’s every motion. The album features several intimate ballads that more fully explore the dual nature of The Black Spoons’ sound. Accented by violin and cello, “I ♥ Failure” and “Other People” sound resonant and warm even as Sean sings such emotionally detached lines as “I want to sleep with other people, Baby gave her blessing/I want to go with other people, Baby start undressing”. After unequivocally endorsing My Dear Radium, I was unsure if The Black Spoons could equal their previous work. While not possessing as many immediately compelling songs as its predecessor, The History of Modern Silence is consistent in both quality and merit. With half of 2006 gone, the album is to date one of the year’s best and should appeal to those who like their rock literate and provocative. [www.theblackspoons.com]