A Weird Phenomenon: The Return of the Spits
The Spits —The Spits
In the Red Records
By Nik Christofferson, Seattle Rock Guy
Fuck yeah! The new Spits record is finally out!
After a long wait that included hearing a rumor about how The Spits themselves bootlegged CD-R copies on Ebay for way too much cash, the much anticipated fifth full length studio album is now officially available online via In the Red Records and in local shops like Sonic Boom.
The Spits are a weird phenomenon, while praised the world over, their recordings have always been pretty fucking shitty and fail massively in comparison to their live show.
Yes, I know they are weird and it’s the aesthetic they are going for and it’s their “we do what we want” punk ethos and live show that have probably garnered the band it’s large underground following in the first place, but there’s a large part of me that wishes they would just record a straight forward record that captures their live intensity and brilliance. Those lo-fi basement recordings with vocals that sound like they are being played at the wrong RPM fall flat for me on most occasions.
Take for instance “My Mess” on the new record. I’s an otherwise killer tune with raging guitars that suffers big time from the previously mentioned “I’m too hammered to sing” vocals – of course the joke may be on me because there is mention of being “too fucked up” in the lyrics.
The fact of the matter is all too often I find myself listening to their 2006 UK Tour EP, which features killer live versions of “Bring”
and “Nuclear Bomb,,” among other hits just because it reminds of how great their live show truly is. Don’t get me wrong, The Spits does have a few gems, including opening track “All I Want” and “Wanna Be ADD.” And I can tell the album is growing on me.
Actually, who am I kidding, I love everything The Spits have ever done, and I’ll probably spin this one 20 more times and tell you in a couple weeks that it’s amazing.
If you are a fan of one of Seattle’s greatest bands of all time you will dig the new record, but for folks just finding The Spits I recommend anything prior for a primer, then come back and grab the fifth album.
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