It's a pretty slow new release schedule today, unless your name is Rob Thomas, Jeff Tweedy or Moby (or Mephistopheles, for that matter). What I do have to offer, however, is a new EP from Austin indie rockers Spoon. Got Nuffin contains only 4 tracks, yet it is their first new music since 2007's incredible Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. As well, the EP title is in keeping with lead singer Britt Daniel's insatiable need to give goofy little titles to his work (i.e. "Don't You Evah.") What Got Nuffin offers fans of Spoon a nice couple of tracks to hold them over until their next album is released, as well as a few oddball instrumental tracks that feel like grandiose filler.
The EP is basically three new songs: "Got Nuffin," "Tweakers" and "Stroke Their Brains." As mentioned before, "Tweakers" is an odd instrumental song with a catchy beat yet not much else. It's a neat little offering, but it's nothing groundbreaking.
That is fine, though, because "Got Nuffin" is a perfect Spoon song: Daniel's trademark almost-fuzzy vocals layered over a incessant guitar that wavers between Southern twang and loud, hair metal. Throw in some tambourines and drums and you've got yourself a fitting reason to release an EP.
"Stroke Their Brains" starts out trippy, with a staccato guitar leading the way into a collision of thumping drums keeping perfect time while an organ joins the party. Britt Daniel soon chimes in, "Pay no mind / I'm merely a creature, my son / I'm merely a creature," before his vocals get all psychedelic and start wavering -- an obvious after-effect that adds another unconventional aspect to the already out-there song. It's an optimistic offering, though, because it will be very, very difficult for the band to top the brilliance of Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga.
The final song on the MP3 is a cheeky little remix of "Tweakers" with some fuzzy, often unintelligible lyrics thrown in for good measure. It matter very little, however, since "Got Nuffin" and "Stroke Their Brains" carry the 4-song EP and make it very much worth your time. I've been excited for the next Spoon album ever since I listened to Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga the whole way through for the first time. The band has a lofty task ahead of them, and Got Nuffin shows listeners that they are more than ready.
Got Nuffin is out now on Merge Records. For more information on the EP, head to Spoon's official website at spoontheband.com.
