Spoon is back, baby. Following a five-year hiatus, Austin, Texas’ most consistently great rock band is returning with Lucifer on the Sofa. The band is billing the album as their “purest rock and roll record to date” and, based on the first single, that tracks. “Hardest Cut” oozes dad rock vibes and if you think that’s a bad thing, you don’t know Spoon. The band’s usual precise, urgent energy is here, but it’s a little looser than usual. There’s a rock swagger here that many bands half these guys’ age can’t manifest on their best day.
The song comes with a terrific music video, featuring the band playing a seedy venue in which there appears to be some sort of hostage situation going on downstairs. Hmmm, wonder if the woman in distress is going to turn the tables in a thrilling (and briefly violent) way? Guess you’ll just have to watch and see for yourself. The full album drops in February.
