The vacation rockers and Denver residents Spells have surpassed 10 years of existence now, and this 3rd album brings their punk and hardcore influences into some well executed garage-rock friendly tunes.
Peter 'P' Bohner's hard hitting drums start the listen, where the charged and gruffly sung “A Different Kind Of Broke” emits an anthemic quality of swirling guitars and shouting versus singing. “The Sound Remains” then follows with Charlie 'Continental' Stimsell's thick guitar and Dusk Monarch's soulful pipes complementing the fiery rhythm section.
Deeper into the 11 tracks, the highly melodic “What The Hell Is Caution” is a great mix of pop and scrappy garage-punk that you'll instantly sing-along to, while “A Life Worth Living” carries some heartfelt intimacy buried under Duke 'Box' Standard's throbbing bass and Monarch's harmonic backing vocals. “Lost Summer”, another excellent then, then comes with fluid, smooth songwriting that's still a big jagged, sometimes biting, and even danceable.
Placed near the end, the bass acrobatics of “Nightmares” lead into a bouncy and playful post-hardcore sort of moment, where frontman 'Little' Stevie Shithead's sandpaper vocals are met with Monarch's prettier pipes. “Salt” exits the listen, and it's a quick blast of animated hooks, frisky drums, gang vocals and a prime example of the band's 'hardcore for dorks' tag that they wholeheartedly embrace.
Although the band probably don't take themselves too serious, their music is seriously fantastic. Whether you lean towards post-punk, pop-punk, garage sensibilities, or even garden variety hardcore, Spells has got you covered.
If you're in the market for a vinyl copy of this, you'll have to move quick, cause only several hundred were made, and there aren't many left. Probably best to do the sure thing and it get it digitally, and treat yourself to one of the best bands today.