One of my favourite new bands, Spector, have released their debut album and I am happy about this, very happy indeed.
I have waited three months for this album to land and on the 14th of August the postman finally posted the album through my letterbox. As soon as I whacked the disc into my CD player I was relieved to find that this album is everything I had hoped from Spector... and more.
I don't normally pre-order albums but when it came to 'Enjoy It While It Lasts', I just could not resist the need to know that this album would be mine as soon as it was released. I was so desperate to hear what Spector have spent days, months, years crafting that I actually clicked that pre-order button- someone really ought to throw me a party.
Normally I judge whether an album will be worth buying if I like two tracks or more, as generally I find it to be a good indicator as to whether I will enjoy the album or not. Spector had previously released three scorching hits that left imprints in my music library: the fabulous 'Celestine', the pounding 'Chevy Thunder' and crooning 'Never Fade Away'.
So I knew that me and this album would get on very, very well...
The main thing that attracted me to Spector in the first place is that the music they produce is exactly the sound that I didn't realise I was looking for, that I needed in my life, that I was missing. It's like what they say when it comes to finding love; it finds you when you least expect it to and once it enters your life, you notice all the things you were missing before and that this is what you were searching for without even realising.
To me, Spector encapsulate all the best parts of the indie rock domination circa 2004-2006 and then mix that up with the synthesizers and electronic waves that find their way into most music around today. And the best bit is that they do it phenomenally well. It's like Spector have concocted this crazy cocktail of musical genius by adding all the types and aspects of music that they love together and shaking it up to see what they can come up with. A sound that hasn't been explored yet.
If you asked me to compare Spector, I wouldn't know who to compare them to as they are such an eclectic mix of sounds and inspirations that what they are producing is almost completely unique. The lead singer, Fred Macpherson, has vocals that remind me of the fifties and sixties, when it was all about crooning, smooth, rich voices leading songs to their fall or their victory. The other members of the band then come together brilliantly to provide the music that carries Fred vocals, whether it be broody guitar in 'Lay Low' or fast paced, energetic beats and riffs in 'Friday Night, Don't Ever Let It End' or 'True Love (For Now)'.
On top of all this, the band then throw in electronic sounds and warped backing vocals,and I don't know how they make it work so well, but they do.
All 12 songs on 'Enjoy It While It Lasts' have clearly been given special treatment by Spector so that the result is well made song, after well made song, much to the listeners delight. Spector have made sure that this album is the best it could possibly be, and their hard work is being recognised by the likes of NME, Independent and Time Out. I'm serious when I say that you cannot listen to this and not like a single song.
'Enjoy It While It Lasts' is an album to mark summer 2012, it's the soundtrack to the photos, the sunshine on a typical overcast day, the postcard laced with memories of past times. Even if you can't warm to the band itself, and I can't deny that for most people they are probably a love 'em/ hate 'em kind of band, just give their music a chance because I can assure you that you will want to replay at least one of their songs again and again.
The title of this album is accurate not because Spector have a limited number of glory days, and this moment of success is like their stop off at the 'fifteen minutes of fame' hole on the road to fame and success, as they might think. No, I believe this title is accurate because this album is only 42 minutes long and it is so blimmin' good that you listen to it and you want more! It's like Spector are saying, 'enjoy this 42 minutes of fabulous music we have created while it lasts because once this album finishes, that's it as it's only our first album so we don't have any other material'.
I will end this by strongly advising that you add this album to your collection. I promise you won't regret it.
'Enjoy It While It Lasts'- Spector, available at:
Homepage:http://spector.co.uk/
