The Spinto Band got its start when Nick Krill joined a band that already had six members named Free Beer. Krill brought some lyrics written by his grandfather that he had found. In addition to his lyrics, Krill also contributed his grandfather’s last name to the band’s eventual identity – Spinto. The current lineup features six members, with former band-mate Albert Birney heading the artwork and video arm of the band. Spinto have since abandoned grandpa’s lyrics for their own, releasing their works on the album Nice and Nicely Done.
I’ll bet that it is irritating for bands that slave away for years with no recognition to then see a band like Spinto achieve success as if it were an afterthought. With ages ranging from 19 to 22, these kids have put out an album that was created on weekends away from school. The kick in the pants is that it’s a really good album. It has been playing on repeat for the past 3 hours and I’m still bobbing my head to the beat. It occurs to me that I should switch it out; I’m just not ready yet.
Collectively, The Spinto Band has a grand talent for constructing a pop tune. Their songs have a rich and complex sound that calls to mind The Flaming Lips, which is most prevalent on “Straight to Helmet.” Above and beyond your typical indie cheese-rock, these guys can really throw it down.
Nice and Nicely Done faces me with one problem; I can’t decide on which is my favorite song. When the high-pitched mandolins layered over a wailing theramin kicks in on “Oh Mandy,” that song is my favorite. However, the lyrics of “Brown Boxes” tell a story about the difficulties of a breakup when a couple lives together makes that one favorite as well. Even the untitled bonus track is a keeper. It catches a soft part of my heart as it is all about playing Atari. Hey, they’re young; let them sing about video games, there’s plenty of time for them to put out a mopey, introspective album.
There already seems to be a buzz about The Spinto Band. I know a lot of people who are really into music, and actively search for new bands. These are also the type of people who will stop listening to a band once they are played on the OC. Upon hearing that I was about to review this album, these same peeps have fallen all over themselves to point out that they heard them first. Fortunately, The Spinto Band warrants this attention and Nice and Nicely Done is exactly what it claims to be.
