Spectrals — Sob Story (2013)

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Spectrals — Sob Story
Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK
Album release: June 3, 2013
Record Label: Wichita
Duration:     40:59
Tracks:
01. Let Me Cave In     (3:00)
02. A Hearbeat Behind     (3:17)
03. Karaoke     (2:21)
04. Sob Story     (5:16)
05. Milky Way     (3:23)
06. Friend Zone     (4:37)
07. Limousine     (3:57)
08. Something To Cry About     (2:03)
09. Blue Whatever     (2:46)
10. Keep Your Magic Out Of My House     (3:09)
11. Gentle     (2:40)
12. In A Bad Way     (4:30)
Website: http://spectrals.co.uk/
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/spectralspectral#!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spectrals
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/_spectrals
Tumblr: http://spectralsbadpenny.tumblr.com/
Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/spectrals
Big Cartel: http://spectrals.bigcartel.com/
Press contact: UK: US:
Agent UK + EU: US:
General director:
Description:
≡   One-man band Louis Jones, hailing from Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, recorded slightly skewed, reverb-heavy amalgamations of ‘60s doo wop, Brill Building pop, and bashful garage rock — often with dazed surf guitar accents — as Spectrals. The 7” single “Leave Me Be” was released in 2009 on Captured Tracks. Early the following year, he issued split singles with Fair Ohs (on Tough Love) and Mazes (on Love Is Disgusting), both of which featured two of his songs. Later in the year, Jones linked with Slumberland, who issued “7th Date,” a colored 7” single, that June. Though he recorded almost everything by himself, with help from his younger brother on drums, he put together a live band and put in a considerable amount of time on the road, including a tour with Girls. Jones’ first album, Bad Penny, was released in late 2011 on Slumberland in the US and Wichita in the UK. The album featured his brother on drums again and was helmed by veteran UK producer Richard Formby.
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≡   "Spectrals started in 2009 as a one-man band consisting of Yorkshire's Louis Jones. ≡   Louis' brother Will soon joined, and while touring members have come and gone the core of the two brothers remains. In 2011 Spectrals signed to Slumberland for the release of their debut album, Bad Penny. Recorded by Richard Formby (Wild Beasts, Spectrum), the album was critically acclaimed, with Pitchfork giving it a 7.5 and described it as having ''a youthful spirit but rooted in a classic sound.'' But what of the new album? Well, after an understated guitar intro, a buzzsaw starts up and 'Let Me Cave In' comes sliding in. At once it is obvious that Sob Story oozes a new confidence not heard on Bad Penny or his earlier releases. The songs sparkle: they are catchier, poppier, more direct than ever before. Sob Story displays Louis's wide-ranging influences - many loves developed on family car journeys growing up - from Big Star and The Rolling Stones, through Nick Lowe, Tom Petty and Slade to Galaxie 500 and even blink-182. Louis takes all these influences and puts them together to create something that is undeniably Spectrals. Much like his favorite musician Elvis Costello, Jones has always been a musician who could traverse many styles across an album but who never lost his own style and voice whilst doing so. Two years on the road with the likes of Real Estate, Cults and Best Coast built confidence and experience, and where Jones might once have hidden his vocal in a cloak of echo, can be heard singing more clearly, strongly and proudly than ever before. A tour with Girls resulted in a strong mutual appreciation, and plans were made for Louis and Will to fly out to San Francisco to start laying down the songs that now make-up Sob Story at Chet ''JR'' White's Decibelle studio. Working in his hometown allowed JR to call in friends of his to contribute their own magic to the album, including guitarist Jon Anderson and pedal-steel player Tom Heyman. JR even played some of the basslines himself, as well as adding some deft manipulation from behind the soundboard, for example the atmospherics that he created for one of the stand-out tracks, 'Milky Way'. As JR said in a recent interview for Paste magazine, ''we had to use a lot of creativity and in the end, it sounds really cohesive and big. It's not a lo-fi record.'' Sob Story sees Spectrals back and better than ever, brimming with confidence and the best songs of the Jones brothers' careers so far. It's an album that begs to be played again as soon as it finishes and one that will also create excitement at what is to come next from this band, whether Louis is lucky or unlucky in love between now and then."
In french:
≡   Un album qui s'écoute bien. A découvrir!
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REVIEW
By Noel Gardner (Editor rating: 6/10)
≡   Spectrals now sit in a sonic nook which most resembles the stolid pre-punk orthodoxy of pub rock
≡   When Yorkshireman Louis Jones started recording solo songs under the misleadingly plural name of Spectrals, he was helped by his diamond-in-the-dirt status: tearful, doo-wop-drenched guitar pop that fraternised with the gnarlier, punkier end of the British indie underbelly. Quite rightly, people began to notice, some slightly higher up the ladder. ‘Sob Story’, Spectrals’ wryly-titled second album, was recorded in San Francisco with erstwhile Girls member Chet ‘JR’ White; it’s more or less a full band effort, and comes replete with pedal steel (the title track) and country-rock licks (‘Limousine’). There’s still enough dusty amplifier buzz and garagey thump to keep indie aesthetes happy, but intentionally or not, Spectrals now sit in a sonic nook which most resembles the stolid pre-punk orthodoxy of pub rock – early ’70s bands like Brinsley Schwarz and Ducks Deluxe. Possibly intentionally, given that Welsh rock fossil Dave Edmunds is Jones’ primary stated inspiration here.
Read more at http://www.nme.com/
Also:
Chris Buckle at The Skinny: http://www.theskinny.co.uk/
Benjamin Salt at Crack Magazine: http://crackmagazine.net/music/spectrals/
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Biography by Andy Kellman
≡   One-man band Louis Jones, hailing from Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, recorded slightly skewed, reverb-heavy amalgamations of '60s doo wop, Brill Building pop, and bashful garage rock -- often with dazed surf guitar accents -- as Spectrals. The 7" single "Leave Me Be" was released in 2009 on Captured Tracks. Early the following year, he issued split singles with Fair Ohs (on Tough Love) and Mazes (on Love Is Disgusting), both of which featured two of his songs. Later in the year, Jones linked with Slumberland, who issued "7th Date," a colored 7" single, that June. Though he recorded almost everything by himself, with help from his younger brother on drums, he put together a live band and put in a considerable amount of time on the road, including a tour with Girls. Jones' first album, Bad Penny, was released in late 2011 on Slumberland in the US and Wichita in the UK. The album featured his brother on drums again and was helmed by veteran UK producer Richard Formby.
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