Coachella Artist Spotlight: Spoon

The utensil? No.

Your favorite bed time activity? No again.

The band? Yes!

Spoon is an indie-rock band based out of Austin, Texas, formed by lead singer/guitarist Britt Daniel and drummer Jim Eno. In their early years, critics compared them to The Pixies, Sonic Youth, and Wire, now their style combines a kind of complex minimalism.

Make sense?  Didn’t think so.

Click more to get the full scoop on Spoon (pun intended).

In the early 90′s, Spoon released their first full length LP, titled Telephono, under the indie label Matador Records.  Telephono is Spoon’s rawest and most alternative based material.  Soon after the release of their debut album, Spoon picked up full-time bassist Joshua Zarbo, who’s former band was named Corn Spoon.  Go figure.

The band signed with Elektra Records in 1998, but had a falling out with the label after their A&R unexpectedly quit, prompting the group to sign with Merge Records in 2000.  The release of their fourth studio album, Kill The Moonlight, showcased the band on national television, when their single “The Way We Get By” was aired on The O.C. Check out the track below.

In 2005, Spoon released Gimme Fiction, which sold over 160,000 copies and debuted at number 44 on the Billboard 200.  The sound for Gimme Fiction was darker than previous material, incorporating a more experimental approach, but often relying on straightforward guitar riffs and bass lines.  A year later, Daniel collaborated with the composer of the Stranger than Fiction soundtrack to score the film, using several tracks and instrumental versions of recordings from Kill the Moonlight and Gimme Fiction.

Spoon released Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga in 2007, debuting at number 10 on the Billboard 200 finding airplay with the singles “The Underdog” and “You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb.”  The album exposed the band to a more soulful sound, reminiscent of Motown.  Spoon’s latest release, Transference was released this past January debuting at number 4, combining the band’s rawer, rugged sound from the Telephono days and the experimental production found in more recent albums.

You can catch Spoon on night three of Coachella.  Until then, enjoy a track off their latest release!

Info courtesy of Allmusic