- A call of “we’re rolling” and the general cacophony of a band in a recording studio brings us back into the world of venerable indie-rockers, Spoon. Anathema to their previous release, 2017’s Hot Thoughts, which was studio marinated, Lucifer On The Sofa is very much a live, corporeal album. Where Hot Thoughts was saturated with synthesisers and drum machines, Spoon’s latest offering is unmistakably the work of a rock ‘n’ roll band. With their penchant for the purity of this aesthetic, it is a sagacious choice for the band. Owing largely to lead singer and guitarist, Britt Daniel’s gravelly, born-for-rock voice and his signature telecaster guitar sound, it is a tone that suits Spoon down to the ground.

Beginning with two high-octane numbers off-the-bat in Held and The Hardest Cut, in fact the band hardly ease off the throttle from beginning to end. With the exceptions of Astral Jacket and the title track, each song seems to be catchier than the last. Third cab off the rank The Devil & Mister Jones is a smooth, foot-tapper that is greatly abetted by the inclusion of some acute brass. It is also a title that seems highly appropriate for a band’s most rock ‘n’ roll album. The devil is a ubiquitous character in rock ‘n’ roll mythology, while the enigmatic Mr. Jones has famously been referenced by the likes of Bob Dylan, The Beatles and Counting Crows; look him up.

Another standout is subsequent track, Wild. The anthemic second single, built on the palpitating high-hat of drummer and engineer Jim Eno showcases Spoon’s innate ability to craft songs that find the elusive balance of catchy-pop and artistic integrity. Ultimately, Lucifer on the Sofa is an album that will sit comfortably in Spoon’s catalogue. It’s perfectly indicative of their general aura, notwithstanding their frequent forays into electronica and experimentation. Full of seamless transitions weaving through the infectious tracklist, it is an album that will please old fans and surely acquire new ones.

- Jon Cloumassis.