Spoon continues to be one of indie rock’s most consistently top-notch acts and more pertinently, one of Texas’ finest bands.Spanning three tracks and one video, Spoon’s most recent EP, “Sister Jack,” is more than the latest edition to a completist’s collection.
At just under 14 minutes, the single offers 2005’s “Gimme Fiction” standout track “Sister Jack,” a remix of “I Turn My Camera On” by John McEntire and a previously unreleased track, “Sunday Morning Wednesday Night.”
The video can be found on the disc, in your choice of two different dimensions.
The video for “Sister Jack,” directed by fellow Texan and longtime collaborator Peter Simonite, is unquestionably Spoon’s best production to date. Shot in 35mm over the course of two days, the “Sister Jack” video presents the band in a variety of locations including the abandoned Intel building of downtown Austin, as well as the rollercoaster strewn yards of Coney Island, New York. The video cuts between live shots of the band and a man, dressed as a nun, on the run from unseen adversaries.
“The video has a new wave feel reminiscent of The Clash’s ‘Rock the Kasbah’ and Elvis Costello’s ‘Oliver’s Army,'” Simonite said.
When asked about “Sister Jack’s” airtime and exposure, Simonite mused, “It’s a great song by a great band; the more people that get into Spoon, the better.”
As for the music, the title track, “Sister Jack,” with its trademark terse guitar and spot-on vocals, takes the cake as the disc’s leadoff track and featured music video.
The single’s second song, “I Turn My Camera On,” is a remix by John McEntire of Chicago’s Tortoise and The Sea and Cake, that turns the once sparse number into a revamped foot-tapper with a healthy dosage of synthesized additives.
The final track, “Sunday Morning Wednesday Night,” moves from passable to worthwhile as its airy mixture of layered vocals and delayed acoustic guitar finds its niche within the disc.
Spoon frontman Britt Daniel, famed for his stunning live performances, consistently delivers solid rock tracks with clean, uncluttered production, and “Sister Jack” is no exception. Texas’ preeminent rock band Spoon doesn’t look to relinquish the title anytime soon.
– Sherman Donegan