Critically-acclaimed Austin indie rock band Spoon recently released the titular track of their upcoming ninth album Hot Thoughts, the follow-up to 2014's They Want My Soul. Despite returning to the label which released their first two albums in 1996 and 1997, the band's sound has evolved further - instead of regressing into their comfort zone.
As with "Inside Out", "Hot Thoughts" presents a meditation on the mind-warping effects of sexual attraction:
'Hot thoughts melting my mindCould be your accent mixing with mineYou got me uptight, twisting insideHot thoughts all in my mind and all of the time, babeHot thoughts all in my mind and all of the time, yeahHot thoughts all in, all in my mind all of the time(Woo!)Your teeth shining so whiteLight up this sad street in Shibuya tonightHot thoughts melting my coolIs it your motion, signal and cue?Hot thoughts all in my mind and all of the timeYou must be trouble for sure'
Lyrics: Genius
This lyrical familiarity does not extend into the sonic realm, however. The charisma in Britt Daniel's vocals are as present as ever, but there are some novel elements in the mix: a dance-worthy beat, string arrangements, bells, and other orchestral accents (courtesy of producer Dave Fridmann). With eight well-reviewed albums under your belt, novelty is relatively hard to muster, but the indie rock veterans accomplish just that - while maintaining the same level of showmanship that faithful listeners have consistently expected.
