- Audio Cassette (28 April 1998)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: Import
- Label: Elektra / Wea
- ASIN: B0000062QR
- Other Editions: Audio CD | Audio Cassette | Vinyl
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
Amazon.co.uk allows you to pay for your items in your local currency. Restrictions apply. Learn More. |
Product details
|
Track Listings
| 1. Utilitarian |
| 2. Minor Tough |
| 3. Guestlist/The Execution |
| 4. Reservations |
| 5. 30 Gallon Tank |
| 6. Car Radio |
| 7. Metal Detektor |
| 8. June's Foreign Spell |
| 9. Chloroform |
| 10. Metal School |
| 11. Staring at the Board |
| 12. No You're Not |
| 13. Quincy Punk Episode |
| 14. Advance Cassette |
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
A Series Of Sneaks is probably my favourite Spoon album, and considering how much I love Gimme Fiction, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, and Kill The Moonlight, that's pretty high praise.
On their debut album, Telephono, Spoon basically sounded like a cross between Wire and Pixies, with an adenoidal Texan singing. It was alright, but the Soft Effects EP a year later started throwing in what makes Spoon genius; killer riffs and rhythms, and hook after hook after hook, meaning it didn't sound so much like Wire or Pixies, but rather it sounded like Spoon.
Spoon aren't your common-or-garden indie band, you see; they're more like The Neptunes or Can in that it's all about minimalism, grooves, unexpected turns, and changing-but-never-changing riffs, except instead of hip-hop or krautrock they play indie garage rock. Simple.
A Series Of Sneaks is a series of short, sharp songs played on guitar, bass, and drums, and then embellished with radio noise, weird keyboard textures, and a host of other effects, including Britt Daniel's compelling whoops of "c'mon" and "oh yeah" and so on, which may seem cheesy when written down but when yelped by Daniel somehow become the very platonic essence of why rock n roll is fun.
Every track has multiple sonic and structural delights, from the weird filigree around the edges of Utilitarian, the two-kit drum fills of Reservations, the razor stop-start riffs of Car Radio, the weird electric drones of Metal Detektor, and the handclaps of No You're Not. Advance Cassette is the closest thing to a ballad here, only it's a; not a ballad at all, and b; about losing an advance cassette of your favourite band. Somehow, it's more melancholy than most bands' heartfelt paeans to lost lovers.
This edition of ASOS oddly appends the single The Agony Of Laffitte and it's b-side, Laffitte Don't Fail Me Now - oddly, because Laffitte was the A&R man responsible for signing Spoon to Electra for this album, and also responsible for them being majorly messed about by the major label; the two songs, while melodically sweet, are not very nice at all about Mr. Laffitte...
On their debut album, Telephono, Spoon basically sounded like a cross between Wire and Pixies, with an adenoidal Texan singing. It was alright, but the Soft Effects EP a year later started throwing in what makes Spoon genius; killer riffs and rhythms, and hook after hook after hook, meaning it didn't sound so much like Wire or Pixies, but rather it sounded like Spoon.
Spoon aren't your common-or-garden indie band, you see; they're more like The Neptunes or Can in that it's all about minimalism, grooves, unexpected turns, and changing-but-never-changing riffs, except instead of hip-hop or krautrock they play indie garage rock. Simple.
A Series Of Sneaks is a series of short, sharp songs played on guitar, bass, and drums, and then embellished with radio noise, weird keyboard textures, and a host of other effects, including Britt Daniel's compelling whoops of "c'mon" and "oh yeah" and so on, which may seem cheesy when written down but when yelped by Daniel somehow become the very platonic essence of why rock n roll is fun.
Every track has multiple sonic and structural delights, from the weird filigree around the edges of Utilitarian, the two-kit drum fills of Reservations, the razor stop-start riffs of Car Radio, the weird electric drones of Metal Detektor, and the handclaps of No You're Not. Advance Cassette is the closest thing to a ballad here, only it's a; not a ballad at all, and b; about losing an advance cassette of your favourite band. Somehow, it's more melancholy than most bands' heartfelt paeans to lost lovers.
This edition of ASOS oddly appends the single The Agony Of Laffitte and it's b-side, Laffitte Don't Fail Me Now - oddly, because Laffitte was the A&R man responsible for signing Spoon to Electra for this album, and also responsible for them being majorly messed about by the major label; the two songs, while melodically sweet, are not very nice at all about Mr. Laffitte...
Format:Audio CD
A Series Of Sneaks is probably my favourite Spoon album, and considering how much I love Gimme Fiction, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, and Kill The Moonlight, that's pretty high praise.
On their debut album, Telephono, Spoon basically sounded like a cross between Wire and Pixies, with an adenoidal Texan singing. It was alright, but the Soft Effects EP a year later started throwing in what makes Spoon genius; killer riffs and rhythms, and hook after hook after hook, meaning it didn't sound so much like Wire or Pixies, but rather it sounded like Spoon.
Spoon aren't your common-or-garden indie band, you see; they're more like The Neptunes or Can in that it's all about minimalism, grooves, unexpected turns, and changing-but-never-changing riffs, except instead of hip-hop or krautrock they play indie garage rock. Simple.
A Series Of Sneaks is a series of short, sharp songs played on guitar, bass, and drums, and then embellished with radio noise, weird keyboard textures, and a host of other effects, including Britt Daniel's compelling whoops of "c'mon" and "oh yeah" and so on, which may seem cheesy when written down but when yelped by Daniel somehow become the very platonic essence of why rock n roll is fun.
Every track has multiple sonic and structural delights, from the weird filigree around the edges of Utilitarian, the two-kit drum fills of Reservations, the razor stop-start riffs of Car Radio, the weird electric drones of Metal Detektor, and the handclaps of No You're Not. Advance Cassette is the closest thing to a ballad here, only it's a; not a ballad at all, and b; about losing an advance cassette of your favourite band. Somehow, it's more melancholy than most bands' heartfelt paeans to lost lovers.
On their debut album, Telephono, Spoon basically sounded like a cross between Wire and Pixies, with an adenoidal Texan singing. It was alright, but the Soft Effects EP a year later started throwing in what makes Spoon genius; killer riffs and rhythms, and hook after hook after hook, meaning it didn't sound so much like Wire or Pixies, but rather it sounded like Spoon.
Spoon aren't your common-or-garden indie band, you see; they're more like The Neptunes or Can in that it's all about minimalism, grooves, unexpected turns, and changing-but-never-changing riffs, except instead of hip-hop or krautrock they play indie garage rock. Simple.
A Series Of Sneaks is a series of short, sharp songs played on guitar, bass, and drums, and then embellished with radio noise, weird keyboard textures, and a host of other effects, including Britt Daniel's compelling whoops of "c'mon" and "oh yeah" and so on, which may seem cheesy when written down but when yelped by Daniel somehow become the very platonic essence of why rock n roll is fun.
Every track has multiple sonic and structural delights, from the weird filigree around the edges of Utilitarian, the two-kit drum fills of Reservations, the razor stop-start riffs of Car Radio, the weird electric drones of Metal Detektor, and the handclaps of No You're Not. Advance Cassette is the closest thing to a ballad here, only it's a; not a ballad at all, and b; about losing an advance cassette of your favourite band. Somehow, it's more melancholy than most bands' heartfelt paeans to lost lovers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
32 reviews
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
"Sneaks" away
22 Nov 2004
Format:Audio CD
Imagine the love child of Pavement and the Pixies, finding their own musical path through the world of indie rock. That's the general feel that Spoon gives off in "A Series of Sneaks," the band's major label debut. It's jagged and darkly fun, carefully crafted while seeming effortless.
It opens with the jagged guitar spikes and shivery grooves of "Utilitarian," a rocker than grabs you by the hair and pulls you in. It sets the tone for much of the album, where many songs are a blend of angry and beautiful, such as the ominous "The Minor Tough," which sounds like a song from a Raymond Chandler musical.
"A Series of Sneaks" had a rollercoaster history -- the 1998 release was practically lost after Elektra ditched the band, but was reappeared on an indie label, then on Merge. Don't underestimate any band -- or any scorned album -- that comes back despite the odds, as Spoon did. Makes you wonder if Elektra is sorry now.
If "Series of Sneaks" has any flaw at all, it is that the album has a rather jagged feel. Yes, Spoon's music always sounds that way, but the songs feel like brief bursts of raw guitar rock. It's a bit frustrating to wonder if this album could have been even better, but as "Series of Sneaks" progresses, the indie fun takes over and you just sit back and enjoy.
Britt Daniel is obviously an underrated guitar genius, twisting his guitar into short, taut blasts; around him, we get the ever-changing duet of Joshua Zarbo's bass and Jim Eno's tight drums, complementing Daniel's guitar work. They dip into assorted styles -- blues, punk -- and blend them into the stripped-down sound.
Daniel's voice is just as versatile as his guitar -- he can let rip with raw howls, or downplay his voice to a thin waver. And the songwriting is oblique at best, but it really doesn't matter -- at times you can't understand what Daniel is singing about (is "Car Radio" about driving, or touring as a rock band?), but the vibe of it comes through loud and clear.
Spoon lets their raw musical power out in "A Series of Sneaks." This underrated rough gem is short, clocking in at only over half an hour, but it's an half-hour to treasure.
It opens with the jagged guitar spikes and shivery grooves of "Utilitarian," a rocker than grabs you by the hair and pulls you in. It sets the tone for much of the album, where many songs are a blend of angry and beautiful, such as the ominous "The Minor Tough," which sounds like a song from a Raymond Chandler musical.
"A Series of Sneaks" had a rollercoaster history -- the 1998 release was practically lost after Elektra ditched the band, but was reappeared on an indie label, then on Merge. Don't underestimate any band -- or any scorned album -- that comes back despite the odds, as Spoon did. Makes you wonder if Elektra is sorry now.
If "Series of Sneaks" has any flaw at all, it is that the album has a rather jagged feel. Yes, Spoon's music always sounds that way, but the songs feel like brief bursts of raw guitar rock. It's a bit frustrating to wonder if this album could have been even better, but as "Series of Sneaks" progresses, the indie fun takes over and you just sit back and enjoy.
Britt Daniel is obviously an underrated guitar genius, twisting his guitar into short, taut blasts; around him, we get the ever-changing duet of Joshua Zarbo's bass and Jim Eno's tight drums, complementing Daniel's guitar work. They dip into assorted styles -- blues, punk -- and blend them into the stripped-down sound.
Daniel's voice is just as versatile as his guitar -- he can let rip with raw howls, or downplay his voice to a thin waver. And the songwriting is oblique at best, but it really doesn't matter -- at times you can't understand what Daniel is singing about (is "Car Radio" about driving, or touring as a rock band?), but the vibe of it comes through loud and clear.
Spoon lets their raw musical power out in "A Series of Sneaks." This underrated rough gem is short, clocking in at only over half an hour, but it's an half-hour to treasure.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
The sweet sound of the spoonmen
15 July 2003
Format:Audio CD
I have to say, as a fan of Spoon this review will inevitably be rather biased, but I'll do my best to critique it.
This albums bad points are that really it sounds like a collections of singles or at least some EP's slammed together. It lacks the flow of "Kill The Moonlight" or "Girls Can Tell". As well "Staring At The Board" sounds like it was written and recored after one to many drinks in the afternoon, a jokey almost throw away track.
But the good points, well the rest of the album is the good point. The punk bluster of "Junes Foreign Spell" puts the so called punk bands like Rancid and co. at Epitaph to shame with its venom. "Metal Detektor" is laid back and bluesy. "No You're Not"'s only fault is that its over so soon, as is the problem with the woozy "Chloform". Yet the songs maintain an intimacy with listen, like they we're there with you in the same room, such a rare quality that today's over produnced bands, even the so called alt bands sorely lack.
Its not their best effort, but just about all Spoon do is gold, and this is an indie classic.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Still as good as anything Spoon have done.
16 July 2005
Format:Audio CD
A Spoon fan for some time now, I finally bought Series of Sneaks today and am totally floored. It's the punchy, passionate rock Spoon are best at, but which they've gradually toned down in subsequent releases. Don't get me wrong, their newer stuff is great--expansive, textured, understated--but Sneaks is lightning in a bottle. Don't miss it!
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
