Spongetones - Number 9

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 20 / 8 / 2005

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Prolific is a word which doesn’t come to mind when you realise that ‘Number 9’ is only the Sponge Tones' 6th full length album in 25 years but when one of the band members is the power pop hero Jamie Hoover I guess we should forgive them. With Hoover’s solo work, collaborations and ability for always delivering albums which never disappoint any new recording by the Sponge Tones is welcomed with open arms no matter how long it takes. I’m sure Hoover wouldn’t want to hog the limelight in any review of the Sponge Tones. After all he is not even an original member like bassist Steve Stoeckel who has been in the band since 1978 (with a short break in the mid 80's ) but round these parts Hoover is, as said, a power pop hero. So although it is no great surprise it shows just how good the songs on ‘Number 9’ are when some of the best are not written by Hoover but by Stoeckel and guitarist Pat Walters . 'Future Perfect', a collaboration by Stoeckel with Greg James , is the highlight of the album and a McCartney-ish ballad which harks back to the days when McCartney was writing classics. The band must be well fed up with Beatles comparisons by now. After 25 years of having the Fab Four mentioned in most reviews it’s getting a bit stale but on the other hand the band do little to hide these influences; following on from ‘Future Perfect’ is a Hoover song, ‘Other Girls’ which sounds like early Lennon; close your eyes and you can picture the Fabs performing the song. Okay, maybe the drumming by Rob Thorne wipes the floor with that of Ringo’s at that time (there are not many albums where the drumming stands out like it does on these 13 songs. Thorne is obviously a drummer of some talent) but otherwise those songs would have readily been accepted as Beatles originals back in the sixties. The odd thing is that, as usual, the Sponge Tones, for all their Beatle and Merseybeat influences still manage to make their songs sound contemporary; there’s still something refreshingly new about these songs. It can at times seem like a trip back to the 60's for sure but the production by Hoover is as always first class and avoids the band coming across like a second rate tribute band. By starting the album with the Stoeckel/Walters ‘Anyway Town’ the band set out their stall nicely. Sounding like any one of the bands coming out of Liverpool in the 60's, but with arguably better harmonies and playing it’s classic Sponge Tones; a slice of pure pop which is nicely followed by the ballad ‘Alayna’, all glorious harmonies again penned by the same team. There are a couple of mildly psychedelic moments on the album, ‘Metal Mother World’ is the match of anything released from the mid to late 60's. I’m just waiting for it’s dream like charm to turn up on one of these collections of lost psych classicswhich turn up frequently now. An absolutely outstanding song which Stoeckel again had a hand in writing, it has to be said that all expectations of Hoover taking the main part in this album were sunk pretty quickly. All the band members shine but Stoeckel really does loom large over this album, and that’s coming from a confirmed Hoover fan! Those psychedelic sounds find their way into ‘Homonym Girl’ as well. Those who are familiar with the previous Sponge Tones albums will know what to expect and this collection is certainly a contender for their best yet,. Those familiar with Hoover’s solo work will find much to love here and for those who feel that the sound of the 60's is still the best sound around but have yet to discover the Sponge Tones; what are you waiting for? Start here and then be prepared to shell out for their back catalogue.

Track Listing:-

1 Anyway Town
2 Alayna
3 Bring It All over Me
4 Metal Mother World
5 The One That Gets You
6 Cruel and Unusual Punishment
7 Future Perfect
8 Other Girls
9 Homonym Girl
10 I Dance to You
11 Nights in Déjà Vu
12 Still Life
13 Dreaming in English

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