At first listen, what strikes strongest about Spokes’ latest, Everyone I Ever Met, is how inclusive it is: a dazzling mix of styles and tempos and tonal choices ensure that there will be a song of the 11 that appeals to any listener, no matter how discerning their tastes. There are standouts, though; songs like “We Can Make It Out” and “Torn Up In Praise” are loud and raucous songs that toe the line between in-shambles intensity and a restrained, firm purpose.
The anthemic qualities of Everyone I Ever Met has drawn due and righteous comparisons to Arcade Fire and their sprawling and atmospheric sound. But the differences, in songs like “Canon Grant,” is what distinguishes Spokes. The soft songs to accompany the loud are just as impressive; layered and moody, they are a contrast in tone, and add a richness and depth to the release.
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The record has its radio-friendly singles, but its cohesion and insistence in being taken as a whole, 11 songs deep — instead of parted out as internet singles — is the real achievement. “Happy Needs Colour” is not a single, it is a transitory track, leading from the ruckus of “Torn Up In Praise” to the quiet finish of “When I was A Daisy, When I Was A Tree.” It’s an increasingly dated and archaic idea: track-listing and order. But Spokes are doing their damnedest to keep the album, in all of its sequential glory alive.
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