Casey Spooner: "Adult Contemporary" (album review)

As a member of chic NYC group Fischerspooner, Casey Spooner has become known for making slick, arty electronic music.  On his first solo album, Adult Contemporary (out January 25th), he takes a completely different path.

What Spooner gives us on his new album is a surprisingly pretension-free dose of pop rock.  The results are not groundbreaking in the least, but they are pleasant and enjoyable.

The record opens with "Exquisite Corpse", a track that features a dark '80s pop aura that is not indicative of what's to follow.  Horns come in and out, with the occasional synth, but it's traditional rock arrangements that are at the heart of these songs.

You wouldn't necessarily know it from Fischerspooner's canon, but Spooner has a fairly well-developed pop sensibility.  Tracks like "RSVP" and "Tuxedo" boast enough hooks to reel in the listener and keep them snagged.

The whimsical "Cliche" and the ominous album closer "Complicit" help to ensure that there's enough variety to keep things interesting.

Again, there's nothing new here.  Boundaries aren't being pushed.  Genres aren't being bent.  Listeners aren't being challenged.  That's all fine because sometimes you just want a record that's fun from start to finish.  Adult Contemporary fits that bill pretty well.

Best tracks: "Spanish Teenager", "Cliche"

Track listing for Adult Contemporary:

• Exquisite Corpse
• Cinnamon Toast
• Cliche
• Faye Dunaway
• RSVP
• Spanish Teenager
• Two Calls
• Tuxedo
• CREEP
• Perfecto
• Spirit Cooking
• Complicit

7.0/10

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