Spanish Love Songs "No Joy" Review
Spanish Love Songs continue to express honest, somber, and visceral emotions on No Joy, the follow-up to 2020’s Brave Faces Everyone. The band blends the sounds of 60’s and 70’s working-class rock music with modern emo confessionals, while also introducing lo-fi electronic elements that take the listener on an intense musical journey. The record’s somber tone does come with a tinge of optimism, however, as vocalist/guitarist Dylan Slocum explains “it’s an album about finding happiness in what you have and your current moment. It might be your best moment, or it might not, but you have to find joy in it.” This universal message of finding and accepting the reality of a situation is widely adoptable and certain to strike a chord with listeners.
Instrumentation is expertly crafted throughout No Joy, with driving drums heavily dampened and muffled to mimic the likes of Ringo Starr and other signature 60’s rock drum tones. The accompanying acoustic guitars are prominently featured in the mix to give a classic folk rock feel, with “Clean-up Crew” and “Here You Are” feeling right at home somewhere like an E Street Band setlist. Songs like “Middle of Nine” and “I’m Gonna Miss Everything” introduce electronic, space-age sounding drums to drive the song, providing a sharp contrast to the organic, live-room feel of other tracks. “Marvel” dips its feet into the world of proper emo, with a fast-paced backbeat and a note-heavy guitar intro before opening up into a familiar sounding chorus. The band is unafraid of sonic experimentation, but the record still maintains a clear vision and sticks the landing at every avenue, both familiar and new.
The largest standout component in the band’s ability to pull the heartstrings of the listener is Slocum’s vocal performances. He seemingly relives each experience he is singing of as he sings about it, with expertly timed cracks and yelps in his voice evoking the precise feelings he is singing of. Songs such as “Mutable” and “Exit Bags” begin with nothing more than a droning guitar and a vulnerable vocal that perfectly illustrate this artistry and expression. Album opener “Lifers” finds the vocal riddled with an angst that is often present within the genre of emo, though rarely is it presented with such a lyrical and thematic maturity as the songs present here. Closing track “Re-Emerging Signs of the Apocalypse” perfectly encapsulates every aspect of the album, beginning with subdued instrumentation and a vulnerable vocal, before the band explodes into an arena rock anthem, Slocum’s volume increases, and the album comes to an explosive close.
“This is the closest we’ve ever gotten to figuring out how to translate what I hear in my head with more clarity,” Slocum says about No Joy, and this sentiment rings true. The album feels like a fully realized vision come to life in its themes, its sonic characteristics, and its performances, and will certainly see the group through to new heights.
7.5/10
