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Spanish For 100: Say What You Want To Say To Me

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by Jordan Dowling

In the coming weeks, maybe months, you may hear the name Spanish For 100 being thrown around in the same way as that of Arcade Fire was a couple years ago. Not that there are too many parallels to be drawn sonically, more that there is an air of excitement around the release of this album that has, seemingly, come out of nowhere, from a band hardly mentioned outside of the US.

Say What You Want To Say To Me is an album of surprising depth and constant quality. The title track's endless guitar pirouettes and hopeful vocal harmonies bring to mind Nada Surf and even Biffy Clyro, whilst the slow-burning 'See Now' and 'Red' are filled with the same nervous energy as Aereogramme's late-era meditative offerings.

Yet these changes don't make the album seem pockmarked, nor do they make for uneasy listening. Spanish For 100 have mastered all these elements and, just about, created a sound of their own; a sound somewhere between the just-off-MOR college rock of their home country and the indie-rock of UK underground stalwarts such as Jetplane Landing and Hundred Reasons. Yet for 75 per cent of the time they operate at quite a distance a way from either of these touchstones. Perhaps not surprisingly for a band so eager to juxtapose their collective, and individual, influences, there is a confident attitude throughout the album, but there is no sign of an ego anywhere; vocalist Aaron Starkey shies away from self-referencing, despite writing in the first person. The band – thankfully - avoid stepping into muso territory.

Whilst this is by no means an all-time classic album, it is hard to find a fault with Say What You Want To Say To Me that’s really worth focusing upon. Be sure to check them out before the inevitable waves of widespread critical adulation thrust them into the limelight.

  • Spanish For 100 8 / 10

I would buy this but.....

I don't know where to get it! I have heard track samples online and it sounds good, muse like, my kind of thing. After a visit to my local independent record store I realised how obscure this actually is. The owner of the shop has had no luck with any of his suppliers in getting this album. This is the 1st time he has been unable to get an album ordered for me! The fact that no-one else has posted any comments is a bit of a clue aswell I suppose.