The Spook School - Could It Be Different?

Würde ich jemanden kennen, der ein Indiepop-Festival - so eines wie dieses hier - planen, organisieren und in die Tat umsetzen würde, dann könnte ich ihm mit voller Überzeugung für die zweite Auflage The Spook School empfehlen.

Das schottische Quartett hat in den letzten Jahren zwei Platten, „Dress Up“ (2013) und „Try To Be Hopeful“ (2015), über Fortuna Pop! veröffentlicht, nachdem sie 2012 beim Indietracks Festival entdeckt wurden. Nach dem Ende von Fortuna Pop! haben sie ein neues Label mit Ausrufezeichen gesucht und sind bei Alcopop! Records fündig geworden. Dort erschien vor einigen Tagen „Could It Be Different?“. 

The Spook School bestehen aus den beiden Brüdern Nye und Adam Todd sowie Anna Cory und Niall McCamley, die sich an der University of Edinburgh kennenlernten. Sie spielen eingängigen, charmanten, temporeichen, noisigen Twee-/Indiepop mit Girl-/Boy-Gesang, der Freunden von Throw That Beat In The Garbagecan!, Tullycraft und Los Campesinos! gefallen wird. Bei den Bandnamen werden Ausrufezeichen also ebenfalls sehr geschätzt und unter die Vorstellung des durchgängig überzeugenden "Could It Be Different?" möchte ich am liebsten auch eins setzen. 

The Spook School are that special type of band that not only write great records, but important ones too. Songs about gender identity, abusive relationships, body insecurity, sexuality, toxic masculinity, and mental health mix with a stubborn optimism, positivity and defiance that will and has provided hope, comfort and inspiration for many who might be going through similar things. Could It Be Different?, the Glasgow four-piece’s third record (and first not with the already much-missed Fortuna POP!), is a confident and acclaimed continuation in their knack for writing noisy, danceable and charming indie pop with meaning. Eleven tracks of fast-moving, relentlessly catchy, hairs-on-end hits with hugely quotable choruses that feel liberating and powerful to dance and shout along to. The Spook School will be long remembered.
(London in Stereo)

On ripping opener “Still Alive,” the band’s multiple vocalists join forces on the joyous refrain of “Fuck you, I am still alive!” and it sounds like it could be a unifying anthem for anyone who faces systemic oppression. On “Body,” which has an awesome call and response bridge that sounds like Whenever, If Ever-era TWIABP covering Bizarro-era Wedding Present, they take on self-love, self-confidence, and body dysmorphia. In comparison, the sugary but raucous “I Hope She Loves You” is a tender, personal song. Sometimes you get tired of angrily railing against the system and you just want to sing about love or lack thereof, and there’s power in that too. As they say, the personal is political. That’s even clearer on closer “High School,” an indiepop ballad with a “Be My Baby” beat where The Spook School question how different life may have turned out — from romantic relationships to coming out — “if I played sports in high school.” Chances are, anyone who’s read this far into a review about a Slumberland band can relate to that.
If The Spook School seem simple on the surface, it’s deceptive. A lot of modern indie/punk bands have driving guitars, singalong choruses, and powerful lyricism, but The Spook School have all three in a way that quickly stands out from their peers, and Could It Be Different? is quite possibly the best showcase of this yet.
(Brooklyn Vegan)

Tolle Platte!