Back before such indie-prep acts as Vampire Weekend and Tally Hall (QRO photos) made bank with their cheery styles and wide smiles, there was The Spinto Band and “Oh Mandy”. In addition to being one of Delaware’s few exports (musical or otherwise), the young group found fame when single “Oh Mandy” was adopted by department store Sears for an ad campaign. Success followed with 2005’s Nice and Nicely Done, a record that was just that. But on their latest go-round, Moonwink, The Spinto Band have lost some of the energy and inventiveness that made Nice so Nicely Done.
Moonwink starts on a promising note with “Later On”, whose indie-prep brightness has swing, but, even there, there is the hint of thinness that plagues this album. From one forgettable piece to the next, The Spinto Band is never a pain to listen to, but is sorely lacking in hook. When they do seem ready for take-off, the band’s tendency to shift tempos and sounds holds them back, like with “The Carnival” and “They All Laughed”.
Thankfully, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Most notable is “Summer Grof”, which sees The Spinto Band at their finest: catchy without being oppressively cheery, and rhythm changes that don’t lose step or momentum. The pure brightness is done best with “Pumpkins and Paisley”, while finisher “The Black Flag” finally brings some energy that sparks and taps.
The Spinto Band are unapologetically a group for those with a sweeter tooth, and their sounds certainly fit their ideals. But, other than being the other band with two pairs of brothers (and they certainly aren’t The National – QRO live review), Wilmington’s finest still needs to find some ‘there’ there, and Moonwink doesn’t have enough stabs.
