When Spitalfield burst onto the scene a couple of years ago, many ears were pricked up because they were about as far removed from your stereotypical Victory band as you could get. With sugar-coated choruses and some glorious harmonies, ‘Remember Right Now’ became one of my favourite records of 2003. Tell the truth, I still listen to that album on a regular basis – Mark Rose’s vocal work on that album is second to none, even if he did get a helping hand from the production desk. ‘Stop Doing Bad Things’ is more of the same in the quality stakes – this is an excellent record that shows real musical maturity. There’s a step up in sound for the Chicago foursome this time round – the guitars are dirtier, the drums hit harder and Ed Rose’s production shows less is more as the vocals are stripped down. They sound more natural, and some would argue better, for it.
If Spitalfield were classed as a pop-punk following ‘Remember Right Now’, their trip to Black Lodge Studios (former recording den of The Get Up Kids and Coalesce) has turned them into a rather rocking beast – expect Foo Fighters comparisons as many of the guitar intros to the songs could easily have come from the Dave Grohl school of rock. ‘So I Heard You Joined A Convent’ and ‘Texa$ With A Dollar Sign’ are far more guitar-led than the Spitalfield songs of old, although Mark’s vocals still shine, especially in the choruses. The latter has a huge singalong section, while ‘Gold Dust vs State of Illinois’ and ‘What Were You Thinking’ are real standouts. Then there’s ‘Tampa Burn Blues’ – a real rampant riff-tastic track – and the catchy-as-Hell ‘Restraining Order Blues’. Hang on a minute, I’ve just name-checked all of the first six songs…
In typical Spitalfield style, there’s not one bad song here. ‘Van Buren’ is a real foot stomper, showcasing a sound I never thought would be posible following the last album, while ‘Building a Better City By Design’ is another standout track. Spitalfield clearly set out to evolve as a band. Two years have passed and musicians definitely grow up – ‘Stop Doing Bad Things’ is proof of that. There are hints of the old band throughout this album, little parts that sound similar here and there, but for the most part the over-produced saccharine sweet sound that flooded ‘Remember Right Now’ is gone – for the better. Fans of the band will love this, those who didn’t like the last record will find themselves reaching for this again and again…
www.spitalfield.net
Victory Records
Paul