SUGGESTED LISTENING: GOLD FOOLS BY NYC SPANISH PRISONERS
BY MATT PUSATORY FOR JUNNNKTANK.COM , JANUARY 2012.

REVIEWS BE FOR FOOLS . . .
But when our new contributor and resident American, Matt Pusatory plopped this puppy down on my virtual desk I just had to run with it. Very cool band. Very cool contributor. Thanks Matt!

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After releasing a smattering of singles and remixes over 2011, Brooklyn quartet Spanish Prisoners finally released its debut full-length album Gold Fools. The album includes all these previously released tracks (except a Smiths cover of “Still Ill”), but in the context of a proper album, Spanish Prisoners really shine. Gold Fools is a hook-filled hazy dream pop record, with an emphasis on the pop.

The album opens with the fierce “Los Angeles Guitar Dream,” a song that builds from laid-back chillwave with a sexy bass line and whispered vocals to guitar-heavy sing along chorus. The track is a little bit of an anomaly as it’s probably the most straight ahead rock song in the group, but it starts things off with a bang before settling into more relaxed territory.

“Rich Blood” and “Know No Violence” might bring to mind Toro Y Moi or Yeasayer (if they got rid of all the animal noises and tribal drums). These songs are heavy on the electronics and vocal effects, but don’t get carried away. They’re a great mix of pop rock and dreamy psych. These two songs are probably the best one-two punch on the album and a great snapshot of the band’s overall sound.

Near the tail end of the disc, starting with “Lipstick Under the Table,” the Prisoners crank down the tempo even more and crank up the sexy. Throbbing bass lines and heavy beat pervade these last few songs. “Lipstick” is all swirling haze over an undulating beat that screams for a little bump and grind.

Things get a little dark on “Cadillac From Yesterday.” It’s another bass-driven slow burner that’s perfect for a late-night drive on an empty road. It builds into a wall of sound before it all falls apart and comes back with more intensity.

Spanish Prisoners definitely have the chops to break through all the haze and electro noise they create and become a band to watch. Gold Fools proves that this group is comfortable making a complete and wide-ranging album, while sticking to their well-developed sound. It’s a solid release worth listening to with headphones on. And as an added bonus, you can name your price for it on their Bandcamp page.

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