Search - Spinanes :: Arches & Aisles

A Red, Red Rose ...

Malcolm Beaudett | Hampstead, NH USA | 05/06/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My favorite album. I can't believe how many times I've listened to this. Lovely, evocative and complex. Brings me to tears on a regular basis. Accessible and mysterious at the same time. I'll stop before I get even more gooey."

I Love This Album

Nick Burd (nburd@blue.weeg.uiowa.ed | Iowa City, IA | 06/06/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is the first album in which the Spinanes (basically Rebecca Gates) employs the help of a full band. Her previous two releases were just her and her drummer. Ths album has a more colorful sound. It's dreamy and folky everywhere but it also has a very modern sound. The first track just busts out with a Casio keyboard and and then a killer riff and lyrics about the beauty of California. "Den Trawler" is all about a "sentimental fool" who is too busy thinking about his losses that he misses the the clock striking twelve on New Year's Eve. "72-73" describes a woman putting herself together after dating the world's biggest prick. It's a perfect album for anyone with ears and a heart. And the whole thing ends with Rebecca scolding her man with the cool line "That's not how a man acts. Is that what you are?" It's an awesome and lovely testament to falling in and out of love and hovering in the spaces between."

Pleasnt (In a Rave About Way)

Patrick F Clifford | 01/23/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I really dug their first two records and always hoped they'd expand their sound. Here it is.Getting into their last two releases, I was really drawn into the simple (guitar and drums (the really great Scott Plouf (who is now in Built to Spill-a super addition to that fabulous combo)structures of Rebecca Gates songs. But here she's expanded her sound (without, sadly, I guess, Plouf's drumming)and the band is that much more expressive. Each tune sound like they've spent days on it. This stuff is really laid back, very thoughtful, dreamy (not in a Codeine or a Low way), and intelligent music. This record sounds like a female fronted Sea and Cake (thanks to a vibe put down by Sam Prekop and John McIntire on a couple of tunes that, then, runs through the entire document). R. Gates is a talent which, hopefully, will keep on.The writing is solid on this as is the minimalist pop playing of her new bandmates. Smooth, but utterly original and accomplished."