Songs Of The Spires
Omnivore, 2021
9/10
David Kendrick and Leslie Bohem had already played together in Bates Motel and Sparks when they decided to form Gleaming Spires, which is where songs that they penned while on tour with Sparks would live.
Originally released in 1981, this debut album came to life after a demo made its way onto the radio, and thus a record deal came their way. Certainly unusual, but also very much in tune with the New Wave and outsider sounds of the early ‘80s, Songs Of The Spires sees the reissue treatment with a healthy amount of bonus material, too.
The first song Gleaming Spires presents us is the upbeat and infectious “Going Hey Hey”, where New Wave and eccentric dance floor energy makes for an intriguing starting point, and “Are You Ready For The Sex Girls?” follows with buzzing melody that’s instantly memorable and leaves no question as to why this was their biggest hit.
Further on, the luminous synth of “When Love Goes Under Glass” recruits a beat heavy climate, while “The End Of All Good Things” trims the pace back with a dreamy landscape of atmosphere and mystery. “How To Get Girls Thru Hypnotism” then enters darker areas fueled by dense synth and firm vocal acrobatics.
“Talking In The Dark” lands near the end and meshes pop, New Wave and even post-punk ideas into a quirky album highlight, and “Big Hotels” exits the original album with a cautiously textured and poetic finish.
The bonus tracks are especially great, and include the punchy and rhythmic “Real Time”, as well as the driving garage rock nods of “Dedication”, both of which are tunes penned by their previous band, Bates Motel. “Walk Right”, the best tune from this portion of the listen, brings soaring backing vocals that add much charm to the layers of atypical pop.
Gleaming Spires would go on to release two more excellent records, both of which were also just reissued by the Omnivore label, and they make for very important pieces of the seminal New Wave scene that’s more relevant than ever, while documenting the legacy of this criminally under appreciated outfit.
Travels well with: Gleaming Spires- Walk On Well Lighted Streets; Gleaming Spires- Welcoming A New Ice Age