Craft Spells
Idle Labor

There’s a madman in the state of New York who has set his mind on reviving the '80s. Since he started producing, Mike Sniper, buoyed by his consecration as a genius of New York indie rock, has decided to diligently steer the independent music production of his label along the same path already extensively covered by the Blank Dogs. Now, it’s just a matter of deciding whether to applaud the stylistic choice or to criticize him for endlessly recycling a rather basic idea.

Take, for example, Craft Spells: "Idle Labor," the album title; New Order-style cover, sound reminiscent of New Order slash The Cure slash any-other-recognizable-thing-in-that-musical-context, average track length focused on two and a half minutes, with the only difference being the atmosphere, which, in the best indie rock interpretations, becomes more empathetic and sunny. Review done in four lines (and even pretentious and full of labels). Is it good? Is it bad? It depends on how attached you are to the genre. The album is strong, as a proposition it’s more than valid, stuff that if you put it on headphones and are capable of not getting bored too easily, you can listen to it over and over. It’s a fairly easy work to follow, reminding you of many things and sounds wonderfully lo-fi (given the resurgence that seems to have gripped the latest musical production, and even the expression "wonderfully lo-fi," let’s repeat it together).

Still not convinced? At least give it a listen. Craft Spells are quite good, despite dealing with the exact opposite of novelty, they manage to make it sound damn original and catchy. It depends on how you take it, I repeat. If you are open-minded, the eleven tracks on Idle Labor will not sound "all the same", but each will assume its peculiar tone. The nostalgic impact also plays a part. "From the Morning Heat" will remind you of the Smiths; "After The Moment" lends itself to ending up like a smiling version of "Just Like Heaven," "Party Talk" languidly draws on low-cost psychedelia. All neat and in its place. All already seen and heard, that’s why it works. Without excessive pretensions. Like the review, basically.