Rae Spoon is both the hunter and the hunted. His latest album love is a hunter (Saved By Radio/Vinyl), is a pop-infused exploration of identity, contradiction and longing.
Heavily inspired by an extensive period spent in Europe, Spoon examines the various shades of love found everywhere from the club to the internal monsters within.
Recorded with Lorrie Matheson in Calgary, Alberta, Love Is A Hunter is Spoon’s most danceable release yet. He continues to navigate through uncharted terrain, blurring musical genres, lyrical lines and electro-infused beats.
As a former country crooner with previous releases: Throw Some Dirt On Me (2003), Your Trailer Door (2005), White Hearse Comes Rolling (2006) and the exploration of Canada and colonialism on Polaris nominated Superioryouareinferior (2008), Spoon shifts focus to love found beneath disco balls and the quest for belonging and community.
“Death By Elektro,” sets the precident for the album to extend beyond any preconceived notions. With its honest and confessional approach, Spoon begs to push boundaries. He’s always been a shape-shifter.
“We Can’t Be Lovers,” is the quintessential indie-rock song for anyone who has struggled to muster up the gumption to try and take someone home after a night of dancing and flirtation. While “Love Is A Hunter,” relays the primal, almost animalistic aspects of desire.
Take it or leave it. “You Can Dance,” adopts the philosophy of going after one’s longing, shedding all insecurities and laying out your cards. Once the club lights go up and life continues on, some lovers linger, while others drift out to sea. “Lighthouse,” wades through the various waves of intimacy and internal undress.
“You Like All the Parties,” is a song of struggle and social anxiety. For some a party is a place to masquerade and explore, while others remain hidden within the shadows and commotion, wondering where the spark of their love dissolved.
Part acoustic ballad, part country song, “Joan,” is the ultimate love song to the trans community featuring a duet with ‘The Cliks’ front man Lucas Silveira.
As the glitter-splashed queer anthem “Danger Danger Danger,” illustrates Spoon in the throws of his creative versatility. With heavy bass notes and twinkling dance floor promise, he could debunk the myth that gay bars play bad music.
“Monsters,” combats the internal demons that attempt to devour and question our survival, limitations and perseverance.
After a stint last fall in Berlin, “U-Bahn,” explores the relationship we carry with our surroundings, how history’s narrative travels within us and intertwines with the present. The song came out of a collection of songs recorded with Berlin artist Alexandre Decoupigny called ‘Worauf Wartest Du?’ and features his textured electronic programming.
“Be the light be the light be the light,” is a stunning acoustic epilogue riddled with internal doubt, existential queries and concludes with the realization that all darkness eventually brings light.