The Spinto Band

Nicely Done Indeed

The Spinto Band is a beautiful little six piece indie-pop band straight out of Delaware. The band formed in 1996, after guitar player Nick Krill went to visit his late grandfathers home on the Mississippi delta. Krill’s grandfather, Roy Spinto, was a guitar player who was somewhat delusional, somewhat genius. The late Mr. Spinto would always write lyrics on the inside of Cracker Jack boxes. Finding these boxes Krill got the first inspirations to form the band. Coming out of a town in DE Spinto formed, as six men with a dream. The Spinto Band has three guitarists, who all harmonize vocals beautifully for choruses and change up singing verses. With Nick Krill, Jon Eaton, and Joe Hobson all on guitars, Sam Hughes on keyboards, and Sam’s brother Thomas Hughes on bass guitar, and Joe’s brother Jeff Hobson on drums, forming the rhythm section. The rag-tag six-piece does manage to come out with a great sound that doesn’t sound too overwhelming.

The Spinto Band’s debut was released in 2005 (only 9 years after their formation, not too bad) called Nice and Nicely Done. Nice is truly a magnificent album, deserving no less that a four and one half out of five star rating. Every song on this album does something for me. My favorites being, Did I Tell You, Brown Boxes, Oh Mandy and my absolute favorite, the hidden track of the album, Japan Is An Island.

The album starts off incredibly strong with Did I Tell You, first with a nice little keyboard entry followed by strong guitar riffs and followed by the album opening lyrics “Let me begin with for which I am thankful/ my father/ my mother/ my family/ etcetera/ the fact that there is war on this planet/ and the opportunity for me to walk in it.” The basic but quick drums with a run along bass push the song (and nearly the whole album) along nicely. Also with rhythm guitars strumming, quick riffs slamming, and little doodles being placed elsewhere by the third guitar and the keyboards. The vocals are soft, yet loud, kind of kiddy sounding but from an in your face five year old. The second track is the must listen of the album; anyone that listens to Brown Boxes will be a fan. Starting off with kazoos and mysterious lyrics eventually going into the words “This box cutter is too dull/ otherwise I’d end it all.” Then Oh Mandy is a quick paced acoustic ballad-ish poppy song, sang in an octave higher than the other songs, the chorus inevitably chanting “Oh Mandy/ Oh Mandy/ Oh Mandy/ So Dreamy/ Oh Mandy/ So killing/ Oh Mandy.”

My favorite song, Japan Is An Island, is the final track of the album, hidden as the fourteenth track, after 3 blank tracks in-between itself and track ten, Mountains. Starting off with simple keyboard R2D2 sounding blips, and then building up momentum with guitars and snare drums beats into the vocals, chanting about the Atari gaming system. The clever lyrics “Atari/ Atari/ the dogs got out/ while I was playing Atari/ we can do it/ while I’m playing Atari/ don’t stop girl/ I’m playin’ Atari.” And later the lyrics, “I can save my game/ Can I save my life?”

Spinto Band is a clever little outfit that never ceases to amaze me with their harmonizing sound and clever lyrics. The band even sings that their favorite band is Pavement, which is definitely more than an influence. Spinto band mainly sounds like the new 2000’s updated and upgraded Everclear with even more pop roots. Spinto Band is sure to get some big attention one day.

Download—Brown Boxes

-Adam Fitzgerald