Spoon

Here are some things on Gimme Fiction you won't hear on many rock records this year: a lyrical reference to the Christian Coalition's Ralph Reed, a rhyme scheme that pairs "pants" with "St. Vitus' dance," a kalimba, a Wurlitzer, a song you love that somehow manages to have no chorus. Here are some bands Spoon lovingly quotes while still sounding totally original: the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Elvis Costello, Prince, the Clash. Here some indie-rock cameos that give this record more cred (not that it needs it): Crooked Fingers frontman Eric Bachmann on backup vocals ("I Turn My Camera On"), San Francisco's John Vanderslice on effects ("Was It You?"), Trail of Dead producer Mike McCarthy on xylophone ("Mathematical Mind"). Here are some things Gimme Fiction makes you want to do (not necessarily in this order): take a bong hit, have sex, buy a tambourine, spend hours analyzing Britt Daniel's lyrics, press repeat, press repeat, press repeat.