By Kathryn Pinto
At a barbecue attended by all kinds of music people a few months back, vocalist Tammy Herrera whispered to me conspiratorially, “I have a band, too, it’s called Spero.” “When are you playing?” I asked her, “send me some tunes, I’ll take a listen.” Have you ever put on a couple tracks, walked off to brush your teeth only to be hypnotically drawn back out toward the stereo in the other room, still brushing to the music? It was those songs.
The sound is dreamy 1980’s synth lines played against Nicki Nevlin’s understated bendy guitar lines, swirled with Herrera’s ethereal emotive vocals that at times seem perilously close to floating up and out of the mix. The otherworldly analog synth sound acknowledges the influences of The Pixies, Bjork, David Bowie, Siouxsie and the Banshees. Their excellent guitarist Nevlin, (also the bassist for Light FM), would probably play behind the drum set on a big enough stage. This beautiful reserve is sometimes refreshing and other times maddening. It’s as if no one in this band has any idea how good they are. You cross your fingers that at any moment someone will take a cue from Debbie Harry or Carrie Brownstein, and crank up an amp, or vamp her way to the front of the stage and strut these songs.
Spero plays tonight Monday December 12 at the Silverlake Lounge, 2906 Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90026, as part of the Light FM residency, along with Wilding and Summer Darling. Free show.
I really love this band... and their guitar player is really hot! And makes the best screwdrivers ever! ;)
Posted by: Misty Becker | December 13, 2011 at 11:36 AM