Lessons and Nonsense by Spaer: EP Review
Lessons and Nonsense by Spaer: EP Review
Spaer, the solo project of musician, visual artist, and Psymon Spine co-founder Peter Spears, has unveiled his aptly titled seven-song EP, Lessons and Nonsense. A genre-bending ride through life’s minutiae, darker moments, and absurdities, Lessons and Nonsense begins with the true tale of a snail riding a salamander riding a flip-flop, circling around in the water of a cave beneath a waterfall. Yes, you read that sentence correctly. Spears witnessed the events of “The Salamander and the Snail” on a river in Vermont and decided to turn them into a meditation on the cyclical nature of camaraderie and collapse. He croons in a warbly tone reminiscent of Wayne Coyne, while a synth-laden lullaby bubbles underneath. The song sounds like it would be right at home on some subtly psychedelic children’s show.
Credit: Nicole Miller
“The Express” laments the mundane but frustrating experience of waiting for a train, thinking the one coming down the tracks is yours, only to have it whiz right past you. The scenario plays out over a pulsating bass line and warped, Brian Wilson-inspired harmonies before riding into the sunset on a majestic guitar solo, surfing atop a wave of effects-laden vocals and noise. “Indie Movie” started as an “unserious and self-mocking” way to get over a case of writer’s block. Sounding like a weird Leonard Cohen tune before easing into an intentional parody of the modern folk sound Spears grew up on, he humorously pleads with an unknown director to let him score their indie flick. His sales pitch includes lines like “Coast to coast sad boys boohooing / Astrology girls halleluing / I could have had a song in Juno / But I was 13 and missed my window” and “I’m in the woods wearing my beanie / harnessing Bon Iver energy.” “Vaguely Pleasant” captures the partially remembered feeling of the afterglow of an MDMA experience, with intricate guitar work throughout.
Artwork by Nicole Miller
The final two songs may be the strongest and strangest on the EP. “The Woodstove” is written from the perspective of the titular woodstove, beginning as a yearning for the cool autumnal days when its fire will be stoked again, only to veer into darker territory as it proclaims, “I live to burn and consume / I’m greedy, feed me more fuel,” before adding that it “could lick the walls and eat the room / I’m starving, give me kindling.” I don’t think I’ll ever look at a wood-burning stove the same way again.
Finally, there is what Spears calls his “rock opera,” based on an ant infestation and his vegan girlfriend’s horrified reaction to having to squash the critters. “These Bugs” brings in former collaborator Kate Mertucci to sing a very R&B-style melody, accompanied by some excellent guitar work from Ripe guitarist Jon Becker. Despite its somewhat morbid subject matter, the song comes across like a forgotten B-side from late-’80s Prince.
Spaer is obviously not an artist who can be easily categorized, nor is he afraid to take mundane scenes from everyday life and turn them into fascinatingly weird worlds unto themselves. His unique perspective and musical adventurousness should serve him well in whatever artistic endeavors come next.
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