On previous Spain albums, smokily spiritual blues guitar drifts across the provocatively expansive spaces between vocalist Josh Haden’s bare bass parts.
But The Soul Of Spain sees two uncharacteristically animated numbers, Because Your Love and Miracle Man, chug past in standard moody alt rock mode, and new drummer Matt Mayhall clings to metronomically regular rhythms throughout, as if to allay the more timid listener’s fear of the unfamiliar.
Among the album’s stronger songs, the closer Hang Your Head Down Low, uses a gospel Hammond organ drone to focus Spain’s most salient stylistic points, – silence, steadfastness, and fatalistic faithful stoicism.
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read