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.
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Brighton Argus
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John Robins, Comedian
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Idrie, Youtube
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Bosco239, youtube
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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World Without End, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter