Ghettoblaster Magazine reviews Spoils System’s The Nope Out
Eddie Ugarte from Ghettoblaster Magazine had kind words about Spoils System’s The Nope Out. This is what he said:
"Never one to toss around certain obvious tags or nicknames for a style of play, this time around, no one can avoid it. As much as it pains me to say, “emo” has morphed into more than just a sound; it’s a look, it’s a style, one that the younger generation of H.S. and middle school kids find funny somewhere in between the eyeliner and hairstyle(s).
Enter: Spoils System, that Hudson Valley, NY outfit made up of Dan Coutant (vocals/guitar/keys), Sean Hansen (guitar/vocals) – both of whom cut their teeth in Joshua back in the early 2000s – David Fateman (bass), and Mark Frankel (drums). The band has just released its sophomore effort with The Nope Out (Sweet Cheetah), and there’s something different about the band, forcing it to stand out from the pack of groups that continually write and record music in a familiar style that makes them indistinguishable from one another. It isn’t the same for Spoils System, though. The band reels you in quickly with its opener “Scrapes,” firing on all cylinders as the dual guitar interplay revels in the melody it delivers. The rhythm section follows suit, adding the backbone as Coutant’s voice and words are woven throughout the canopy of sound. Every note, strum, beat, you hear every nuance, every brushstroke within the song. Nothing is left untouched. This is the moment that’s captivating and forces you to explore the rest of the album.
The group is easily capable of moving from one direction to another, case in point: the pop explosiveness of “I Still Exist.” There are a couple of factors here that are attributed to it, one being Coutant’s vocal delivery, where he captures a melody within his words that offsets the band’s instruments, especially when he and Hansen harmonize. The unassuming rhythm is what propels the track as everyone moves in unison with one another. At moments, it may seem sparse, but it’s far from being flawed. Midway through the track shifts gears, but continually remains pretty rhythmic with jangly guitars before it reverts to its original form. Spoils System changes moods as atmospheric “Force For Good,” moves with subtlety until it begins to pick up speed, crescendos into a quick-paced frolic. It’s a song like “Over” that may draw you nearer to Spoils System, luring you in with a wash of keyboard vibrato notes as guitars begin to strum in and the band shifts dynamics pretty quickly. The rhythm is infectious and the band probably knows it too, with Coutant’s words pulling you in closer, unable to pull away as if sucked into the sound of a black hole. As quickly as it starts is a fast as it ends, but what’s left is a buttery aftertaste that you’ll want to get more of.
The Nope Out is a pleasant surprise that intrigues as much as it forces the listener into the band’s musical world. It’s easy to say that as you hit that play button again to literally rock out to the band’s music. Spoils System leaves everything on the table, and either you like them or you’re just wrong."