Drawing inspiration from Buddhist teachings and the hopeful attitude of frontman Johnny Quinn, Liverpool-based four-piece SPINN return with their second album, Outside Of The Blue, via Modern Sky UK. Produced by Tom Longworth (Oscar Lang, Spector, Vistas, BLOXX) at Parr Street Studios in Liverpool, Quinn is joined on the new record by Luke Brickett on guitar, Sean McLachlan on bass and Louis O’Reilly on drums...

Outside of the Blue has all the positivity and drive of a '90s indie album. It's upbeat, energetic and pretty much infectious. The album contains 11 tracks (37 min, 26 sec) and works best when listened to from start to finish in the order the album is presented. While you can dip in and out of the songs, they each bounce of the previous track's vibe and energy. At times I was reminded of '90s band James.

Of it’s title track Quinn says: 'Outside Of The Blue' acts as a lynchpin sonically and thematically. Written in the immediate aftermath of a panic attack, following a drive down to Birmingham to work on material for the album, the lyrics poured out in just half an hour. Instead of embodying that place of anguish it’s filled with light and an appreciation of unconditional love. “It’s about how appreciative you become of the good things in life when you realise you have them, and how you’d do anything for that.”

It's an album I enjoyed very much on the first play through, and subsequent listens only impressed upon me how tight the writing was and how well the songs came together as an album.

In these bleak days SPINN are a welcome breath of fresh air that blow away the clouds and make you appreciate your day a little more.

8

Nick Smithson