‘People Like People Like You’ is the debut release from progressive Manchester five-piece, Spokes. Originally released on the band’s
own Everyone label, it is now being reissued by Counter Records. Why the rustic
fiddles and the vast expanse of space? Surely you don’t inherit that from knocking
around Old Trafford. Well you don’t. That’s most likely picked up from the lofty
rainswept crags of their old North East stomping ground.
An album that in some ways takes it cue from the tumultuous orchestral havoc
wreaked by M83 and Mars Volta and the dazzling harmonic antics of the Cocteau
Twins and Sigur Ros – only without either of the pair’s wailing harpies. They
also have a tendency to run with a theme only fractionally longer than a competitor
in the 10,000-metre event.
Not much in the way of vocals to speak of but with enough peaks to wear out
the shoes of even the most persistent of ramblers the scarcity of a messenger
is more than made up for by the intensity of the message.
Frivolous yet fiery. A bit like British Sea Power without the wardrobe manager.