The Spores
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The Spores

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The best kept secret in music

Press


"Billboard album review"

Are they real or are they puppets? The Spores are one of the oddest bands around, a bedroom project gone marionette- turned-live trio, and now with a self-produced album to their name. Singer/bassist Molly McGuire is the linchpin of the group, who used this project as "a trash disposal for odd songs." And odd Imagine the Future certainly is, a surprisingly (considering McGuire's past work) quirky electro-driven set that's still thoroughly accessible. Take "Heat Seeker" for example, where weapons are used as romantic analogies, and a pounding dance rhythm and sweeping synths are melded to alterna-rock with a metal edge. The title track is even more off-kilter, all swirling atmospheres and shifting time signatures. Time itself shoots backwards for "Love My Mind," a blistering techno number circa 1991, that sounds a bit like Prodigy on crack. "Big Brother" tosses old video arcade sound effects into the middle of a stadium rocker, then shifts into dream pop, while "Yum Yum" boasts drums and a big, fat bass line which obviously has lapped up every single one of the delectable dishes McGuire describes within. As off-center as much of the music is, the lyrics are equally disconcerting, be it comparing oneself to "Veal" or spouting bourgeois sentiments about love, marriage and kids that come over a splintering backing that slips and slides disconcertingly between genres. And then there's "(Don't) Kill Yourself," a song already getting sizeable airplay, and boasting an ethereal chorus recommending suicide to stars, slyly adding "your fans will follow" as added incentive. The number soars and swoops, a dramatic and infectious alterna-pop ditty, that defies one not to singalong. It's unclear how many McGuire fans will follow the artist through this album's many electro twists and turns, but it's a stunning set, regardless, and seems likely to win her and her band a whole new group of admirers. ~ Jo-Ann Greene,

- Billboard


"Sentimentalist album review"

The Spores have a penchant for mixing provocative new wave with airy, lo-fi electro, often experimental sounds. Frontwoman Molly McGuire has built up quite an impressive past resume, recording with bands such as Queens of the Stone Age, Frank Black and Peaches. Molly seems quite the quirky lady. Live, she's been known to showcase her new project with puppets, standing in for the musicians on stage. The recordings, too, reveal her intriguing artistic touch, translating to multi-faceted moods throughout the disc. Standout "(Don't) Kill Yourself" has a bittersweet Pete Yorn vibe, while tracks like "El Matador" verge on heavy electro/industrial in one moment, only to venture into angst-rock rumblings the next. Diversity is definitely a key on this album. There are even some Goldfrappian disco moments and left-of-center, creepy bits of faded nostalgia, (accordian included), in songs like "Daffodil". There's never a dull moment with the Spores.--Celine

- The Sentamentalist magazine


"LA Times Buzz Band"

“The music on The Spores debut has character..mixing thumping rockers with twitching electronica – imagine Garbage in electro-shock therapy”
- LA TIMES BUZZ BAND feature/ Kevin Bronson
- LA Times


"URB album review"

“The Spores have plenty to imagine in their immediate future. An opening that feels like an electro version of Clockwork Orange, an insightful indie rock song that gives a nive message of “Kill yourself, although it may seem hollow”, and funky dance beats in “Yum Yum”. Suddenly their future doesn’t seem so bad.”
- URB
- URB magazine


"SPIN.COM album review"

“From the Goldfrapp-esque title track to the sneeringly funky bass grooves that drives “Yum Yum”, the songs cover an impressive chunk of the modern music landscape. And “(Don’t) Kill Yourself is three plus minutes of near-perfect, soft-loud dance rock.”
- SPIN.COM
- SPIN.COM


"TORONTO STAR anti hit list #2 song"

“Though the music follows the standard quiet/loud dynamic of post Nirvana alt rock, the vocals are so soothing, they trick you into thinking this is a song about comforting a troubled soul- until you listen to those words: “Kill Yourself, I’m bigger than ever.””Kill Yourself, your true fans will follow”. If the parenthetical “don’t” in the title didn’t tip you off, those words make the “you idiot” subtext absolutely clear. Think of it as compassionate sneering”
- Toronto Star Anti Hit- List/ John Sakamoto naming the song #2 for best new music
- TORONTO STAR


"Time Out NY album review"

“A searing bassist and sassy vocalist, McGuire (formerly associated with Mondo Generator) spits contradictory lyrics about carnal desire, undying commitment and suicide. One minute, she’s a faithful girlfriend, the next, a deceiver. The music is equally schizophrenic, a patchwork of distorted rock and deranged electronica. Though initially unsettling, Imagine The Future quickly becomes infectious.”
- Time Out NY
- Time Out NY magazine


"ROCK IT newspaper - LA"

Will The Spores make it? Only time will tell. Along with a catchy debut album title, comes along a catchy but spacey Trip-hop new band, The Spores. The Spores, one can consider a poor man’s version of England’s infamous Portishead. In areas where Portishead really tends to stand and deliver, The Spore’s vibe tends to be much lighter and shyer, but also retains that same techno/electronica sound.
“The Spores will win you over live. You’ll put down the cellie and become a fan”-Indie 103.1. Their single “(Don’t) Kill yourself” had received particular media and industry insider’s attention. Much thought that the original title of the single “Kill yourself” was “too brutal for mass exposure”-thespores.com . Because of the hesitant and negative release advice given to The Spores, they simply added one word into the title that changed it all. Now it is called “(Don’t) Kill yourself,” and since then it is a highly anticipated album. Imagine the future has been featured on KROQ's "Rodney on the Roq" and "Flash Forward." Hopefully The Spores live up to their already sought after reputation, and do truly become as popular as they expect to be.
- ROCK IT - Los Angeles


Discography

Imagine The Future - Sidecho Records
released June 2006
Track getting airplay/streaming: (Don't) Kill Yourself, Heat Seeker, Love My Mind, Yum Yum, Big Brother

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

Los Angeles, CA- June 11th, 2006 – The Spores blending elements of electronica, rock, pop and sass are the ingredients that created Imagine The Future. Destined to turn heads with multi-talented front-woman Molly McGuire, Imagine The Future lands June 27th, 2006 (SideCho Records). The twelve-track ride, which includes the first single “(Don’t) Kill Yourself” combines luscious vocals and stellar guitar work mixed admirably with heavy drum rhythms adding to the rock and dance music background of the band. Los Angeles based Indie 103.1-FM is already on board spinning the group’s anti-suicide pop song “(Don’t) Kill Yourself” off the album on its specialty shows.

The Spores are a forward thinking musical project combining alter-egos portrayed by puppets, of which McGuire has conceived and integrated in the band’s stage show. McGuire has assembled quite an impressive rock ‘n’ roll resume. She’s recorded with Frank Black, Queens of the Stone Age and Peaches and toured with Mondo Generator. She’s built her chops on bass with bands like Earthlings? and Rhudabaga, but with the official debut of her latest endeavor The Spores, McGuire alongside co-conspirators guitarist Greg “Stunbunny” Biribauer and drummer Kenny Pierce is finally starting to make things happen completely on her own terms.

The Los Angeles-based act came to life in 2004 when Biribauer, McGuire’s roommate and fellow Toronto native, approached her with the idea of tracking a few songs. With a recording setup in the house and Biribauer’s extensive experience as a sound engineer, McGuire seized of the opportunity and the pair began constructing material that was unlike anything of their previous projects - or anything on the airwaves.

Besides her enchanting vocals and rocking bass lines, McGuire works with paper mache, fabric, painting and carpentry, which brought to life half-a-dozen puppets that add a completely unique angle to The Spores already electric, captivating set as part of its live act. “People are really excited by it,” says McGuire. “As soon as they realize they’re going to see something different, they show up and end up really liking the band. It’s something beyond anything they’ve ever seen before. It adds a little fresh twist to what we’re doing live. Our whole thing is about entertaining the audience. We just want to put on a great show that anybody can enjoy.”

With over a hundred ideas set aside for future compositions, The Spores’ prolific, groundbreaking output will only find the act garnering greater attention as it hits the road for various stints across the nation. Yet at this point, the trio is moving steadily with its do-it-yourself drive and continual creativity. And as more resources become available, expect members of The Spores to utilize whatever they can get their hands on to further their genre-crossing sound.