Spector Are Back With Soaring Single ‘No One Knows Better’

Back in 2012, Spector were the talk of the town. Portrayed as England’s next big band and following on the coattails of bands such as The Vaccines, they seemed to be everywhere all at once for a short time.  

Since their rise to indie darlings and the success of their debut album, which NME claimed to be a superb hark back to the golden days of early noughties garage rock, the band have, it’s safe to say, not lived up to initial expectations, certainly commercially. 

However, their output since then has been an undiscovered gem, and whilst the band have diversified their sound, the basics of their anthemic ideals and earnest lyrics remain intact.  

On the London bands latest single, the heart-warming ‘No One Knows Better’, Spector create a track fit for any arena, but with a warmness that radiates pure joy.  

The initial opening of the track is a palpable groove beat, with Spector showing their evolution as a band. Drums that wouldn’t be out of place on Paul Simon’s South African inspired ‘Graceland’ are joined by heavily reverbed guitars that create an ethereal flow to the opening, whilst lead-singer Frederick Macpherson adds his delicate lyrics over the other-worldly intro as he sings of “Illegal raves” and the “Information age”. It’s of stark contrast to the bands early work, yet it seems to fit them better.  

With the coming of the chorus, we find the band at their classical best, as the sound explodes into distorted guitars and pounding drums. It’s a sonic call back to the glory days of Spector’s past, yet Macpherson adds a more personal touch on the band's latest release. Whilst the sound may be crashing around him, the singer maintains his solemn yet endearing vocal tone as he strains “No one knows better than you / Tell me all the things I shouldn’t do”.   

The ease with which the track can transition from contrasting sounds whilst maintaining a sense of purpose, not forcing the listener to be jolted from one verse to the next, is another example of a band at the top of their game.  

Spector may not have lived up to their initial promise to some people, however, their consistently brilliant output is a joy to listen to for fans of anthemic rock. ‘No One Knows Better’ is a continuation of the fine musicianship Spector have proven to possess and hints at a band unshackled from the burdens of success.  

James Ogden 

Image: Charlie Cummings