Spiritual Cramp - Spiritual Cramp
Punk Rock – Released November 3, 2023 – 10 songs, 25 mins
REID
Last review of 2024! Crazy to think. Too Sweet Reviews took big strides this year and all three of us are excited to see what’s next. As always, thanks for your support, keep coming back and tell your friends!
Today we review a punk rock group from California called Spiritual Cramp. The group’s ascension took place in San Francisco and before I talk about the band, let me just say we visited the Bay Area on our Coachella trip last year and it is breathtakingly beautiful. The contrast of the big city against the bay, accentuated by the Golden Gate with the mystique of Alcatraz prison is something to behold. Okay, back to the music. Mike, Jacob, Blaine, Mike, Stewart and Max are on vocals, guitar, drums, bass, guitar and tambourine respectively. They decided to go big with their debut studio album after years underground and released their self-titled album earlier this month.
Spiritual Cramp opens with a thirty-second interlude of sorts and by God they don’t slow down for the remaining twenty-five and a half. At least that’s how it feels. Let’s start with the frontman and star, Bingham. This guy oozes swagger and the more I listen, the more I love how he elevates every song with his baritone voice and showmanship. There are many examples of this but my favourite is the chorus to Clashing At The Party – ‘slow me down, slow me down, slow me down, slow me down’. The guitar duo play so well off each other – giving me The Strokes vibes. Anyone who knows me knows that’s a high compliment. Talkin’ On The Internet is a sexy pick for them. The heartbeat of the band on drums and bass don’t miss a beat, literally. Throw on Addict and listen to them steal the show as the intro puts the spotlight on the beat and groove. The sum of their parts is collectively excellent.
Finding the sweet spot with album length is tricky. This record doesn’t even get to a half hour but I tell you what, they maximize that runtime. Just about every tune had me glancing at the phone for the song title. That’s what it’s all about. Two more songs at a similar quality would boost this rating even higher but that’s probably just a fan wanting more. I tell you what else I want – a live viewing. Their energy is infectious and it’d be a fun show.
Spiritual Camp caps off 2023 for TSR on a high with a fast paced punk rock ride. The band trimmed the fat for a final record that’s short and too sweet.
Overall Rating: 8.3/10
Favourite Song: Talkin’ On The Internet
ROZ
This week’s review is a bittersweet one for Too Sweet Reviews. With our end of year podcast just around the corner and the holidays slightly after that, today is officially our final written music review of the 2023 season. While things may be winding down, the term “winding down” is not something you will find in this week’s pick. Hailing from San Francisco, today we dive into the debut studio album of American punk rock band Spiritual Cramp – and boy is it ever a ride.
Spiritual Cramp’s sound is a blast from the past. Right out of the gate, my mind snaps quickly to the stylings of the Ramones, legendary punk rock band from the 1970’s that defined the genre entirely. The non-stop pace and short song lengths manifest a feral energy that must be near-impossible to resist in a live setting; three songs in and I already find myself wanting to launch myself like a cannonball full speed into a group of like-minded concert goers. Each individual track only makes it slightly over the two-minute mark, emphasizing that Spiritual Cramp is here for a good time but not a long time. The bridge sections are few and far between, the kick and snare fail to go quiet, and lead singer Michael Bingham makes it his prerogative to belt out his vocals until the chords in his throat get to the verge of bursting. There are no synthetic overlays or fancy processing tricks on this one. Lead singer Bingham could have walked into the studio, put down his drink, wiped the spit off of the microphone and gave it his all in one long take and I’d believe that scenario 10 out of 10 times. This album is raw, it’s noisy, it’s punk rock through and through.
There isn’t much else to dissect. This band’s goal is to evoke a dopamine rush that leaves as abruptly as it arrives. They want you to leave their live show sweaty, tired, and happy; with this goal in mind I believe that they have hit their mark. Spiritual Cramp’s debut album burns bright and it burns quick. It’s a trashed hotel room halfway through a North American tour. It’s the smell of stale cigarettes on a shabby tour bus. No matter how you paint the picture, one thing is for sure - this album rocks.
Overall Rating: 7.8/10
Favourite Song: Better Off This Way
LUNDI
In true TSR fashion we close out our yearly slate of reviews with an album from a band you’ve definitely never heard of. How punk rock of us. Just like the Bay Area group Spiritual Cramp and their rockus self titled debut.
Spiritual Cramp’s inaugural record is rambunctious and fantastically fun. The sextet who draw on clear influences from Ramones, The Clash, Iggy Pop and even The Strokes couldn’t care less what the their mainstream perception is. Rooted in the California punk DIY scene the band are determined to succeed at all costs. That mindset rings true with their high energy garage rock anthems that will quickly spring to action a no holds bar mosh pit. Performing is no easy feat, but it’s all on the line each and every time the recording or stage light turns on for Spiritual Cramp.
Energy and attitude aside, the defining feature of the band and this album is certainly lead singer Michael Bingham whose 70’s punk vocal prowess stands out. Honestly if it weren’t for his unique delivery, the band likely gets chewed up and spit out with the endless list of other supremely talented musicians who didn’t pan out. You gotta be lucky to be good, and good to be lucky. But he does well to use his vocal to deliver tongue in cheek yet insightful lyrics. Singing with purpose and ferocity for every note, uniting the band in a wildly fun 26 minutes.
Interestingly enough while the album is indeed the bands debut, it’s the third time producer Carlos de la Garza has been reviewed by TSR. Results have been mediocre and while this is his best score to date the same critiques ring true. Fun only gets you so far and like the previous Garza records the output is just never elevated. Basic or simplistic might be too harsh, but the record never wows. It’s mostly safe, picking a lane and staying there. A look at his discography and it just seems like he doesn’t have the ear to make a hit record. He’s a fine choice for a fresh band, but hopefully no more than a stepping stone for Spiritual Cramp as the right focus and direction from outside the booth can make a world of difference. It’s impossible shake the comparison to pre-Glow On Turnstile through this whole process. There’s something infectious about Spiritual Cramp but it’s buried too deep to truly appreciate on this debut and Garza never manages to unlock it. The structure is there but the artistic fingerprints and modern influences are missing. Maybe Cramp never want that success, but it’s hard not to connect the dots to their fellow hard core brethren’s career path. Hopes for Spiritual Cramp’s future are cautiously high, it just requires the right personnel.
Spiritual Cramp’s debut album is a chaotic high energy punk rock blur that firmly plants the bands flag as a name to watch. While their current style has a musical ceiling, it’s one of the best pure rock albums to hit shelves in recent memory.
Overall Rating: 7.7/10
Favourite Song: Slick Rick