Spiral Stairs - Stolen Pills

, the rambunctious first single from ‘The Real Feel’, Spiral Stairs’ (AKA Scott Kannberg from Pavement fame) first solo record, chugs right out of the gate with hard-charging, propulsive drums and wild, untethered vocals. The song has a loose appeal that befits the stolen pills subject matter, and is over in a blisteringly short two and a half minutes. And while the track doesn’t quite have the hooks or the distinguishing peculiarities that made Kannberg’s former band so memorable, it still has a vibrancy and an urgency to it that truly resonates, and marks the potent return of one of rocks most esteemed sidekicks.

Written in both Seattle and Austrailia over a five year period since leaving behind the Preston School Of Industry moniker, ‘The Reel Feel’ represents a change in sound and direction for Kannberg that is epitomized by the fiery zeal of ‘Stolen Pills’. It has an unhinged insistence to it that is hard to resist, and Kannberg’s vocals are delivered with an intensity that fits well with the dynamic turbulence of the song. Whether or not he’s able to keep this passion up over the course of an entire record is a discussion for another time (and another review), but for this song at least, Spiral Stairs rekindles a long burning love affair with ramshackle rock ‘n roll that first caught our attention so many years ago.