Dublin six-piece The Spikes had all but disappeared from public consciousness following the initial flurry of critical and public acclaim for 2009’s Urges & Purges. The well-travelled and ever-expanding outfit (the core of which formed after a chance meeting in New Zealand) are back in the frame again with a strong follow-up.

Joylist is a cohesive collection of rockers that showcases their singular, no-nonsense approach. Raw and primal, The Spikes eschew production fads and sonic flourishes, opting instead for a visceral guitar sound. From the opening track, the terrifically energetic, ‘Million $ Circus’, it’s clear they mean business. Vocalist Tom Dunne (no, not that one) has a distinctive voice, that recalls everyone from “your man from The Killers” to Talking Heads’ David Byrne. The songs – riff-packed to the core – are well turned out melodically with memorable choruses and some intricate arrangements.
They’ve made no secret of their Doors influence which is particularly apparent on ‘Girl With Many Faces’ – think ‘Roadhouse Blues’ meets ‘LA Woman’ with a nod to Simple Minds’ ‘Waterfront’ in the power-chord department! Meanwhile, ‘Landing Gates Of Love’ has more than a touch of Jim Morrison’s macho swagger. The first single from the album, ‘Specialist’ is more glam in texture, while current single ‘Move To Mars’ veers towards the post-punk urgency of Buzzcocks.
It’s not all four-to-the-floor rockers. The mid-tempo ‘Angst’ is partly acoustic, with a light-touch rhythm section and sing-along harmonies. And closing ballad ‘This World Is Yours’ suggests they have plenty of room for growth next time around.

Key Track: ‘Move To Mars’