The accordion often gets a bad rap. For some people, the instrument is an automatic strike against the music that includes it. Call Me Spinster, on the other hand, was inspired when three sisters found an accordion in their grandfather’s closet. That led to exploring a variety of instruments including mandolin and upright bass.
On their new self-titled EP, the band shows that the discovery of the accordion was fortuitous and that all the time spent learning instruments was well spent.
From the opening notes of “Here You Are”, it’s hard not to think about Charlie Faye and The Fayettes. This band has the same retro soul sound that is fueled by the vocals (lead and backing) more than anything else. While it has the feel of a 60s girl-group song, there is also a twist when you hear the pedal steel. It’s not an instrument you usually think about in a soul song, but it works.
Throughout the five songs on this EP, it’s clear that the vocals are the centerpiece, and rightly so. The three sisters lay down harmonies that bear a striking similarity to First Aid Kit.
The band makes it hard to guess what’s coming next in both style and instrumentation. There is a soul component with the vocals, keyboards, and bass lines. There is also a folk component that you can hear in the harmony vocals. There’s also a folk component in the accordion and the simple melody of “Long, Hard Day”.
This is a brief EP, but in the five songs, the band shows tremendous ability – particularly as vocalists. They also show a willingness to explore different sounds and not paint themselves into some musical corner.
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