The lightning that struck Spies (more than once)
Last time I spoked to them, SPIES were trying to convince us that a duo between an Austrian singer and a British producer could be really fun. This time around, something has changed: their music became so much fun that we tend to ask ourselves how could this come from such an unlikely mix of nationalities?
Well, Dan and Maggie just released a killer single, “When Lightning Strikes” which, to me at least, resonates with the weight of “Skater Boy” or “Misery Business.”… Is that kind of infectious song that, when the set starts, explodes everything and when the set ends, makes everyone go home with the feeling that they are happier.
“When Lightning Strikes” has all this Metric, year 2000 pop-punk vibe (especially because of the guitar’s creative riffs). Also, the video of the song is a very well produced piece: the entire band passes through a red filter, with obvious emphasis on Maggie, whose voice seems more powerful than ever.
But there’s much more to Spies than simply a song with radio potential. The duo – now the band’s core – works hard not only to form a commercially palatable identity, but to create songs that make sense, both for them and for the public.
After releasing a full album “Playing with matches” (which I considered one of the best of 2023) they take a courageous step forward when most independent bands at the same level as them would have simply given up on the game.
And here they are, delivering what appears to be, so far, the best track they’ve ever written. Because everything here is chemically perfect. Everything fits together, and more than that, it’s that sorta of special song that makes us want more from this duo.
In a simple analogy with the title of the song, that lightning has already struck… and more than once, on Dan and Maggie’s heads, giving them creative powers and making Spies ready to take over the charts and stages at festivals all over the world, including Brazil, I hope.
