CD Info
Genre: Rock
Language: English
Tracks: 6
Total time: 25:19
Rating: 10 of 10

One of my favorite newer local bands, The Spider Accomplice, is back with a second EP almost immediately following their first one, The Trap. The two EPs combine to tell a two-part story, it seems: the journey of someone finding their way through the blinding haze of L.A., and the many mirages and pit traps laid out along their voyage.

The Abduction is a continuation of 2015’s The Trap, and much of the sound is just an extension of its predecessor; the opening track, “Bromelaid”, starts off with a voiceover telling the story of the album’s main character, using references from the first album to tie everything together. It’s a dreamy frolic through the world of The Spider Accomplice. There are catchy tunes like “Messy Vampire”, a touch of humor on the track “You Still Lie”, a tongue-in-cheek observation of an untrustworthy lover, and uplifting songs like “Behold the Day”.

However, the last two songs are the crowning jewel: the emotionally profound “Going Over”, a tribute to Abigail Elizabeth Rose English (a teenage girl who was missing and later found dead); it’s a heart-wrenching piece where VK’s voice just rips your heart out and leaves you aching.

Then there is the album closer, “Hollywood Hotel”, which once again perfectly encapsulates the L.A. life with voice-overs, sounds, and dialogue. You can almost see the seedy titular hotel as you listen: the run-down lobby, the hazy skyline barely visible through the grimy windows, the mucky pool that is never open, and the pathetic-looking bar that never closes. “Have a drink while the band plays at the hotel bar”, the band invites you in a chant, while the sounds of people applauding and having a good time fade off into the background.

Again, The Spider Accomplice manages to pack a lot into just a few songs, and they have perfected the art of taking their listeners on a journey through a particular place through their songs. I do not know if this experience is the same for those who are not from Los Angeles, but for me or anyone who has been there, it’s like you can see the scenery unfold when you listen to their music. I don’t feel homesick when I listen to them, because it is like I am there. They know every street corner, every graffiti-tagged billboard sign, every food truck, and every unique sight and sound that makes the city such a wonderful place. Their music is as bright as a Southern California day, but as gritty as a traffic jam on the 405. From Hollywood Hills to Hollywood freaks, The Spider Accomplice covers it all, and does it with this realism and sensitivity that I only feel from a handful of artists who call the City of Angels their home. I really hope that a full-length album is not too far away, because they are just too good to contain to 5 or 6-song EPs.

Special thanks to Zoë Federoff

For more information on The Spider Accomplice, visit their official Facebook.

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