Spell Toronto

"Bring out your dead, bring out your dead". The line quivering out of a weathered yet optimistic Jason De La Torre at the onset of the groups 2nd full-length release would come to signify all that the band has wrestled with over the years. While misleading and failed relationships abounded, and an undiscerning music business strangled nearly all that was held dear, Spell Toronto bottled these torrid elements, releasing them later through their songs.

The death of a friend to an unjust war, a hap-hazard manager, numerous line-up changes and various setbacks in the recording process have pounded this foursome's will into the ground. "Be More Careful", the title of this San Diego native's latest effort, could not be more fitting and directive towards their lives. No, this isn't a laundry list of excuses as to why the band has not released an album in years; rather it is simply an accounting of the causes that would inspire Spell Toronto to create what they needed to hear most: a chronicling of their lives to make some sense of it all.

A darker take off from their previous release, "Be More Careful" offers self-inquiry, satire for our disabled social and political environment, and a loathing for a significant relationship gone sour between singer/guitarist Jason de la Torre and an ex. With engineers Christian Cummings and Joe Marlett (Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters) at the helm, Spell Toronto crafted an album for the ages. The drums batter and swoon, the bass walks and pulsates, the guitars barrage and careen, and the vocals command attention with grit and grace. "Be More Careful" garners pop sensibility complete with indie integrity and rock and roll intensity. The dynamics displayed on their record only further exemplify the enlightening experiences and disheartening mishaps that Spell Toronto has come to know. With a powerful new album under their belts and a fresh take on what it is to be human, Spell Toronto is leading the call for sincerity in a world seemingly full of dishonesty.