The Spill Canvas – Conduit

The Spill Canvas was one of those bands that I unexpectedly connected with when I first started digging deep into the pop-punk scene some fifteen years ago.  One Fell Swoop managed to garner countless plays against flavour-of-the-month rotations like Sugarcult and more stable favourites like Bad Religion.  To this day I can still pick up that album and enjoy every verse, chorus and bridge without reserve. It was a bit of an anomaly then, and it remains the only album I was ever truly able to get into from The Spill Canvas (I could never get into their follow up, No Really, I’m Fine or any of their earlier material), but that doesn’t detract from the weight of nostalgia

While I haven’t kept up with the band in several years (they went on hiatus shortly after their 2012 release), their eighth studio album, Conduit, is their first in just shy of a decade.  It’s also my first time returning to The Spill Canvas in about the same timeframe.  I’m happy to report that the time off seems to have energized the band.  Nick Thomas’ voice is every bit as tight and fluctuant as in his youth, with his wavering falsetto adeptly soaring and retreating within moments.  Thomas has always been The Spill Canvas’ defining feature and right from the start, Conduit shows that he’s still got what it takes.

The band fluctuates tempos and bass-heavy pop ditties like no one’s business.  “Darkside” is a particularly catchy dose of infectious, sing-along alt/pop complete with lyrics that rattle around your head well after the song has run its course. “Oooo, with such a sick finesse, you played me little lady like a game of chess,” sings Thomas with a passionate, forceful smoothness that propels the album’s infectious catchy rhythm.  This full bodied delivery separates The Spill Canvas from their contemporaries.  More memorable than Cartel, more mature than Something Corporate, and more commanding than The Early November, The Spill Canvas were always somewhat of a welcome anomaly on The Warped Tour circuit.  Other tracks like “Calendars” and “Akathisia” are memorable mid-tempo outings in their own right, and “Molecules” is an acoustic style ballad that is as good as it needs to be to avoid becoming overly cheesy.  “Cost” also has a curious verse that brings to mind the post-punk stylings of Manchester Orchestra.  There are a few less charismatic songs, like “Cost” and “Blueprints,” but even so, these moments sufficiently blend in the track listing without detracting from the overall flow or atmosphere – they’re just a little less eventful than their counterparts.  

Conduit serves as a pleasant reminder as to what first attracted me to One Fell Swoop over a decade ago.  The album might not quite achieve the same emotional connection, but Conduit shows that The Spill Canvas has returned rested, rejuvenated and in fine form.  Long time fans will absolutely want to check this comeback album out, while those tuning in for the first time are treated to a worthwhile entry point.