FISCHERSPOONER at the Phoenix (410 Sherbourne), Tuesday (June 2), 8 pm. $25. 416-870-8000.
The chances of a comeback album by Fischerspooner were looking dismal after the New York electronica duo got tangled in major-label red tape following 2005’s Odyssey.
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“I spent two years recording a record and only got to perform it for three months,” says frontman Casey Spooner over the phone from San Diego.
Following the tour, the duo members – vocalist/songwriter Spooner and programmer Warren Fischer – went in different directions. Spooner worked with experimental theatre ensemble the Wooster Group.
“I never set out to be a pop musician and wanted to return to my [theatre] roots, but we also kept writing the whole time.”
This relentless desire to create music kept Fischerspooner alive, and their new album, Entertainment (FS Studios), might be their strongest to date.
“This is the first time we’ve worked with a producer from beginning to the end. Jeff Saltzman had a big influence on this record.
“I wrote a lot of the songs first and then gave that material to Warren, so the lyrical and melodic stuff came before the programming. We kind of reversed the writing process [from our usual one].”
Labelled everything from electroclash to straight-up pop, Fischerspooner’s constantly evolving sound keeps critics scratching their heads and fans on their toes. Just don’t call them a dance act.
“Each record has been totally different,” says Spooner. “It’s about finding something that sounds fresh to us.
“A lot of people want another record like #1,” – the band’s debut full-length – “but we’ve moved away from that sound stylistically. We make what we wanna make and don’t worry about what genre it is.”
As for the live show, expect Fischerspooner to bring over-the-top entertainment to the Phoenix.
“We’re about emulating the texture of pop performance. That includes dancers, backup singers, costumes and all the elements of showbiz.
“It’s a visual extravaganza.”
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