SPINN cement their indie-pop sound with second album Outside Of The Blue

Releasing their self-titled debut in 2019 - a solid collection of indie-pop tracks - in many ways this follow up is a continuation of that. The vibrant and pointedly upbeat guitar pervades almost every song on Outside Of The Blue, even when the lyrics are telling a different story. “Let me leave this sordid island,” frontman Johnny Quinn begs on “People Should Know Better”, a song that he’s described as “a critique of the government and how they've handled the country in the last couple years; people are becoming racist, the government is incompetent and now people are dying.”

Outside Of The Blue, as its name implies, draws a distinguished line between ‘the blue’ - reserved for thorny issues like anxiety and depression - and ‘the outside’, a relentlessly optimistic space that SPINN are determined to keep themselves within. Even their titular track, released in September 2021, manages to find a positive outlook on mental health struggles. “It’s about how appreciative you become of the good things in life when you realise you have them,” Johnny has explained, “and how you’d do anything for that.”

However, the energy does mellow somewhat for “Getaway”, a contemplation of a recent break-up, and any pretence at cheerfulness finally falls apart on “The Outside Looking In”. The album’s final track watches a beloved friend as they struggle with substance abuse, and represents a last-minute sonic dive into ‘the blue’. Far from undermining their previous efforts, though, the song is perhaps the most interesting on the album, offering a new, more intimate look at the otherwise sanguine four-piece.

Outside Of The Blue’s long-awaited release has confirmed SPINN as an indie-pop staple, surely destined for the top of future festival bills. While their sound may have an unobtrusive, crowd-pleasing familiarity to it, the lyrics offer a charmingly relatable take on life that will always keep you coming back for more.