Spangled – Maggie

Manchester’s Spangled returned yesterday with their new single ‘Maggie’. It marks a new era for the band, with Joe Kilroy joining the band on drums. ‘Maggie’ was produced by Gareth Nuttall (The K’s / Rolla) and mastered by Grant Berry.

*image credit: Owen Peters

Artwork credit: Owen Peters

Musically, Spangled have leaned into their love of The Cure with Jamie Halliday’s subtle guitar lines taking a romantic gothic turn. As the single builds, the underdog spirit of Neds Atomic Dustbin and Thousand Yard Stare collide with The Who’s vastness as they build to a euphoric climax.

However, frontman Ben Johnson’s vocals and lyrics are where ‘Maggie’s brilliance lay. At points, Johnson delivers his most angelic vocal. As such, the innocence and celebratory look back at Nan’s life with dementia are allowed to shine through.

The early stages are blessed with a romance and charm that can only come from a grandchild gazing lovingly on at a story they’ve heard a thousand times before. Johnson lights up his Nan with a curiosity about where her mind went and will have many raising their heads to the heavens to think upon those gone.

In the closing stages, though, Johnson delivers an emotional uppercut to set bottom lips quivering:

“I had to look the other way when she asked me if my dad was ok / I wonder if she knows”

The gut-wrenching moments of ‘Good Life Better’ roar to the surface as Johnson howls out a truly incredible vocal. His pain and torment try to find a way out, but Johnson fights back defiantly, not wanting to let the scars show to someone he clearly worshipped.

Despite the grief-ridden torment end, you’re left with the touching sentiment:

“I wanna go wherever Maggie goes”.

On such a deeply personal tale, Spangled have touched upon something universal that will win them legions of fans. The echoes of Pulp discovering themselves in 1994 ooze from this record, now it’s time for those big crowds for Spangled too.

Spangled: The Social, London

Two nights ago at The Social in London's iconic Heavenly Records venue, Radio X’s John Kennedy hosted This Feeling’s third Test Transmission night. Six acts took part, with Manchester’s Spangled stealing the show.

Images courtesy of Alan Wells

Good bands are tight. Great bands are tight and loose all at the same time. Spangled proved they are latter on groove-laden opener ‘We’ll Always Have Neptune’. Jamie Haliday’s Mark Day-esque guitar lines cruised effortlessly alongside frontman Ben Johnson’s poetic take Jim Bob vocal and his Robert Harvey (The Music) meets freaky dancing. The twist and turn from baggy to psychedelic to punk simultaneously. Unhinged and untamed, they roam with a sonic freedom sent from the Gods.

Their desire to perform without conformity is joyously refreshing. During ‘Cosmic Vibrations’ Johnson meanders with the mercurial stage presence of Kate Bush whilst all around him they converge Blur and Kasabian into a psychedelic indie-punk supergroup from another galaxy. Haliday’s solo dives into the gothic majesty of The Cure before spiralling upward to the technicolour splendour of Prince’s rock ‘n’ roll.

This isn’t a set of style of over substance however. Integrity is key and exemplified by the astonishing performance of ‘Good Life Better’. Written about the passing of Johnson’s father after their Isle of Wight set in 2021, it’s a track fraught with emotion. Johnson lets out a guttural howl of “cooommeeee ooonnnn” in the early stages, laying bare just how difficult this track is to navigate. The intimate crowd’s spines, already tingling, are sent into hyperdrive with Johnson delivers “That's when all of the scars inside of my soul were gone”. The torment and anguish flood to the surface as he wrenches the words from his soul. In turn, it breeds an atmosphere of “we’ll fucking die for this band”, and it’s intoxicating.

In five songs, Spangled showcased that skill is not enough. With glory must come guts, and they have it in spades! The band has an indomitable spirit, a heart and soul that will see the masses follow them into battle and win.