Review by Vinny for Messa - The Spin (2025)
When you are guilty of the unpunishable crime of producing one of the most moving and memorable albums of a particular year, an artist must mine the very depths of their creativity to provide a follow up of any worthy repute. When Messa dropped Close in 2022, they were already two records into their career - two records which I have not heard to date incidentally – and produced an album that topped many AOTY polls and lists, my own included. Unafraid of boundaries and unwilling to accept much in the way of limitations on their sound, the Italians showed us all just how extensive their range was. Making it all sound so damn cool whilst putting this authentic exploration of their musical palate was just the icing on the cake really. Inadvertently, this set up the challenge of one day having to follow Close up and upon my first few listens to The Spin my opinion was that they had hit the exact wall that I feared they would.
The gothic tropes of the bands 2025 record were the first hurdle for me. Musically such a style does not sit all that well with me and, initially at least, this more sombre edge to proceedings seemed to rob the record of the same level of passion that its predecessor was awash with. It felt like between records, some alignment process had been undertaken in Messa’s life meaning that they were now drifting away from the wonderful connection we had once shared. I could hear the lead work of Piccolo clearly enough, but the feeling that had emanated from them so plentifully on Close seemed numbed somehow. After a few listens, I stepped away from The Spin altogether, resolute that my enjoyment of Messa was going to be limited, for now at least, to that one record.
Curiosity may have allegedly killed the cat but it sure as hell is the saviour of many album reviewers, I am sure when it comes to giving records a second chance. And so, I came back to The Spin recently. Reviews I had caught elsewhere still talked about the merit of the record. It did take a couple of super-critical listens, but this time it finally clicked. It is not as good as Close, I doubt they will ever top that record if I am totally honest. Yet those shades of grey that are applied this time around do not hinder the expression of the record anywhere near as much as I initially thought. It feels eclectic enough still, despite their being a more accessible if not all that mainstream vibe to it. Emotions are never quite at the point of being super-charged like they were on the previous album, yet they are not lost by any means. If anything, Messa are just showing that bit of maturity I mentioned earlier, losing some child like view of the wonder of their own soul in the process perhaps.
It is still well written, far too well written in fact for anyone to be unimpressed I would say. The musicianship is top-notch and the vocal delivery of Sara is perhaps the only element in here that I sense is dialled back a little from last time. If you look at The Spin as a standalone record, then it is no doubt going to hit the higher end of the scoresheet and in some ways, it is criminal to drop points off my final number based on a comparison of a previous record. Talented individuals when brought together in the right environment make great records and that’s what Messa have managed here, regardless.