At this point in their career, Spoon’s deconstructionist soul aesthetic is as iconic as Pavement’s slackerdom or Broken Social Scene’s collective spirit, at least in certain indie-rock circles. But where their past three albums are flawless examples of catchy pop music made out of fragmented hooks and melodic scraps — songs that rarely make sense until you stand back and absorb them not as individual parts but as ingenious sonic collages — Spoon’s seventh album, Transference, is more parts than sum. That’s not to say that there aren’t some absolutely outstanding moments here: the clattering catchiness of “Written in Reverse” is “The Way We Get By” for this new decade; the mopey organ groove of “Who Makes Your Money” sounds like an outtake from Abbey Road; and the demo-like quality of “Trouble Comes Running” gives a sense of urgency to what would otherwise be standard-issue Spoon. The first three tracks, however, barely gain their footing before dissolving into the ether, while “I Saw the Light” rams two interesting yet unrelated musical ideas together like they’re on an awkward blind date. Much like Radiohead, there is little that Spoon can do wrong save easing off on the brilliance, lest we take for granted how singularly significant their music is. So, consider Transference a breather, and enjoy the casual radness.