In such a self-obsessed, sensible, and somewhat serious world, it can be particularly liberating to discover something new and fun, which is exactly what Nashville-based punk outfit Snõõper aim to encapsulate in their music.
Initially formed as a collaboration project between animator and teacher Blair Tramel and Nashville’s very own local punk mainstay Connor Cummins soon became something to bring the stage, and this album has seen the duo add bassist Happy Haugen, second guitarist Ian Teeple, and drummer Cam Sarrett on board for the ride.
Snõõper has quickly garnered fans worldwide thanks to their quirky videos and vibrant live displays, which earned them a place on Third Man Records (founded by Jack White).
One of the key things that soon becomes clear about Snõõper is that they are a band that operates at their own pace, a pace that is faster than most, which is evidenced to the listener right from the get-go with their opening track ‘Stretching‘, an all-partying track that skips the sonic foreplay and immediately greets the listener with a wave of jovial guitar and drums, all underpinned with Travel’s witty lyrics and merry vocals.
Arguably Snõõper’s greatest asset is their ability to shed some of the seriousness that seems to burden so many others, perhaps aided by Travel’s work in early years education. Lyrics such as “Jackpot, TV told me it’s a lot, If I don’t win, I’ll try again” on the track ‘Jackpot’ might read as somewhat simple, but when listened to, it becomes genius.
This sentiment is echoed on the athletic track ‘Fitness’, with whimsical lyrics like “Lift weight/Mutate/Hydrate/Inflate.” Backtracked by ascendant guitars and the danceable drumming that Sarrett brings to the project.
While the pacing of the album is certainly short and snappy, with all of the songs (except the five-minute closer ‘Running’ ) spanning under two minutes, Snõõper manages to avoid the typical punk trope of the songs being so similar that they blend into one another.
The band’s refusal to dwell on any song for too long, and the melding of punk and the glimpses and flashes of other genres too, such as drum ‘n bass, means that Snõõper has been able to very swiftly establish their own sound, providing them with the room they need to experiment as they please. This leads to some extremely interesting points on the album, such as the supernatural-sounding synths present on the track ‘TownTopic’.
Ultimately, Snõõper’s debut effort is an incredibly impressive one. The balance between experimentation and tradition is well-maintained, providing a listening experience that is diverse but not inconsistent in its sound, and one that will be sure to have you grinning from start to finish.