A fast, rambunctious, thrilling musical journey
Nashville-based duo Snõõper’s first studio album, Super Snõõper takes on the guise of a fast and rambunctious greatest hits so far compilation. The record starts off with “Stretching,” a track that acts as a sampler for the band’s overall sound. There’s furious drumming and a rolling bassline to start the song before a static interruption switches to a guitar-based section highlighted by a single-note riff and the introduction of vocalist Blair Tramel. Eventually, the track is drowned out by an answering machine and the real fun begins.
The album is consistent with hardcore drumming mixed with wailing guitars going between subdued chord work and over-the-top riffing. There are small instrumental elements that help Snõõper work with pacing. On “Fitness,” each furious section is signaled by a whistle like a runner waiting for a starting gun at the beginning, giving the band a rest between sections.
Tramel’s voice is also one of the standout features of the album. Her vocals are a punk combination of ABBA’s Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, emulating their syncopated vocal character for a new generation. It comes through most clearly on “Inventory,” where the vocal rhythms almost match up with ABBA’s “Voulez-Vous.”
Tramel and her bandmate Connor Cummins’s lyricism is very cynical about today’s society and the institutions that come with it. “Powerball” gives Tramel a spotlight with her vocals raised against the instrumental: “If I don’t win/ I’ll try again/ Put to the test/ The people’s unrest/ Tune in to see Powerball/ Guess I’m left with nothing at all.”
The record’s standout track however is the ironically named “Music For Spies,” as the accompanying instrumental seems miles away from the sleek themes of James Bond, Mission: Impossible or even Pink Panther. The intense bassline and the furious guitars help drive the action further while Tramel races through her experience as a spy in training: “Mind control/ Give up your soul/ Learning to hack into the main frame/ Music for spies/ Dance in disguise.”
Overall, Snõõper’s debut album combines the best of their single releases into a thrilling journey with a few flourishes along the way. This album is pretty super after all.
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