Time for a little Snow in June! Richard Snow, whose SideBMusic label sent me the reissue of his self-titled 2002 CD. SideBMusic, who was also responsible for the awesome “Modulations” by Chewy Marble (reviewed on this blog here) is quickly becoming my one stop shop for great power pop. Now that is a rhyme I should have left behind.Richard Snow is recommended if you dig Brian Wilson, Elvis Costello, and R.E.M. I can’t fault these comparisons, and would venture to add John Wesley Harding to the list. Or at least what would happen if John Wesley Harding had a passionate love affair with a harpsichord, handclaps, and thick heavenly harmonies. Richard’s comfort zone is in the cool and breezy pop of the late 60s and early 70s, so fans of this genre had better keep an eye out for Snow.
This release is an extra treat when listened through the headphones. You'll pick out even more instruments and vocal parts that testify to how well crafted each song really is. After being primed with the lush, multi-layered harmonies of "The Sweetest", Richard takes us back in time with harpsichord laden "Coming Soon (Going So Fast)" - an excellent tribute to his late 60s influences, yet still so enjoyable to hear today. But he is a man of many talents and musical styles, as evidenced by how easily he hops from the lingering acoustic ballad, "Attention Not Required" to the surf punk blend of "Girls on the Tube" to the jamming funk and fuzz rock of "Hand Me Down My Sunglasses", which incidentally is one of my favorite tracks. Another great one is the upbeat track "Red Song", which dares you to resist snapping and clapping along to the beat.
iPOD-worthy: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10
Richard Snow on MySpace. Official site.
Check out a music video for the track “Real”, which was featured on the 2004 Brian and Dennis Wilson tribute CD "Two Steps Forward":
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