08.14.06

Our Neighbor - Todd Snider

Posted in mucklewain, some albums we done liked others we ain't, todd snider - August 14th, 2006 at 2:03 pm by Mimi

The title of Todd Snider’s brand new album, The Devil You Know, name-checks Satan (our lord and master) and it only goes up from there, people.

So, I bust out the Google-fu on Todd Snider after listening to East Nashville Skyline (to be reviewed at length in the future; contains the gem “Conservative Christian, Right Wing, Republican, Straight, White, American Males”) and the first site I land on compares him to Steve Earle and Kris Kristofferson.

[My Google-fu got me shout-outs to Todd from Billy Jo Shaver, Jerry Jeff Walker and John Prine. Damn good no matter what direction you look at it from. He might be my new musical boyfriend. An East Nashville boy from my neck of the woods back in the day and songwriting that I can not find enough emphatic words to describe the phenomenal, amazing, wondrous, genius of it.--Cricket]

Huh.

The album leaps straight in to that good night with the opening track Jerry Lee Lewising it the hell up, rockabilly piano and existentialism. “If Tomorrow Never Comes” will probably hook you straight off, so get on with your bad self and fall in love. It’s Sunday, you’re probably hung over and in need of something to pick you up and this song will surely do it.

Todd ain’t kidding around with the political righteousness. “Looking For A Job” (the link takes you to CMT’s site where you can watch the video–which you have to do on Explorer, because CMT clearly hates all good-thinking people. [Let’s not forget the CMT bag fiasco during Fan Fair!--Salome] I didn’t even have the right version of Explorer to play the clip and had to download a whole series of annoying plug-ins because I use Opera or Firefox. RANTY MCRANTPANTS! God, this is tedious and annoying. Listen, Corporate Fucktards, the people you are trying to lure to your site with your interwebs pages do not use Explorer and they abhor it like you abhor Bill Clinton, ok? Tech won’t work for you either? Try “Conservative Christian, Right Wing, Republican, Straight, White, American Males” on YouTube.) I am sort of floored that this working class anthem is the first single from this album. GO, TODD, GO! [It's a fucking great song, it definitely doesn't shy away from the darker side of the plight of the day laborer. I love the line "I was looking for a job when I found this one/don't need the work like you need the work done." And the next track, "Like Old Times," tracks an ever darker American story of catching up with an on old friend who is a hooker. Really damn good stuff.--Cricket]

“Carla”–I didn’t mind you walking away, what hurt was how you walked so slow A blues song lamenting that the relationship didn’t end a helluva lot sooner. You’ll love it.

“You Got Away With It (A Tale of Two Frat Brothers)”–Do I really even need to get into depth about how awesome this song is? Doesn’t the name make you want to buy this album? Seriously, man, this isn’t the first jab I’ve heard him make at frat guys, so thanks for holding it down against the chuckleheads, Todd. (You see how I just assume he’ll read this? Well, at least his manager will. *waves*). [This isn't just about frat boys, but about frat boys who become President and bring their asshole-ish into it with them.--Cricket]

“The Highland Street Incident”–So, next up we have a song about crime and being a criminal. This is about the time where I decided that this album is going to become the torment of all my nearest and dearest since I might not be listening to much else for a bit. [This a great criminal's point-of-view bit of blues. I assume all are readers are smart enough to understand this kind of song-storytelling and know that Todd isn't endorsing crime for drugs, much in the way Steve wasn't endorsing terrorism in "John Walker's Blues."--Cricket]

I think my favorite track on the album is “Happy New Year” which is a stellar talkin’-blues song about how narrow-mindedness is killing everything that America is supposed to stand for. It’s one of those straight to the jugular through humor zingers that is so clever that you’re sad it took so long to come into existence. “I’m evangelical agnostic now.” [This song is light and clever and a bit toe-tapping and so deeply emotionally wrenching that it actually makes me tear up when I listen to the lyrics carefully.--Cricket]

Now, this should be the deal-maker: most of the tracks on this album are guitar-driven rock tunes, and I love them. [Because she doesn't usually love the guitar-rock, you dig? Though I think the album is more traditional roots rock and a bit bluesy than all out modern rock 'n roll. And I can't believe you skipped right over Snider's "Thin Wild Mercury," if for nothing else than the line, "'Phil, you ain't a writer, you're a journalist.'"--Cricket]

Guess where you can see Todd? (Yes, you sense a theme lately.)

Mucklewain!

But, you can also see him in NYC this week, and tons of other places soon (this is an endorsement, New Yorkers). [Seattle peeps, he's not hitting the PNW until late fall, but I expect y'all to lined up outside the Tractor waiting for the show when it finally comes your way.--Cricket]

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