This time of year its not always the best to depend on Snail Mail but their Valentine has already arrived

VALENTINE

2ND ALBUM BY SNAIL MAIL

released November 5, 2021


Written and produced by Lindsey Jordan and co-produced by Brad Cook (Bon Iver, Waxahatchee)
Lindsey Jordan – vocals, guitar.
Alex Bass – bass.
Ray Brown – drums.
Madeline McCormack – guitar, keyboards.
Benjamin Kaunitz – guitar, backing vocals.


WHAT THIS ALBUM DOES WELL: What you come to appreciate right away is not just that Lindsey Jordan is brash, no holds barred in her lyrical compositions but the musical arrangements themselves take you on a trip that weaves through the crowded streets of Alternative Rock and ducks down the alleys of Hip hop, electronica, pop, orchestrated ballad waltzing, and even a brief turn onto the post punk highway. Defining Snail Mail to a genre is harder than putting together an Ikea Dresser. Let alone having it stay together for long periods of time, don't even get me started on that nightmare. I assure you though staying with you for a long time is not a worry with this album. Not only does it come together rather naturally. It strikes you and this appreciation grows for what you just experienced. You also realize the key to this band's success is relying on one key element, Jordan's lyrics, and voice. Yeah, the music is well done and well engineered, well mixed, really almost perfectly so but what Jordan says and how she chooses the tone, the pitch, and the sheer brass-knuckled wordplays changes this album to a really good album you remember and like, to one you cherish and reflect upon for a long fucking time. My favorite song "Glory" in fact does not even come till the tail end of the album but I found myself not skipping ahead or just adding that one to the playlist. No, "Valentine", "Ben Franklin". "Headlock" all get regular rotational play for me as well. Look like all experiments, not everything works as well as others here, but it is all worth the merit if for nothing else being a part of what makes this band so great and what makes them stand out.  

WHY CHAMPION THIS ALBUM: On the standing out part because it is so eclectic and different, we all are going to find ourselves with different favorites. How many albums, how many bands can you say that about? The ones you can, aren't they the ones we all say are iconic, hmmm? If you are looking for that next Liz Phair or that band that just gives you all they got and leaves it for you sort through as far as rotational favorites go I say Snail Mail is the one you want to be perking your ears toward. This is a band whose deep cuts probably will be the tales of legends and when they play them live you will be blown away by them connecting to your palette. This album is strong in what it says and how it says it and there's enough cutesy Indie Rock and TikTok trending famous shit out there, don;t be the one who found Sonic Youth or Liz Phair later in life and miss out on Snail Mail while they are just getting started. All that other shit will float away, trust me. Snail Mail is here ot stay because they got something to say and the way they choose to do so is worth all the attention you can give them. 

YOU WILL LIKE THIS IF YOU ARE A FAN OF: Fiona Apple, Liz Phair, and curse words.

YOU CAN BUY THE ALBUM HERE