The Snakes

Simple, delightfully played and with all the heart and soul a British Country-rock band could possibly generate, this album is chock-full of good songs and overflowing with good playing, A complete joy from start to finish.

The Snakes hail from Muswell Hill rather than Laurel Canyon but that hasn’t stopped them creating an amalgam of all of the best things in British Americana.
In its 13 tracks they manage to cover off the pure country-rock melancholy of ‘Interview’ with its pedal-steel and sumptuous harmonies or the hard Blues of ‘Refrigerator Blues’ with a huge, echoey tone and wailing harmonica. ‘Cumberland Breeze’ is a delicious slice of country and ‘Amaretto’ is a cornball C&W drinking song with real humour.
Best track on the album, ‘Jesus In A Box’, could have been by Omar & The Howlers or even Beefheart and I love the dirty rhythms and twisted guitar work over thumping boogie.

This kind of album only works if the musicianship is of the right order – so many bands fall well short because their playing is weak – and between Simon Moor, Richard Davies, Dan Tilbury, Pete Smart and Jonny O they don’t put a foot wrong. I can imagine that these guys would be dynamite live but on record they are fresh and clean and they create a fine noise.

One to keep an eye on methinks.