I had an email the other day from Snippet,who I’ve been following on twitter for a fair while now. I knew he was busy working on an album due for release at some point in 2016, but wasn’t prepared for him to announce that he’s somehow managed to put together an entire second album for release at the end of January!
It turns out his wife had basically told him off for not using 14 perfectly good songs which he’d discarded from the planned album “Future Melancholy Pop Music”. Snippet subsequently had a listen to the cruelly left behind songs, and a whole new album, “Surprise Baby”, was born!
I first listened to the album on a cold Saturday morning when I was feeling distinctly blue, and it was exactly the remedy I needed to inject some get up and go.
Casson is no one trick pony – his songs never stick to one genre; he moves seamlessly from pop to folk to electronica to indie and even to jazz, and hits the spot with each one.
My favorite track is “Piss Taker”, an excellent humorous tune with lovely Beach Boys-esque harmonies which give it that fun indie pop song feel. Brilliant.
This album gives the feeling that each song has been loved, cared for, and nurtured. Even though they were momentarily unsupervised on the face of things, they were still being watched and have now been let free into the world. This must be what it feels like for a parent watching their child achieve independence, I think.
“Dreaming My Life Away” is another favorite. Such poignant lyrics coupled with an upbeat indie folk tune could have been a mismatch if not done with care, but it really works.
If this album is made up of songs that Johnno deemed not good enough for release, then I now have even more reason to look forward to the next album. Bring it on, man!
“Surprise Baby” is due for release on 26th January on bandcamp – it’s a name your price sale, people, so no excuse at all… although obviously it would be nice if you’d part with some cash for this lovely offering!
You can follow Johnno on twitter and facebook, and keep up to date with his goings on via his website.