The Snozzberries have a gift for all progressive music fans. Their new self-titled album truly explores the boundaries of rock, metal and jazz. The songs cover multiple genres, blending, bending and stretching musicality into a tasty stew of sounds and textures. The tunes do not follow traditional formats and listeners will soon find that the established style not only changes but jumps off the tracks for interludes that somehow circle back when you least expect it. The entire album is like a sonic avant-garde tonal poem, yet the songs are unrelated. Psychedelic and esoteric tunes support classic and common themes stirring the pot, leading us to accept the band's reality as the lyrics are relatable.
Right out of the box "Darkness" starts off heavy like the lead-in to a heavy metal throw down. Fast, explosive and punctuated, it sets a hard course and keeps up the energy. The bass keeps driving as the drums send out shots in the dark, returning to the main theme. The pitch and tone rise then spiral to the conclusion leaving the listener with an edgy unfulfilled feeling. Hold on now as the thunder and fire come for us in "Return." Cosmic launching, dragons, fire swirling around trance like vocals it morphs into an acoustic piano interlude with guitar backing, slowing down the mood. The piano moves to synthesizer and the guitar takes off for a scorching solo. The original theme returns as the mood gets heavy again. The sustained keyboard chords and soaring guitar take us back to the beginning. If these two songs don’t have you sold just wait, we have barely scratched the surface of this experience.
Heading into "Grundle," a simple bass and drum counterpoint starts the song leading to the guitar's jazzy and raw line that sets the song flying off. Synthesized lines move around the core moving to the center of the music. Coming back to earth the set slows down with "Living Without You." The song is a reflective, heartfelt and decidedly romantic cut that has a funky refrain that sticks in the brain. Just a good time song to reset us for what is to come.
"Circling the Drain" comes at us as a synthesizer driven force that gives way to vocals and support music that reminds me of the halcyon days of Styx. Suddenly a break occurs with a slow determined guitar solo driving rhythm faster then slower and back again giving the music the actual feeling of circling. A final hard heavy blast of keyboards, drums and guitar propel the music to an abrupt end, but not so fast! The main melody morphs into a new chorus section again like those power ballads of Denis Deyoung and crew. "Spinning," swirling the song truly lives up to its name. The leopard growls giving warning to Guepardo Morado, a Latin feeling tune right out of Ybor City nightlife. The bass and guitar play with each other over the growling protest of the leopard while the keyboard provides the background. Returning to the funky side of the band "Hide (Testify)" feels like it came right out of the past. The vocals are reminiscent of the mid seventies funk/R&B scene. Again the chorus and funky beat stick in your brain for days.
We take another turn down the Progressive flight path as "The Storm" rages into our ears. Synth driven guitars and bass lines propel the flood of imagery right to your cerebral cortex. The driving beat causes involuntary dancing as the song undulates between squalls, right up to the final note. But wait the band has one more tune for us and it is yet another departure, another sound palate to brush on. "Biting Through" starts funky with a new style than we have yet to experience. Syncopated funk bass and clapping lead up to a cool simple guitar line that gets you moving. The song has lightness yet it’s forceful and driving. A great ending to a great album top to bottom.
The Snozzberries Psychedelic Circus will be in Asheville NC November 29 and December 6 at the Courtie in Kokomo IN. Look them up and get down.
