Super Snooper

Nashvilles Snooper arent the future of punk rock -- theyre a thoroughly enjoyable fusion of punks past and present judging from their first album, 2023s Super Snooper. Calling it a full-length album might be stretching it a bit, since the 14 songs zip by in just under 23 minutes (and thats with the final track, "Running," clocking in at 5:23). However, this band covers an impressive amount of ground in a short space, with the deceptively playful tone of lead singer Blair Tramel assuming a cheery, singsong lilt as she belts out songs about self-obsessed bodybuilders ("Fitness"), the pursuit of easy wealth ("Powerball"), and the perils of conformity ("Xerox"). Tramels musical sidekick, guitarist Connor Cummins, builds simple but satisfying melodies from slabs of chockablock guitar, with the rigid up-and-down of the tunes generating a pulse that feels vaguely electronic even though the performances are organic, but for the occasional use of a drum machine. Devo has been cited as a reference point for Snoopers music more than once, and there is a certain resemblance to their early guitar-based material in the mingled precision and carefully choreographed bursts of chaos Snooper deliver in these tunes. Second guitarist Ian Teeple, bassist Happy Haugen, and drummer Cam Sarrett offer splendid support on Super Snooper, hitting a solid midpoint between punky mania and expert interpretation of the sleek, minimalist melodies. The energy and drive that made them one of Nashvilles favorite live acts translates well to this studio session. While the short bursts of sonic mayhem that precede it are impressive, the stretched-out groove of "Running" suggests how many more sides there could be to this band, generating a lifelike pulse and some potent dynamics that are dance-friendly and every bit as tense as anything on this LP. Super Snooper puts enough of a fresh spin on the standard tropes of punk to make this exciting, without sacrificing the satisfying energy at the core of the sound. As a first major salvo from a band on the rise, this is highly promising and a lot of good, noisy fun. ~ Mark Deming