The Snake The Cross The Crown- Cotton Teeth
Record Label: Equal Vision
Release Date: March 6th, 2007
In 2004, The Snake The Cross The Crown released their debut disc Mander Salis which, despite showing the diversity of Equal Vision, sounded more like a band experimenting with many different styles, but not quite hitting the nail on the head. Though containing some great songs, it is almost as if the vision was too large to be attainable. The band took a minor hiatus after touring behind Mander Salis before heading into the studio to record their sophomore release Cotton Teeth. There must have been a lot of thought during their downtime about the direction to take their sound because their newest release is their most focused and accessible effort to date, combining the alt-country and indie folk sounds of Mander Salis, with a renewed passion and attention to detail of what works best for the band.
One of the problems that the band ran into during Mander Salis was the attempt to blend classic rock elements into their country style. Sometimes it worked, but other times it fell flat. The fat was cut and the softer side of their sound was embraced, proving that The Snake The Cross The Crown can write some truly beautiful music when utilizing their strengths. This instantly noticeable departure from the previous album can be heard in the opening finger plucked notes of the lead off track that are a subtle example of what is to come. The haunting vocals of “Cakewalk” are sung with a lazy style that can only be described as honest. The quietest notes are held to produce a vibrant melancholy creating an atmosphere that would please any fan of Iron and Wine or similar neo-folk artists. The classic rock element is not completely absent from Cotton Teeth as evidenced by “Hey Jim”, a five-minute journey back to the 70’s that summons Pink Floyd like vibes complete with swirling electronics and ambient organ runs. This side of their writing is much more effective when it takes the back seat to the acoustic side, so when these parts arrive, they add variety instead of sounding forced. Comparisons will be made to Murder by Death, and although merited, take nothing away from the originality of Cotton Teeth. This connection is most obvious on “Back To the Helicopter”, an upbeat number that closes the album with a bang. The classic production mixed with twangy guitars and thumping drums create some of the loudest moments on the album, but also some of the most memorable. Though the cacophony is a nice departure, Cotton Teeth really shines when the crashing cymbals are replaced with lightly brushed snare drums and electric guitars with acoustics. The piano becomes the focal point of many songs and acts as the driving force on “Electronic Dream Plant”, which also happens to be one of the best on the album.
Lyrically, Cotton Teeth shifts from the introspective topics of Mander Salis, instead opting for a narrative approach that allows for the creation of characters that suit the mood of the album. Although it is a welcome change, sometimes it takes away some of what made Mander Salis personal. With all the renewed strength of the band, there are still some areas that have not quite been resolved. The lack of variety between some songs can wear on the listener after an entire album. The songs are not bad, just sometimes the similar sounds have a hard time coming off as unique when listened to together. Some songs also drone on a little too long. An example is “Cakewalk” which has some excellent qualities, but is longer than it needs to be to get the point and feel across. It’s easy to get drawn into the world crafted by The Snake The Cross the Crown as it is completely accessible and endlessly deep, but when it comes down to it, there are still some kinks to be worked out. If 3 years shows this much stylistic improvement then who knows what this band is capable of when given the time to hone their sound.
I bought their EP Like a Moth Before A Flame after I fell in love with the song "Letter." I really disliked every track that came after "Letter" on the EP. I couldn't fathom my duality.
Didn't like the review. "One of the problems that the band ran into during Mander Sails was the attempt to blend classic rock elements into their country style. " When were they ever country?! I thought Mander Salis saw them moving away from cookie cutter emo to a synthesis with 70's rock with some southern rock undertones. Not country though. Kenny Chesney in tight leather pants is country, these boys aren't.
Good review Tom...you basically had the same opinion as I did.
I really enjoyed the mood on this disc. It sounds like it could be the soundtrack to a Steinbeck novel, really. The folk elements are really emotive, and I appreciated that. However, there is a lot of filler on this disc, and in my opinion, it falls short of Mander Salis.
Didn't like the review. "One of the problems that the band ran into during Mander Sails was the attempt to blend classic rock elements into their country style. " When were they ever country?! I thought Mander Salis saw them moving away from cookie cutter emo to a synthesis with 70's rock with some southern rock undertones. Not country though. Kenny Chesney in tight leather pants is country, these boys aren't.
Maybe Southern rock influenced would have been better word choice. Thanks for your input.
Didn't like the review. "One of the problems that the band ran into during Mander Sails was the attempt to blend classic rock elements into their country style. " When were they ever country?! I thought Mander Salis saw them moving away from cookie cutter emo to a synthesis with 70's rock with some southern rock undertones. Not country though. Kenny Chesney in tight leather pants is country, these boys aren't.
In case you didn't know, REAL country is not Kenny Chesney. That kind of crap is what we call mainstream or pop-country. I think the "country" influence we are discussing in this review is referring to the influence of real country/folk artists like Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Kris Kristofferson, etc. People automatically hear "country" and they think the crappy stuff like Shania Twain and Toby Keith, but they conveniently ignore the 70 years of actual country music that has been quietly influencing rock n roll for half a decade now.
I am disappointed in this album for sure. I love Mander Salis. the lyrics on this CD just annoy me and there are other bands who do this type of music better
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