CD review: Todd Snider, “The Excitement Plan”
Alternative
Todd Snider “The Excitement Plan” (Yep Rock)
Singer-songwriter Todd Snider integrates vivid storytelling, sharply honed satire and an array of musical genres into his clever album “The Excitement Plan.”
Snider, who broke out in the 1990s with his spot-on folk-rock commentary “Talkin’ Seattle Grunge Rock Blues,” maintains his knack for cranking out musical short stories brimming with timely humor.
“The Excitement Plan,” which he dubs in the liner notes “Your sure fire cure for the hard times,” opens with the chipper, folksy “Slim Chance,” with lyrics about looking on the bright side: “I found a four-leaf clover in my yard today/It had one leaf missing off it/But that was OK … That’s close enough for me.” He closes with a sprightly Dixieland two-step wish for “Good Fortune,” punctuated with a bouncy harmonica, a few words of wisdom and a rambling cop movie plot.
In between, the album isn’t so cheery, but Snider’s skill at crafting engaging stories and matching them with right but unexpected sonic flourishes keep “The Excitement Plan” compelling. His roots rock yarn “America’s Favorite Pastime” relates the story of the late Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dock Ellis, who claimed he threw no-hitter while high on LSD. The bluesy “Unorganized Crime” relays the confession of a remorseless murderer in deceptively tuneful fashion.
Snider collaborates with Loretta Lynn on the spirited honky-tonk duet “Don’t Tempt Me,” about struggling with monogamy.
He narrates Robert Earl Keen’s alcoholic’s ode “Corpus Christi Bay” with unfussy poignancy. But Snider possesses such a distinctive voice – both as a lyricist and singer – that you almost hate to hear him do a cover.
- BAM
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment