If 2024 is the year of highbrow pop music2025 is starting to feel like indie rock's comeback year. Leading the way, of course, are the Geese, who combine the Strokes' scruffy Brooklyn cool with the feline beauty of Beirut and capture the zeitgeist (zeitgeist, if you will). And now here's Snocaps, a supergroup of indie heroes returning to the sound of their old project.
Snocaps is led by the Crutchfield sisters Katie (Waxahatchee) And Allison (Swearin'), who used to play together in a disparate indie band. PS Eliot which operated for several years in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Their self-titled album also features a guitarist. MJ Lendermanalthough you wouldn't know it if I didn't tell you about it, because it doesn't have such bright moments of harmony as in “Let's get back to this.” The atmosphere of “Avengers assemble” is enhanced by the presence of Brad Cook, a multi-instrumentalist who has produced Waxahatcheee's last couple of albums.
Despite the Snocaps' supergroup reputation, their debut album feels less like a Boygenius-esque high point and more like a low-stakes romp. With a spirit of fun and camaraderie, it's a bit like the rock cousin of Katie Crutchfield's band. Plains — have fun with friends to bridge the gap between Waxahatchee albums. The middling production quality, reminiscent of '80s/90s college rock and considerably more shabby than Waxahatchee's great country albums, reinforces the sense that the Snocaps are having fun rather than swinging hard. The same goes for the decision to release a surprise album instead of a traditional promotional cycle.
The explosion that the group is experiencing does not interfere Snocaps from the hermetic songcraft, however. Although there are a couple of pastoral heartthrobs on the album who sound lost. Saint-Cloud or Tiger Blood tracks (“Hide”, “Doom”) and “I Don't Want To” return to troubadour simplicity American weekendSnocaps' best moment is the crunchy pop satisfaction of Allison working with Swearin' or Katie's on In the storm.
It's hard to tell one sister's voice from the other as they join in feminine harmony on the lyrically rich yet melodically fresh “Heathcliff” (which enigmatically yet powerfully talks about codependency) or the nostalgic, sweet “Cherry Hard Candy.” Lenderman quietly shines on “Wasteland,” which adds a wonky texture to the sonic flavor while Katy’s devastating melodies are met with rustic guitar solos.
It's a testament to the fact that these musicians, despite the ease the Snocaps exude, can still occasionally break your heart with a casual lyrical or melodic twist, like the stark simplicity of the alt-rock number “Coast” and its confession, “You're sorry we ever stopped hanging out,” or the graceful chime of “Avalanche” and its idiosyncratic but beautiful metaphors: “I depend a lot on this next one.” a gentleman / His mythology is like a vitamin / Makes you strong, baby.”
The Snocaps plan to play a handful of shows through the end of the year and then “be put on hiatus for the foreseeable future,” according to a press release. As I said, the stakes are low, but the payoff is there.
