Snail Mail - Lush

Snail Mail
Lush
2018
Spotify

Lindsey JOrdan of Snail Mail doesn't sound like she is 19. Their music is really quite beautiful and rich, with warm guitars and a genlte pace that never feels to hurried to get anywhere. This debut record Lush has a bit of a DIY feel to the production, giving the album this really connected quality to it. Jordan's vocal is sweet but carries a ton of weight staying at this one level throughout most of the album. It allows her lyrics to shine through. The major push of Lush is about growing up fast, as this young musician has had to do as her career began to take off. The band actually played Coachella this year, even before the debut was released. Inside one of the air conditioned tents they played to a group on onlookers splayed across the floor and steps trying to beat some of the Sunday heat. The music gave you this really nice feeling, like something that you've known for a long time. They are not breaking new musical territory, we've heard guitar rock for decades at this point, but when some one really does it well it really works. A lot of bands go for soaring uplifting music but Snail Mail tend to ease into a more comfortable position, letting their songs unfurl in front of you, ready for you to either engage or not. This unconcerned nature isn't to say that they don't give a shit, they clearly do, they are just less extra about it.

The sparse composition of this album is actually quite refreshing in a world where every single thing is put through some kind electronic filter. "Golden Dream" paints a picture of independence and it really works for this band and their overall sound. You really find yourself buying in to their youthful view of the world. The one thing that this record is missing is some kind of release. The slow burn is really great, but after 10 tracks you are really ready for a big crescendo that never seems to come. The songs come across though as really direct and cutting tracks, really cutting out all the other bullshit that could be swirling around them. There are no gimmicks here, which really leaves Jordan out there in a raw way, but she makes it work every single time. There certainly is a space for Snail Mail in popular music today, let's just hope the general public has the patience for something great.

8.0 out of 10