Snippet
– The Grooveplay Recordings
DL
Out
Now
8.5
/ 10
Folk/Funk
singer songwriter releases early recordings.
As
he prepares to release a new album for 2016 under the working name of Snippet,
Johnno Casson has delved into the archive to put together a collection of
tracks which were effectively the start of the quirky pop project.
Ten
years old, the nine tracks on offer as a ‘name your price‘ album via Bandcamp
marked the beginning of what has blossomed into some of the finest pop
around. Last year’s Sunshine EP (see
here) was a delightful lesson in how to write the perfect pop song and it’s
easy to see where the inspiration originated.
Largely
instrumental, bar some inventive and often amusing sound bytes the album
predates all social media and have been lovingly dusted down in all of their
lo-fi, D.I.Y. prowess. Using a dilapidated
pc and mic with his trusty acoustic guitar, the tracks are funky little folk
numbers which simply will not disappear once they have been listened to.
The
wonderfully funny Balls features samples of (presumably) a 60s/70s tv presenter
telling us to ‘hide our balls’ and ‘play with our balls’. It’s childish, it’s funny and it’s very very
enjoyable. There’s no room for doom and gloom with Snippet, it’s all
happy-go-lucky fun fun fun. Harmless,
meaningless and feel-good.
With
a career that has seen him tour with The Farm and work with the likes of Adrian
Sherwood, Tom Robinson and Andy Weatherall, Johnno is no stranger to music in
fact he is now a well-respected artist within the underground. Paul Mosley, mylittlebrother and Jay
Stansfield are all admirers which is praise indeed.
Let
Me Feel These Things features a superb wah-wah guitar and fabulous ‘funky
drummer’ style percussion and Gold Tip Shoes experiments before Casson
vocalises over a gentle backing which is difficult not to fall in love with.
Album
opener, The Digital Yes wistfully opens with the sounds of passing aircraft and
children playing (which would form a big part of 2013s ‘D.I.Y.’ album – see
here) and sets the scene for a highly enjoyable collage of sounds and general
messing around. The delightfully
entitled Ah Yes The Theatre My Dear again mixes sounds and clips with a looped,
near trip-hop beat which carries the melody along.
Closing
with 50 Pounds Each, another experimental effort with the help of Donovan
Trounce, the album is a fine insight into what started as a bit of fun and turned
into one of todays most underrated artists.
The advice seems to be – check out The Grooveplay Recordings and then
savour the prospect of the new Snippet album.
Links
Website
Snippet on hiapop
Paul Mosley on hiapop
mylittlebrother on hiapop
Jay Stansfield on hiapop
Published on Louder Than war 28/11/15 - here
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