Track of the Week

 This week’s track of the week is a long term favourite of mine by an artist who I am constantly (deservedly) yapping about. Snail Mail (real name Lindsey Jordan) is a US alternative artist whose genre, I would say, fits under the indie umbrella although it really is hard to put her in any kind of box. I am a huge fan of all her work, but today I want to talk specifically about her debut album ‘Lush’, which followed up on the success of the ‘Habit’ EP to become a really defining work for her. In particular, I have chosen to spotlight one of my all time favourite songs ‘Speaking Terms’. 

One of the real distinctive features about Jordan’s early works especially is the tone of her detuned Fender Jaguar guitar, which is really clean and crisp with a lot of treble end, creating a unique sound especially when paired with drums which manage to be heavy but never too overpowering. There is also a bass guitar in the mix, but this is so low that it’s almost more of a textural feature, dropping in and out as needed to provide a little subconscious variation. Snail Mail guitar lines are deeply interesting because the way Lindsey writes (especially her verse progressions) seems to almost combine folk and jazz influences in the parameters of her heavier rock sound, something which the guitar tone emphasises all the more. 

Lyrically, Snail Mail songs are forever interesting. There are many tracks in Lindsey’s discography which I’ve had to listen to a few times to really get. ‘Speaking Terms’, though, is one that hits on a level even before you fully understand it. One of my favourite moments comes in the first fully extended chorus where Lindsey sings ‘Leave things on speaking terms / and I’ll see you around’ just as the additional guitar line kicks in to create this brilliant build. 

In short, I would recommend Snail Mail to anyone who’s looking for a bit of a different indie rock sound, and also to feel like you haven’t done much with your life as Lindsey was only 18 when ‘Lush’ was released!