Seattle-based indie-rock/Americana artist Stan Snow recently released his album, Into the Great Beyond, a collection of 12 tracks written and recorded in the order they appear on the album.
Snow explains, “I wrote each song to satisfy the music fan within. After I finished writing each tune, I would ask myself – ‘What do I want to hear now?’….and I would write the next tune based on what I was hearing in my head.”
When not working on his solo music, Snow plays with his band The Sundogs. He has released four albums and 48 videos with the Sundogs, and has recorded with Alan White (Yes, John Lennon), Abe Laboriel Jr. (Paul McCartney), Lyle Workman (Sting, Beck), Valerie Pinkston (Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston), Larry Goldings (James Taylor), Gregg Bissonette (Ringo Starr), Ben Smith (Heart), Keb’ Mo’ and many others.
From a subjective viewpoint, highlights on Into the Great Beyond include “Guard,” a gentle, Americana-flavored tune that, once the rhythm enters, assumes a tasty, oblique cadence topped by Snow’s soft, slightly breathy vocals.
The funky “Chemical Fallacy” features a fat, vibrating bassline, brass accents, and a dazzling guitar solo under careful control, while Snow’s dream-like vocals imbue the lyrics with Steely Dan-like savors. “Now” opens on low-slung harmonies, reminiscent of Yes, and then ramps up to gleaming guitars pumping out washes of prog-rock.
With its mid-tempo rhythm, dark and funk-lite, “Insanity Repeats” narrates the senselessness of the war in Ukraine. Sleazy, bluesy guitar licks infuse the tune with drawling tension as Snow’s high tenor gives the lyrics solemn, almost questioning, timbres.
“Jungle” stands out because of its light, glittering intro flowing into a polymetric rhythm accented by delicious tripping strings. There’s an exotic, Celtic-like feel to the tune, giving it a lusciously trembling sensation.
The antiphonal tones of “Change,” light against dark, smooth against staccato, elevate the song from the run-of-the-mill compositions.
Talking about “Change,” Snow shares, “As our world changes day to day we have the opportunity to adapt and ask questions. Then, plot our course and our next move, in order to stay on the track that is most meaningful to us. Part of that process involves reassessing the way that we think. Should we change our mind about something? Are we too quick to judge? Is our way of thinking helpful or not? If people were more open-minded and willing to see things from other’s perspectives, would there be less conflict?”
With Into the Great Beyond, Stan Snow offers a variety of stylistic elements, revealing a satisfying journey through enchanting soundscapes.