getting emotional with snuff
I ain’t got all my peace of mind
Charabanc
At least I’ve got some
I’ll always carry a spare
There’s always more to come
I’ll chuck my lucky legs in my baggy shorts
Stroll up the hill and have a chat with Byron
Chat about sepsis on a sunny evening
It’s a never event and you’d never believe me
From cheeky cover versions, Chas ‘n Dave-style knees-ups, classic punk melodies, and sporadic hardcore blasts, SNUFF have carved out their own singular style over the last 38 years. The addition of Hammond organ and brass added a touch of class, mind. Buffing up those elements into a soulful, wall-of-punk-sound, the special sauce is Duncan Redmonds’ sparkling songwriting, never more evident than on this brand new album. Essentially, a full band/acoustic split, Off On The Charabanc follows last year’s stripped down Come And Have A Go If You Think You’re Rachmaninoff and 2022’s Crepuscolo dorato…, singer and drummer Duncan stating this is his “expression of love for folk music.” While that may be obvious in the acoustic songs, SNUFF’s penchant for bringing to life the stories of ordinary folk fits the brief throughout.
The full-band side contains the solid brace of Charabanc and Yellow Lights, presenting a finely-tuned SNUFF capable of knocking out true, soul-punk classics. The Hammond sound and minimal brass add warmth to the former’s wistful tones, while the latter is one long, gorgeous pop hook, both songs imbued with a touching melancholy. Before all that, though, the album opens with the instantly catchy Go Easy, one of their trademark, punk knees-ups with a singalong chorus and seasoned melodies. Elsewhere, the short, fast, gang-shout banger of Booster has real bite; the fizzing Purple Prisoner‘s electrifying, Hammond-laden instrumental, a freewheeling 60s psych-out. The raucous surf-romp of Fireball, a shouty lark, with deep, farting brass, limbers the band up for the gloriously OTT cover of Children Get Ready. Originally a 1968 reggae song by THE VERSATILES, transformed here into a punk-soul-blues-brother vs. scout group party anthem, with ‘triumphant final song of the gig’ written all over it. The touching minimalism of The Skip closes the set with a cheeky wink and an arm around the shoulder. Duncan delivers his playful yet poignant lyrics with a warm resignation, accompanied by gently building military drums, acoustic guitar, and a little harmonica. A real moment and a fitting mood setter for the arrangements to come.
I’m ready for you now, come through, come through
The Skip
Take your boots off, make yourself at home
Help yourself to trinkets and souvenirs
That Chas ‘n Dave tape’s got your name on.
Cello, organ, brass, and backing harmonies fill out the acoustic songs, adding much to the ‘stripped down’ form, the ponderous pace of Go Easy the only weak link in an otherwise moreish clutch of songs. In fact, hearing Charabanc and Yellow Lights in this way serves to accentuate their strength, the vocal harmonies and instrumentation working to render the former more rousing than wistful, the latter’s melancholy vibe cutting deeper. The mellow version of Reach (from 2000s Numb Nuts) adds a touching, bittersweet breeze not present in the original, while the twinkly guitars and sombre tones of Toxic are a sweet treat. All Over Now (from 2003’s Disposable Income) is a song transformed. A stirring, choir-style outing with some mighty vocal harmonies, and a masterclass in how it should be done. Fittingly, given Duncan’s folk aspirations, the album ends with a melancholy ode to the mountains and fells of North Yorkshire. As close as SNUFF get to the quiet folk of Simon & Garfunkel, An Arm and a Leg to Kilnsey Crag invokes the lonely beauty of Yorkshire’s high peaks. Who’da thought?
Start slow then power onwards
An Arm And A Leg To Kilnsey Crag
A country mile
Blink of an eye
down to Whernside
Pen y Ghent and on to Kilnsey Crag
Silence in Malham Cove
Dropped by to say hello
Experience has rendered me an acoustic sceptic. Usually, such outings add little, emerging as a shadow of their former selves, but not so here. The tight, varied ‘electric’ set includes at least three all-timers, the acoustic side exploring different atmospheres to great effect on a perfectly balanced album of two halves. The true delight of Off On The Charabanc is the air of bittersweet melancholy that flits throughout, invoking a brand new experience: getting emotional with SNUFF.
Released March 22nd digitally, vinyl and CD released March 29th 2024
https://snuffuk.bandcamp.com/album/off-on-the-charabanc
https://snuffband.bigcartel.com/product/pre-order-off-on-the-charabanc-vinyl-cd-bundle
PERSONAL PUNK 