Album Review: Jon Snodgrass – Tace

Before we even get into the teeth of this superb collection of songs that cover so many moments in life, an assortment that never tries to be anything but honest, that musically covers a breadth of style that says so much about Jon’s willingness to not be tied down, although there is most certainly a core of folk/rock that glues everything together.

Anyway, let’s get the collaboration list out of the way, not that there should be any doubt that these people are as much a part of the whole experience and should be acknowledged as such, more that it saves me time mentioning names throughout.

Special guests include Stephen Egerton (Descendents, ALL), Karl Alvarez (Descendents, ALL), Marko DeSantis (Sugarcult), Zach Blair (Rise Against, GWAR, The Drakulas) Neil Hennessy (The Lawrence Arms, The Falcon), Joey Cape (Lagwagon, Bad Astronaut), Stacey Dee (Bad Cop/Bad Cop), Mikey Erg (The Ergs, The Chris Gethard Show), Mark Bronzino (Iron Reagan), Jason Livermore (Wretch Like Me, Drag The River, Bill The Welder), and Derek Zanetti (The Homeless Gospel Choir) among others.

Storytelling and truths are such a huge part of this album, the only theme that seems to crop up is Jon’s love of Baseball (if your not a fan, then this can be a slight negative to the album) understanding the inclusion of these snippets might not be easy for the less initiated like myself.  

Back to the bones of this set of songs, what your definitely are getting is pure Rock n Roll full of melody that’s also vocally raw yet at the top of its game.

‘Renaissance Man’ drops in after a small audio intro, which whether it was meant or not, explains Jon’s ability to play everything with ease.  ‘Bad New Lands’ precedes a song that when hearing, immediately takes me back to when Social Distortions ‘Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes’ was born, ‘Footage’ has all that blues/punk n Roll, a sing a long at the top of your voice sound.

Then we come to the song that hits a chord with how life should be lived, a simple treat other with respect and never be above it all, ‘Backstage’ is an ode to how being kind should always be a given not a chore, everyone at a gig is there for a reason and deserve to be looked upon as equal.

So many great songs that have their own agendas and have been written as separate pieces, not as a whole, although passion is the core.  ‘Don’t Break Her Heart’ is being a father who would do anything for his Daughter, ‘BoyzIImen’ a ballad of growing up and growing apart, ‘The Sequal’ rocks its heart out and does what ‘Perfect Match’ does too, lifts your spirit and has you tapping your foot and doing that strange nodding of the head thingy.

An album of family, friends, love, truth and above all passionate music.

Out on A-F Records Friday 9th Oct

Visit Jon’s Website HERE

Check out Renaissance Man below