New Midnite Snaxxx album!

Surely it would be slightly premature to declare that Midnite Snaxxx has already locked up 2017 album of the year at the beginning of February. But I will say that the Oakland foursome has set the bar very high!

I've been highly touting Midnite Snaxxx since the early days of this blog. I've loved every release from this band, so it's saying something that new album Chew On This is my favorite by far. This is the first Snaxxx release to feature its current lineup (Dulcinea on guitar and vocals, Camylle on bass, Chris on guitar, and Sammy on drums), and the band has never sounded better! Camylle, playing bass in a band for the first time, sounds like she's been doing it all her life. And adding Chris (ex Loli and the Chones) on guitar has really filled out the group's sound.

Compared to the self-titled album from 2012, Chew On This sounds tighter and punchier while still retaining that same garage-punk spirit. And much to my delight, there is little if any stylistic variation between the albums. This is still the Snaxxx doing what they do best: leather-tough old style punk that worships at the altar of the Ramones and '70s power pop. That is 100% my musical sweet spot, and I can't think of a band that hits it more bang-on. With this album, you get a great mix of more ferocious tracks like "Space Invaders"/"Hey, I'm A Human" and "Quit Being A Dick" and poppier tunes such as "Found A Way To Your Heart" and "Sad To See You Go". And then there are songs like "Attitude" that are a little bit of both! The band successfully goes full-on power pop on "Why Do I?", while "Just What I Need" is the most satisfying Buzzcocks homage I've heard in years.

It's not always easy in the punk world for a band to follow a great debut LP with an even better second album. But that's exactly what Midnite Snaxxx have done. They've managed to toughen up their sound while still remembering that what matters most is delivering great songs. You can order Chew On This on vinyl straight from Pelican Pow Wow Records or buy the digital album from the Midnite Snaxxx Bandcamp page. Crank it loud, and don't be surprised when it leaves you begging for more!



-L.R.

https://midnitesnaxxx.bandcamp.com/album/chew-on-this-4 
http://pelicanpowwowrecords.bigcartel.com/product/midnite-snaxxx-chew-on-this
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Midnite-Snaxxx/105627569476640