Earlier this year I discovered Le Snags at a Post/Punk showcase evening at Bournemouth’s Sound Circus venue. I have to admit that on the evening in question I wasn’t blown away by this band. However; when I asked a band member for a setlist, he thrust three EP’s into my hand so I thought it only fair to give them a listen and review.
This six-track EP opens curiously with the sound of a fly in motion before leading into track two “We Are The Enemy”. The drum intro owes more than a passing nod to Adam and The Ants, but the similarities end there. A whispered vocal gives way to a more direct and “in yer face” chorus. The sampling in the background seems somewhat at odds with the deliberate vocal style. It’s experimental in the extreme and I’m reminded of The Fall.
“Parliment Ltd” needs no introduction, the subject matter is a direct attack. Articulately delivered over a harsh, gravelly sample with intricate percussion. However, the aggression in the vocal at the end seems out of place with how the song begins. “Big Money” has a scratchy intro, feedback-driven with heavy cymbal hitting. Another scratchy sample accompanies the most direct and articulate vocal on this collection. “From The Cradle To The Grave” has a harsh, scratchy guitar sound and it’s more of the same with the vocal. Spite and anger seem to be the order of the day!
T.T.F.N. is the final track on here and seems a strange way to close this collection – an array of samples that frankly go nowhere. This EP is totally at odds with what I witnessed live, but maybe that is the point. It’s no doubt a work in progress but they clearly have something to build on and I would imagine there’s plenty in the tank. I wish them well.
Track listing
A Fly
We Are The Enemy
Parliament Ltd.
Big Money
From The Cradle To The Grave
T.T.F.N.
Review by Ross A. Ferrone
