“And though I speak, these words do not mean that I have ever really had an understanding. I can try to do what I like and hope that there is nothing gained from this pretending. So, I am born, from now until I’m gone and when I leave I won’t be waiting on forever. All my life I’ve done what I liked, though there are times that I wanted to be better.”
Kevin Jones sings this beautiful bit of existential prose in the song “Floating In and Out”, a song that starts out feeling like a segue and ends with one of the most powerful codas on their masterpiece album Cotton Teeth. This album was easily one of the most overlooked releases of 2007. It starts with the slow buildup of “Cakewalk”, meanders it’s way to the southern flavored gang vocals of “Gypsy Melodies”, and begins it’s slow fade with the quiet introspection of “Maps”. There’s plenty in between, especially “Electronic Dream Plant”, which starts off sounding a bit like a slow ballad, but ends up with some na-na-na-nas that would make Paul McCartney proud. ”Back to the Helicopter”, which feels slightly out of place following a song like Maps, ends up feeling like the perfect closer when you reach the climax. All in all, Cotton Teeth is not only an album that still feels fresh five years later, but is also an inspiring album created by true musicians who just wanted to put out music they hoped other people would like.
“I believe music communicates things that words cannot. You can communicate sentiments and feelings that there’s no way you can say or really share with someone. Things that change people, I mean, I’ve been changed by music. That’s something that I am in love with doing. Finding things to share with people that might change their life. It’s pompous and self important but its what I truly feel compelled to do, and it’s entirely not in keeping with this idea of making something very plugged in, on the pulse of culture and something that people can ultimately like.”
Kevin Jones (On A Carousel of Sound We Go Round)
The Snake The Cross The Crown is one of those bands that worked hard for years and just couldn’t manage to break through. One of those bands that was on a thriving indie label (Equal Vision), one of those bands that toured the country back and forth, one of those bands that relocated from the east to the west coast with a dream of making it that would never quite come true. They were one of those bands that were coming into their own musically while the music world was in a new state of chaos. Records were easier (read: cheaper) to create, market, and distribute. The landscape was flooded with mediocre acts who could barely play their instruments, so actual musicians had a much harder time getting noticed. In the end, they could no longer afford, mentally or monetarily, to continue on as a struggling band.
While it’s a tragedy that a band as talented as this would be forced to put down their guitars and park their touring rig, we are still privileged enough to have their music. The Snake The Cross The Crown released three albums: Mander Salis (2004), Cotton Teeth (2007) and the posthumous On A Carousel of Sound We Go Round (2009). “..Carousel..”, in addition to being a collection of unreleased material and b-sides, is also a full-length film that follows the band through what would prove to be their final tour, documenting their mindset as they moved towards their hiatus. There are many stripped down versions of songs in the film, occasionally overdubbed with intimate interviews of the band members. It’s a close look at a band in a way you don’t normally see. There’s also a wonderful live rendition of “On the Threshold of Eternity”, from Mander Salis, featuring all the members of Manchester Orchestra, Piebald, and mewithoutYou performing alongside the band.
I could probably write a track by track review of their three albums, but I would much rather you go out and pick them up (long live physical media!) or purchase the mp3s on your favorite digital music retailer, and experience the music for yourself.
“People are just moving too fast, I mean in general. It’s hard for people to appreciate much of anything, I know it’s sort of the American dream and all … to move up, to have more, and it certainly seems like it’s driving us away from finding contentedness in what we have. With things going the way they are, with digital media, with inundation of bands, the rate bands are coming up, the rate music is pumped in, people will just listen to something once and then move on. People have no choice (but) to make it the musical equivalent of a magazine. You’ll get the ones that you want, basically the style that you like, you’ll listen to it then you’ll get another one, and then you’ll just blow through them. And they’re not novels, they’re not someone pouring some tremendous amount of time into them, to really make some difference in someone’s life. If things keep going that way we’re screwed.”
Kevin Jones (On A Carousel of Sound We Go Round)
Snakecrosscrown.com
Equalvisionrecords.com
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- Posted by Andy Cosnotti 
