Review Summary: Back to the bottom just to get to the top. And I need you to know I'm never going to stop.
Jerry Jones has some of the most unique vocals of anyone in music these days. Whether it be guest vocals on Jacobi Wichita or the spotlight while performing with his main project Trophy Scars, Jones always adds a dynamic that is difficult to replicate. His vocals ooze with sleaze and he can hardly sing in the traditional sense, yet Jones possesses a definite charisma. His side project Super Snake was brought to life early last year, and serves as an outlet for Jerry’s apparent reoccurring angst. Although Trophy Scars has inched further and further away from their hardcore roots, it seems as though Jerry Jones still feels the need to express himself through
fun and aggressive hardcore tinged music. But that is not to say that Super Snake’s second ep in as many years does not pack a punch in its own rights. It is as hard hitting and straight forward as its predecessor, yet
Rider is an entirely different entity.
The extend play is only comprised of four tracks and under 20 minutes of new material, but it serves its purpose to hold Trophy Scar’s fans over until Holy Vacants is actually put forth. These four tracks all contain a certain fun-
ness absent in Jerry Jones’s previous body of work, a fun-ness that brings to light a different side Jones . The rest of the band is comprised of a hodge-podge of competent artists from currently defunct hardcore bands. The fact that the rest of the band manages to steal the spotlight from Jones constantly is merely a testament to the fact that each member belongs aside one another. Guitar solos are prevalent and grooves constantly sound as though they are chiseled off of a grill deep within Georgia, and smothered with enough barbeque sauce to last a lifetime. Samples are still impeccably placed, only further lending to more comparisons to Trophy Scars, but the truth remains that Super Snake, regardless of the inclusion of Jones, is a band that does what they want, whenever they want. Songs secrete smut and the album covers imply an apparent objectification of women…and Super Snake does not give a fuck.
Take for example lead single
Yes, I’m A Doctor. Party lyrics are disguised within Jones crooked crooning and the song drives and drives without ever leaving listeners a chance to catch their breath. Coupled with a ridiculously off-putting yet somehow hilarious music video, this track is the antithesis of the seriousness imbedded within Trophy Scars, creating a vivid contrast between the two.
For what it is,
Rider is an album that delivers. Although it is an obvious placeholder in lieu of Holy Vacants,
Rider is an ep that sees Super Snake simply not caring what anyone has to think. Be it the play on the classic Hey Mickey in
Red Tango or the gravely and grimy vocals over an insanely distorted bass-line on
Nevada, Super Snake finds themselves having fun and taking no prisoners. An easily digestible hardcore album sprinkled with blues aspects and southern influences, this record is what it is.
Fun.
