Mandolins and beer equal rock

Todd Snider
New Connection
Oh Boy Records I was introduced to Todd Snider a few years ago with his mandolin/acoustic guitar driven brand of roots rock in the opening line from "Alright Guy." It talks about getting caught looking at naked pictures of Madonna by an old girlfriend. The music had this funny, sincere quality to it that most country artists would've substituted with a catch phrase and most rockers would be too cocky to ever admit. New Connection continues in this tradition with thirteen songs that sound as if they were written with a group of friends, an acoustic guitar, a little heartbreak, a case of beer and a campfire. New Connection alternates between Snider's "too quirky to be made up" anecdotes and devastatingly honest songs about love and nostalgia. "Vinyl Records," a great party tune, is a fun little romp that details Snider's record collection that has "piles and piles and piles of Tom Petty." The only actual verse of the song talks about him having to choose one of two bags to take on the plane with him. He chose the bag full of his records, sadly leaving his clothes behind. "Statistician's Blues" makes fun of those who waste time with statistics instead of living. As good as the funny songs are, often in a beer chugging Randy Newman way, Snider really shines with his more serious pieces. "Class of '85" looks back at friends and ex-girlfriends, and it somehow sums up the paths everyone has taken and where they are now in just a handful of lines. There's more nostalgia in this three and half minute song than in most photo albums. "Anywhere" is virtually the polar opposite of the manufactured, distant sounding rock and country songs about love from the past few years. Even with a beautiful, understated string arrangement and powerful weeping steel guitar lines, this song has more kick and raw honesty than I've heard in years (aside from Kasey Chambers' "The Captain"). The song is about dependence more than desperation, but Snider's voice cracks add a nice touch of both to get rid of any doubts about how he feels. It's artists like Snider that remind me from time to time that the best songwriters aren't all old or bitter and that rock, country and folk music are far from dead.