Songs for Snakes – Charcoal Heather

An indie/pop/alternative punk band hailing from San Fransisco, this sophomore album is nothing revolutionary, but it sure is a solid punk album. At times melancholic and at times almost aggressive, this would be one that would be kickass live, but would still hold its own on a late night drive. Reminds me of like a Bad Religion/Descendents combo with a little splash of melancholy and maybe a splash more melody than the two bands mentioned. Good hooks, good guitar, good vocals, good album.

The whole album is pretty good, try 1,7,10, FCC’s detected: 6

1.*St. Mary: (3:31): Combo of punk-rock flattish vocals and hard hitting guitar chords; melodic rock-like chorus.
2. Sidewalk Rider:(2:32): Sounds like angst and indie punk. Fast tempo with powerful riffs
3. Charcoal Heather: (3:32): A single and the title song. Mid tempo, melodic, minor chords
4. Half Life: (2:27) Aggressive and intense, they show their post hardcore muscle
5. Thorazine Eyes: (3:01) Balance of raw punk vocals, and melancholy guitar. Slower pop/indie punk
6. The Most Documented Man: (2:11) Straightforward pop punk. One FCC
7. *L Terrible: ( 3:00) Catchy and hummable, midtempo, and gives a care-free upbeat vibe. “Who do I want to be, this time?”
8. Outdoor Kitty: (3:13): Headbanging good song, uptempo, would be cool to see live.
9. America’s Shiniest Objects: (2:29): Steady Guitar; focused on lead singers verses, feels heavy
10. *Mothball Fleet: (2:23): Vocals and chord progression blend so nicely together that it belongs in a movie about teenagers doing rebellious things. Break in the middle to an even better 2nd part.
11. F.E.A.R.: (4:15) Slower tempo song with simple guitar, sweet basslines and a soft touch to the vocals that makes this one uniqueish on the album
12. Get Small: (2:54) Another straightforward alternative punk song; slightly melancholic

-Ethan Liwanag