ALBUM REVIEW: The Snuts ‘W.L.’

Album review by Jonathan Taylor.

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Formed in 2015 and hailing from Whitburn, West Lothian, Scotland, The Snuts, have already generated a huge amount of interest and a justifiable amount of attention before there was any mention of a debut album. On the back of their early demos, they instantly started gathering momentum, building a loyal fan base, which as a result, saw them cement themselves as a firm favourite on the bill of many a summer music festival. After the release of a handful of standalone singles, the release of their first EP ‘The Matador’, 2020 saw the band land a top 15 album chart position with their ‘Mixtape’ EP.

The 2^nd April sees the release of their debut album ‘W.L’. An album that lead singer Jack Cochrane describes as a collection of milestones and melodies that time stamp a dream, becoming a reality.

Produced by Tony Hoffer (Beck, Phoenix, M83) and recorded at the Firepit in London, The Snuts have drawn from their back catalogue of music to create a truly remarkable record. The album opens with ‘Top Deck’, a beautiful acoustic offering backed by a subtle string arrangement, which showcases the undeniable vocal ability of Cochrane. The Snuts wind through a voyage of genres, from the fuzzy guitars on ‘Always’, blues inspired ‘Juan Belmonte’ to the hip hop influenced break beats on ‘Elephants’.

‘No Place I’d Rather Go’ ‘begins as an acoustic driven track and unfurls into a wonderfully upbeat Beatle-esque arrangement, while ‘Somebody Loves You’ is a surprising slice of pop and is charmingly optimistic in sound. Big hitters such as ‘All Your Friends’ and ‘Don’t Forget It (Punk)’ are explosive, instant anthems that will grace any music festival field on a sun soaked afternoon.

A revisit in the studio to the band’s debut single ‘Glasgow’ takes on a new least of life, but regardless of a healthy dose of Buckfast prior to recording, thankfully it does not stray too far from the original demo. ‘Boardwalk’ is next level in terms of song writing and musical invention and is one of the albums highlights. It’s tender, melodic, builds beautifully and is arguably one of the best tracks from the last decade. The album closes with ‘Sing For Your Supper’, which is emotionally uplifting and is musical story telling at its finest.

‘W.L.’ is an accomplished debut album full of joy, emotion and exploration. There is an autobiographical subtext and perfectly encapsulates the journey of four working class lads growing up with a dream in Whitburn. The Snuts have struck gold in terms of a winning formula and certainly have the songs to back their ambition and self belief.

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