deep Snapper

Oddly prolific act Deep Snapper has benefited from the addition of second-guitarist Aaron Bartz, who often played impossibly complex patterns in the assumingly defunct Tame.. Tame and Quiet. A recent outing in Denton’s DIY “Barn” venue saw (and heard) them silencing some of their critics who once probably agreed with the rather unfair Maximumrocknroll assertion that the group played “Dad Rock.” Whatever that is, but I suppose a pretentious punk “knows it when he hears it.”

- D Magazine / FrontRow / It List

Their members may be spread all over the metroplex, but Deep Snapper is still one of the more prolific bands associated with the Denton music scene. Sure, none of the members actually resides in Denton, but the band's ties and identity are firmly fixed to the town—and for good reason.

"We've had a lot better feedback in Denton than we have anywhere else," bassist Paddy Flynn says. "It's just the natural place for bands like ours to play."

The band, whose hallmark is the inconsistency they display from song to song in terms of format or even genre, is the type of act that might not be as accepted in other area cities.

"It's too bad that Dallas doesn't have the scene like it did way back when," Flynn laments. "But, in Denton, as long as what you're doing is real, they get behind you 100 percent."

Consisting of Flynn on bass, John Newberry on guitar and vocals, Aaron Bartz on guitar and Chris Smith on drums (although there is a considerable amount of instrument-switching), Deep Snapper was originally the product of Newberry and Flynn's attempt to pass the time while stationed on an Army base in rural Louisiana.

"There was nothing to do there and we spent most of the time playing guitar together," says Flynn.

Between the two of them, they amassed an extensive catalog of tunes and eventually began recording them. The original plan was for the project to be a vehicle with which to record and perform Newberry's songs, but with the addition of Smith after their relocation to North Texas, the songwriting became a group process.

And, despite Flynn's leave of absence from the band during all of last year for voluntary military service in Iraq, the band has still somehow managed to release a full-length album each year since its creation in 2006. Most recently, the band added Bartz, initially as a way to perform the tracks from the album that included so much guitar layering and big room-filling sound that one guitar wouldn't do them justice. Now, however, Bartz' input is not only in learning the old material, but in a songwriting capacity as well.

The new configuration for the band should have some impact on its next release, Bipedal Disorder, that's currently being recorded at the Echo Lab. Taking into account the band's tendency toward not having a tendency, though, the change shouldn't be too dramatic.

As for the live performance side of things, the band's hiatus ended officially in August when Flynn returned from Iraq. Since then, they've played six times, most notably at The Barn in Denton. Catch the band next on December 2 with Paper Robot at Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios.

- The Dallas Observer.

Deep Snapper
A Drowning Man Can Pull You Under
Self-produced

This crew of Dentonites might be the best of the bunch, somehow ripping original sounds from overdriven guitars and growling vocals. Jagged gee-tars move through the songs at angles like that tank in Tron; the vocals simultaneously eschew normal melodies and draw you in, which is a rare thing. The rhythm section, meantime, plays hard and true, holding down the fort. At first listen there's an almost drunken, Hickoids thing going on. On second listen, you realize this is intentional. On third listen, you realize the illusion is brilliant. (See www.deepsnapper.net.)

- The Dallas Observer

Deep Snapper, A Drowning Man Can Pull You Under: This is a release that got away from us, and we really have no excuse as to why we didn't review this record earlier. I mean, if some of us can literally throw some CD reviews out the window, , , then certainly we can find the time to review albums that we can make it through, and even possibly enjoy. Considering how few and far between that occurs, there's even more reason to mention this record.

Deep Snapper has made a very clear headed and direct statement, where fairly dark themes are tackled with equal amounts of humor and lament. The separation and clarity is all the more compounded by another hands-off styled recording courtesy of Matt Barnhart and The Echo Lab, and it serves this music particularly well.

The group's sound is best summarized by the resemblance it bears to the progressive punk of the late 80's, where the rage was toned down a bit, mid-tempo rhythms started to appear more frequently on SST recordings, and the Washington DC scene added a studious and thoughtful maturity to variations on the "Fuck You" theme.

What's immediately grabbing on "A Drowning Man Can Pull You Under" is the solid playing, and more specifically the manner in which the guitar playing contains more hooks and melody than the actual singing. Guitarist John Newberry's approach to the instrument doesn't divert to the obvious break for a solo as much as he spends his time palming, scratching, and strumming in the high register and the end


result is more striking and uniquely effective.

If Deep Snapper played more to its strengths, it would do a lot towards opening up some of the density that starts piling up around the album's midpoint. Some songs switch from crunchy barres to open chord chime, which changes the feel, but not always enough to differentiate emotion from emotion as the album progresses. On the other hand, a song like "Autopilot" has more space, tension, and release, resulting in a broken-dam finale that is also the group's most successful moment.

This is a band that has everything lined up to continue being a good, straight-forward rock band. They could easily transcend that and many similar peers by adding some more extremes, whether they be faster, harder, softer, or slower. It's determined dynamics like these that made records such as Pink Flag such a classic, the important characteristics that distinguish each song from the next and a conscious effort to push a different button every time they attack.

There is much to return to here, whether it be the thinly veiled gallows humor often alluding to death and injury (sample song title: "Politics of a Misdiagnosed Head Bleed"), or the audible debt to D.Boon on the vocals, never a bad singer to look up to if you feel like being honest without being cheesy.

I would say that I'd like to hear what Deep Snapper does next, but apparently the wait is already over. According to the band's website, there is already a new release being prepared, less than a year after this record, and their third album overall. Between that and the shit that Violent Squid pulls, we'll be posting this winter's releases sometime in 2010. (3.5) (DL)

- We Shot JR

"We make music because of d. boon, mike watt, george hurley, and ed crawford," read the credits on Deep Snapper's latest CD, as if The Minutemen (and fIREHOSE) influence wasn't obvious enough from the music. Like their heroes, the skilled musicians of Deep Snapper are adept at creating complex but unforgettably melodic bass and guitar parts. And just as The Minutemen combined anger with a sly sense of humor, Deep Snapper will rail against strip malls and lack of "urban spaces where the kids can play," but aren't completely stoic about it.

As blatant as the similarities may be, though, Deep Snapper is far from being a mere rip-off act. Into the Ugly shows little evidence of the funk and R&B influences that set the 'men apart from their hardcore contemporaries. Johnathan Newberry's guitar work is especially interesting when he experiments with unusual tones and effects, like the clock-chime sounds that introduce "Turn Signals," or the chaotic solo on "Daniel Johnston," more of a chaotic feedback freak-out than skillfully crafted lead. Besides, a couple of their songs stretch past the five-minute mark—or, about five times the length of a typical Minutemen tune. - Jesse Hughey
- The Dallas Observer

I swear this string of material based around Texas is mostly coincidental. I keep getting hit with this stuff and it keeps turning out to be damn good, which then inspires me to write about it on here. The latest act from the lone star state to come across my desk and into my stereo is the trio of deep Snapper, whom have released three albums to date and I think are looking to put out a fourth sometime in the not so distant future. Don’t hold me to that though.

Into the Ugly is the bands most recent release, which was put out last year. While the music itself definitely gives the occasional nod to past post-punk greats Minutemen, the band clearly states on the back of the disc that they are indeed one of the trio’s main inspirations for making music. Although, I can definitely see these guys being pretty fans of Mission of Burma as well after hearing the disc a few times now, but that’s just my guess. Anyway, deep Snapper take that influence and steer it in a slightly more damaged direction that gives it a distinct edge rather than being content with merely churning out rehashed tunes of poppy post-punk. The band also clearly has a sharp wit about them as evidenced through some of the song titles. However, deep Snapper is pretty much all business when it comes to the actual music and pumping out completely solid rock tunes. Into the Ugly certainly brings it for its forty three minute duration, check out the tunes below for more.

- Built On A Weak Spot

This sort of ties in with the previous post, in that deep Snapper have appeared here before, are from Denton, Texas as well, and in fact have had all four of their albums (that includes this one) recorded by Tre Orsi member Matthew Barnhart to some degree or another. And since deep Snapper’s latest album Pi on the Side is nearing a release as well, seems as good as any time to get it up here on the blog.

The band certainly doesn’t make it easy to describe their records, which it seems often time is a compliment in itself. One thing I can say is that, like most of their records, Pi on the Side is a mixed bag of styles that are all working in an effort to convey the often clever tongue in cheek humor of the songs subject matter. In the end, it’s easier to just say they are a rock band. And while I’ll fully admit the humor all runs secondary to the actual music for me, it’s still a bit of fun to read through the CD jacket where anecdotes about the songs origins and inspiration are laid out by the members of the band. It’s an interesting bonus really. However, what really gets me excited about Pi in the Sky is that the band has really strung together a solid set of songs here and has obviously taken it a step above their previous material in terms of songwriting. I say that because as the album draws to a close, that’s where the band reveals some of the best tracks they’ve probably ever recorded in “Too Thick to be Sliced” and “Shark Dad Owes Back Taxes to the Porpoise House”. The band also tacks on three “hidden” untitled tracks on the end, which again end up being a couple of my favorites off the album, which is a shame because I have no idea if they have titles or not. Either way, Pi on the Side packs in 19 tracks that has absolutely no trouble keeping things interesting for the listener. And if you’re a fan of what has been coming out of Denton lately and/or 90’s flavored indie-rock, then certainly give deep Snapper and their latest album Pi on the Side a shot.

- Built On A Weak Spot