SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SNAIL MAIL – RICOCHET

SNAIL MAIL
RICOCHET
MATADOR RECORDS

If you’ve been with Lindsey Jordan and Snail Mail since her first full release Habit, then this record is for you. Jordan opens with a steady, energetic farewell to a relationship she’s parted ways with, followed by the existential lead single “My Maker,” which pairs an undeniable lo-fi drum groove with dreamy acoustic guitars, setting the stage for silky vocal melodies that describe an ethereal journey of introspection, with tasteful celestial synthesizers further painting the picture sonically.

“Light On Our Feet” and “Cruise” more closely resemble some of Jordan’s past work, but both lack energy and conviction. “Agony Freak” kicks off with a blown-out, catchy guitar riff and an instant classic Snail Mail hook – “I’m trying to leave it but I can’t so twist around me, agony freak,” cementing her reputation as an elite melody maker, while displaying her growth as a guitarist and producer. “Dead End” and “Hell” showcase signature crunchy indie guitar work paired with grungy yet polished vocal melodies, with “Dead End,” one of the record’s high points, crescendoing into a sing-along primed to bounce around theatre walls across the country this spring on the Ricochet Tour. The record loses steam with “Ricochet” and “Reverie,” as the title track’s minimalistic ballad style and string arrangement fail to captivate as strongly.

Ricochet isn’t a reinvention of Snail Mail, but it’s her most polished evolution yet. Despite a few dull moments, Jordan finds homeostasis between gritty indie rock and lush pop hooks – and I’m all here for it.

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