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snog lullabiesforthelithiumage
Artist: Snog
Title: Lullabies For The Lithium Age
Genre: Electro / Rock / Experimental / Anti-Folk
Release Date: 24th April 2020
Label: Metropolis Records


Album Review

“The end is near, oh, the end is the near” sings David Thrussell in ‘The Reaper’, opening song of the brand new album ‘Lullabies For The Lithium Age’ of his long-lasting musical project SNOG. Musically the song sounds very much like a lullaby but the lyrics, in the usual style of the Australian musician, are very cynical, socio-political, and full of twisted dark humour. Song No. 2, ‘Ball And Chain’ keeps up the lullaby-like feeling and while ‘Cog’, the third track, is somewhat noisier it doesn’t speed up things at all. Yes, this is going to be one of weirder releases! or as the press info puts it: “It may not be the album you want. But it is the album you need.”

Thrussel took a five-year hiatus as a record releasing artist to fight his demons and to undergo therapy under the direction of Dr Ian White. Yes, it is okay to name Thrussell’s therapist here, it is no breach of privacy protection, as indeed Dr Ian White is in fact part of this album! He is listed as “supervisor” but he is also credited as co-writer of some of the songs. So, this album is part of Thrussell’s therapy, in a way. Dr White suggested that Thrussell’s next album should adopt a more positive attitude after all the dark, despaired and weltschmerz-haunted albums SNOG albums of the past. I do not know if Dr White sees the result as a disappointment or even failure because of course the (mostly whispered) lyrics are still a jaundiced, scornful investigation of a corrupt society in self-destruction mode. The music is just more chilled out, or even sleepy, and hence it too often fails to connect with the lyrics, or the listener. But if the recording process served as a catharsis for Thrussel, then the means justify the end result.

For all corporate slaves who look for a more Industrial-like approach there is ‘Spaetzle Machine’, and album closer ‘Death Is Only A Dream’ is indeed a beautiful hymn complete with a full philharmonic choir and ending with the soothing sound of breaking waves on a shore. Certainly, the finest song on the album! At the end of the day ‘Lullabies For The Lithium Age’ is rather a mixed bag but if you are looking for a sardonic, decidedly anti-capitalist comment on today’s society you might enjoy this one.


Tracklist

01. The Reaper
02. Ball And Chain
03. Cog
04. Spätzle Machine
05. The Sweet, Sweet, Treacle (Of Surrender)
06. Birthday@TheMall
07. Tear It All Down (With A Song)
08. Lee Harvey Oswald
09. Saving Seeds
10. Death Is Only A Dream


Line-up

David Thrussell

plus guest contributors:
Emma Bathgate - Backing vocals
John L. Kilbey - Backing vocals
Sean Gage - Piano, organ
Yohan Trombeta - Trumpet, flugelhorn
Adam Fischer - Production
Chris Arkley-Smith - Production, co-songwriting
Dr. Ian White - Supervision, co-songwriting
The City Of Prague Philharmonic Choir conducted by Hans Herbert Emmerich


Website

https://www.facebook.com/snogofficial


Cover Picture

snog lullabiesforthelithiumage


Rating

Music: 7
Sound: 9
Total: 8 / 10




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