Snake Rattle Rattle Snake
TOTEM
Glow and Arrow
4 out of 5 stars
“Haunting” is an over-used descriptive, and should henceforth only be used to refer to Snake Rattle Rattle Snake’s latest album TOTEM. More specifically, it’s front woman Hayley Helmericks’ voice that is the dark, melodic and evocative centerpiece of the Denver group’s sophomore release. Helmerick’s voice and for that matter the whole album is somewhat uni-dimensional — there aren’t any swelling climaxes or breakdowns, but that steady pulse of eighties-inspired, synth-heavy drone gives TOTEM a deeply meditative feel.
That doesn’t mean however that the album doesn’t have depth — the rich compositions are layered and full and manage to pack heaps of atmospheric tones that are continually shifting and changing —even if it’s not quite a roller coaster ride. TOTEM showcases a grace and beauty for Snake Rattle Rattle Snake as the group slithers through nine songs of intoxicating rhythms. It may have taken them three years to release their sophomore effort, but it was worth the wait.
Larimer Lounge| January 30
Snake Rattle Rattle Snake - TOTEM
“Haunting” is an over-used descriptive, and should henceforth only be used to refer to Snake Rattle Rattle Snake’s latest album TOTEM. More specifically, it’s front woman Hayley Helmericks’ voice that is the dark, melodic and evocative centerpiece of the Denver group’s sophomore release. Helmerick’s voice and for that matter the whole album is somewhat uni-dimensional — there aren’t any swelling climaxes or breakdowns, but that steady pulse of eighties-inspired, synth-heavy drone gives TOTEM a deeply meditative feel.
