Snailhouse - Lies On the Prize

I'm really enjoying the latest release by Mike Feuerstack, aka Snailhouse, entitled Lies On The Prize. This is his sixth release as Snailhouse, and he's also recorded other albums with The Wooden Stars. I'd love to pretend to be an expert on his output but the truth is that I don't really know much more than the occasional fun fact. As far as his music goes, I'm very ashamed to say that I haven't really spent a lot of time listening to him prior to this album. But I will say that this one is a very good way to introduce oneself to his sound.

Lies On The Prize contains a very sparse and dignified sound, with lovely orchestration and thoughtful poetic lyricism. The finger picking on album opener Dollar Signs indicates immediately that this is a release designated for a certain tranquil mood. The vocals however force you to pay more than the usual attention than what one would normally devote to an acoustic album of a similar ilk. It possesses a power that is as if to say "I'm not planning on screaming, but I could at any moment if you don't pay attention." The song Superstitious for example, contains the shell or appearance of a delightfully simple and hooky pop song, but the chorus contains the lyric "I'm not superstitious but I'm not not superstitious," causing the listener to wonder exactly what he means when he says that. This forces repeated listenings. A few left turns can be found in songs such as They Won't Believe You, which has an almost Latin feel to it, although it borrows from several other avenues of world music as well. When the horns chime in, it owes just as much to the older works of Chicago as it does to several BSS-ers in today's indie scene. Who We Are has a Murray Lightburn feel in its dark and brooding vocal work, while O My God also cruises within the same territory. He proves that rocking out is not entirely out of the question on Blue Sun, where the guitar beat has an anthemic feel that should translate nicely to the live stage.

His music contains an intimacy that is sure to draw in many a listener. The fact that a tribute album dedicated to his material has already been released is a testament to his authenticity. He's already quite the hero in certain circles and hopefully Lies On The Prize brings him a measure of even more mainstream success.

Myspace: Snailhouse
Listen: Superstitious