Album Review: Snowglobe — Our Land Brains
The groups associated with the Athens, Georgia-based Elephant 6 Collective are a mixed bag. While all share a certain musical sensibility, Neutral Milk Hotel and Of Montreal each appeal to a slightly different subset of listeners than does Olivia Tremor Control (my personal favorite). And what is and is not an Elephant 6 band is the matter of some debate; some consider the Memphis-based Snowglobe part of the pack, while others don’t.
Ignoring geography and focusing instead upon musical values, Snowglobe shares characteristics with Olivia Tremor Control. Take grand ambitions – the kind of mindset that theoretically leads to a Pet Sounds or at least a Van Dyke Parks record – and combine them with limited access to (a) the necessary funds and (b) the studio technology, and you might end up with something like Our Land Brains, Snowglobe’s 2002 long-playing debut.
Every bit as fascinating and engaging as OTC’s 1996 debut Dusk at Cubist Castle, Snowglobe’s debut features a rich and textured tapestry of instruments not often found on rock albums. Pop gems like “Dream Works” recall everything from Paul Williams to Three Dog Night to Harry Nilsson to … well, some of those Elephant 6 bands. You’re more likely to hear creaky, parlor-room upright piano than some studio grand.
Fiddles, tympani and banjos weave in and out of the mix. The term Americana hadn’t yet entered the lexicon as a musical term when Our Land Brains was made, but the manner in which the record draws from pre- and non-rock traditions means that it falls (if loosely) into that category. A resolutely indie sensibility keeps things from falling into self-conscious precious territory.
Olivia Tremor Control had the keen foresight to release their debut on vinyl (and then to reissue it in that format multiple times). For whatever reason – lack of pressing plants? – Snowglobe’s Our Land Brain never got a vinyl version … until now. Somehow it seems fitting that this jewel of an album is receiving a vinyl reissue. The Nine Mile Records 2LP version is packaged in a sturdy gatefold sleeve, but listeners seeking information beyond song titles will be forced to look elsewhere; even the record labels are bereft of details.
But then that’s not the point. Come – and stay – for the music.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.