Snares & Kites
Tricks of Trapping

Chris Brokaw, co-founder of the post-punk group Come, has formed a new band called Snakes & Kites with former college pal Mitchell Rasor. Last year, the duo recorded a four-song demo in Boston, which quickly resulted in a deal with the Dutch label Inbetweens Records. After returning to the studio, the band rounded out the short but sweet album Tricks of Trapping, which was recently released in the United States on Innerstate Records.

Throughout the album, Snares & Kites alternates between big, loud, jangly guitars and more subtly textured offerings. Though the band doesn't really venture into any new musical territory on Tricks of Trapping, they do serve up an enjoyable dish of infectious melodies.

The opening track is the neo-psychedelic Lewis Versus Clark, which liberally borrows from Steve Wynn. There are a few instrumental tracks here as well, including the intoxicating Chloroform Memory and the all-too-brief Anticipation Proclamation. The remainder of the album is a frenzied blend of folk and punk that brings to mind the music of '90s bands Teenage Fanclub, Stone Roses, and the Sand Rubies, as well as the genre's founder Neil Young. 

1 Star:   Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!