Before Waxahatchee became a leading voice in contemporary Americana, the solo project of Alabama-raised singer-songwriter Katie Crutchfield was a scrappy indie rock experiment. That sound was inherited from the early power punk-pop bands she played in with her twin sister Allison Crutchfield. On Halloween, the pair surprised fans by releasing a new album and a new band called Snocaps. For followers of their early groups, it’s a gift stuffed with jaunty guitars and hooky harmonies, writes The Associated Press music writer Maria Sherman in her review. It may come as a shock to new Waxahatchee fans expecting country. But to Katie Crutchfield loyalists, it is comforting familiarity but matured.
NEW YORK (AP) — For the recently converted Waxahatchee fan, Alabama-raised singer-songwriter Katie Crutchfield does not drum up the image of distorted riffs, scrappy lo-fi recordings and indie rock sensibilities. For many years, though, that was her reality. (Incisive, lyrical self-reflexivity and emotional acuity have always been present in her work, now delivered in a familiar twang via her idiosyncratic folk style.)
Long before her 2024 album “Tigers Blood” or 2020's “Saint Cloud” cemented Crutchfield as a leading voice in contemporary Americana, Waxahatchee more closely followed in the tradition of her early power punk-pop bands, P.S. Eliot and Bad Banana. Those were led by her and her twin sister, Allison Crutchfield, also of the influential indie-punks Swearin'. It is impossible not to hear the impact of the pair's clever harmonies, their ambling riffs and keen storytelling in generations of indie rock bands that followed.
Those groups dissolved as Waxahatchee took over, reuniting here and there for one-off performances for their devout listenership, and only when music-making seemed fun again. But a new project with both Crutchfields seemed off the table.
Unlikely, that is, until now: Snocaps, a surprise new project from Katie and Allison Crutchfield, released a self-titled debut album on Halloween. It is 13 tracks performed by the two, joined by close collaborators Brad Cook (longtime Waxahatchee producer) and guitarist MJ Lenderman (formerly of the band Wednesday, known to Waxahatchee fans as one-half of “Right Back to It,” one of AP's favorite songs of 2024).
It would be an oversimplification to say Snocaps sounds as if no time has passed — but there is no doubt a sense of comforting familiarity. “Heathcliff” opens with a warming bass lick and Allison's spirited voice; that, and “Avalanche,” possess the unimpeachable melodicism of Swearin'. It bleeds effortlessly into “Wasteland,” a Katie-led song where hints of modern Waxahatchee is heard. The style exists elsewhere, with her evolved and experienced tone (“Angel Wings”) and more subtly in swaying musical movements. The same is true of the sisters' other projects: “Over Our Heads” has echoes of Bad Banana, free of the scuzz and fuzz.
And it isn't just Katie and Allison taking turns on the track list: “I Don't Want To,” and, in particular, “Hide” feel like an evolution from P.S. Eliot, perhaps a ripened “Tennessee” — a lovely slow burn with a simple pop melody. Then they dive into the ascendant “Cherry Hard Candy” with its jaunty cluster of guitars and hooky harmonies. In the last few decades, they've only become more expert at the style, meticulous and appearing effortless.
In the limited press materials for the album, Katie Crutchfield wrote, “Allison and I have been, in some way, shape or form, doing this together for over 20 years.” It is likely, even when both are busy, that they will continue to do what comes more naturally — writing wise, revelatory songs with simple materials and expert vision. Here's to 20 more.
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“Snocaps” by Snocaps
Four stars out of five.
On repeat: “Cherry Hard Candy,” “Over Our Heads”
Skip it: “I Don't Want To,” only to avoid crying in public
For fans of: The Crutchfield musical universe, sisterhood, twin telepathy
