Music
Press
Talk, talk, talk all you want about the Chapel Hill band and their eschewing of bass in favor of the mysterious wonders of the amplified tuba (Mark Daumen entertains hollers for solos during shows!), the member's classically trained backgrounds, the turn-the-page-at-the-sound-of-the-chime storybook artwork and lyrics that rival the sheer absurdity of They Might Be Giants. When it comed down to it, SNMNMNM write succinct, pop jewels that'll have you longing for mellow summer nights spent hangin' out 'til 4 in the morning.
Kevin Stewart-Panko - Devil In The Woods
Sip some ''Indonesian Wine'' with the consonant-heavy SNMNMNM. If the Beach Boys-influenced harmonies and wailing accordion don't get you, the insistent tuba will. - Entertainment Weekly
by Kenyon Hopkin
**** (out of 5)
Who needs a bass guitar when you've got a tuba? SNMNMNM sure doesn't need one, and they integrate a tuba (and trumpet and accordion) into their happy indie rock without the slightest difficulty. A little bit They Might Be Giants, a little bit Of Montreal, SNMNMNM (the name stems from the members' first initials) are persistently upbeat, so much so that the song titles even end with an exclamation point. The uncommon instrumentation may be what sets the band apart, but their songwriting isn't too shabby. On As Best as We Can, the quartet comes up with one beaming tune after another, punctuated with sweet harmonies and jangly guitar. Amongst the winners here: "The Ski Team!," the disco-funked "Disco Barry!," and the bouncy &My Defense!. Even when they're lamenting about a relationship in "Right Hand Man!," SNMNMNM is excited about what they're doing and it translates to this recording wonderfully. - AllMusic
Discography
Crawl Inside Your Head September 18th 2007 Unschooled
Exploderama EP 2006 Unschooled
Have A Cup Of Cheer Xmas EP 2005 Unschooled
As Best As We Can LP 2005 Unschooled
Power Pack Horse Crunch LP 2004 Unschooled/International Cork
Asbestos Weekend EP 2003 Skunk Ape
Photos
Bio
Media Search Results for Keywords: SNMNMNM, Bio, Crawl Inside Your Head
Displaying citations 1 - 4 of 13 possible matches
Call Number: S1220.006.5769
Title: Don’t Walk, Crawl!: The Behind The Scenes Look at the Making of SNMNMNM’s Fourth Album, Crawl Inside Your Head.
Subject(s): Rock Music, Recordings, Tequila, Panera bread.
Brief Description: Documents the roller coaster ride from missed takes and botched vocals to the 13 polished tracks of SNMNMNM’s Crawl Inside Your Head.
Excerpt 1: “SNMNMNM’s fourth full-length recording in their decade of existence marks a milestone for a band who has always tried to create smart pop music that knows how to rock.”
Excerpt 2: “The album title refers to SNMNMNM’s uncanny ability to have their songs get stuck in your head and was lifted from the title of track three on the album, with the notable pronoun change from “my” to “your.”
Call Number: M9846.123854.22
Title: 1000 Lost Days: The Unauthorized Account of SNMNMNM on Tour.
Subject(s): DIY Touring, Fire Trucks, Vans Warped Tour ‘99, MC Chris
Brief Description: Traces the unexpected path of SNMNMNM on the road from 1999 to the present. From the early, unsuccessful attempts to book their own tour (which forced them to lie their way onto a nationally touring festival), to getting asked by a Cartoon Network cult-star to open for his rap tour.
Excerpt 1: “As the guys pulled up to the Whitewater Tavern in Little Rock, Arkansas, no would could have imagined the inner band turmoil that would erupt after several pitchers of Miller High Life and a lost pedal board.”
Excerpt 2: “As 1971 fire rescue vehicles go, this had everything. Plenty of cabinet space for all the instruments, personal locker space for the band and crew, sleeping space for six, and one bum radiator that was about to make the trip to Boston as arduous as a Steinbeck novel.”
Call Number: M12354.15987.26
Title: Going Back To School: The Creative Origins of SNMNMNM at a World-Renown Music Conservatory in Rochester, NY
Subject: Eastman School of Music, Coffee Houses, Basement Practice Rooms.
Brief Description: How learning everything there is about the history of music can inspire a band to spend next ten years trying to create the perfect pop song.
Excerpt: “It was 1997. Tuba player Mark and songwriter Seamus were frustrated with their previously unsuccessful attempts to start a band at music school. Everyone was so busy doing their own thing it seemed impossible. But, with the addition of Matt Vooris on drums (a freshman with a lot of free time) and guitarist Matt (a community college business major), SNMNMNM was complete. From that point on, nothing seemed impossible.”
Call Number: M981512951.156.26
Title: For All You Know: How SNMNMNM May Be One of the Best Bands of the New Millennia
Subject(s): Well Crafted Pop Songs, Energetic Live Shows, Smart Arrangements
Brief Description: How does a band with a tuba and such a ridiculous name make it this far? Never being the “buzz” band of the moment SNMNMNM has built a cult following one fan at time converting even the most die-hard skeptics into dedicated fans.
Excerpt 1: “The misconceptions about SNMNMNM are few, such as the notion that Mark’s amplified tuba is the band’s gimmick. Yes, it’s hard to miss a big shiny brass object when it’s on stage but it would have lost it’s appeal a long time ago if it didn‘t work musically.
Excerpt 2: “ SNMNMNM is indeed nerdy, but not to the extent where members of the band all dress like characters from Revenge of The Nerds and recite, word for word, lines from the Revenge of The Sith. SNMNMNM are music nerds above all else. The intelligence is in the chord changes, the arrangements, the lyrics, and the harmonies. It’s smart rock music.”
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