Alex Sniderman

Album Review

Calling Alex Sniderman a singer/songwriter may not be the most accurate description you could come up with — he writes songs and he sings 'em, but most artists burdened with that description either don't or can't rock, and that's certainly not the case with this guy. With Wayne Kramer in the producer's chair (and occasionally on lead guitar), Alex Sniderman's debut album certainly has its fair share of rock cred, but if you're expecting a blast of Detroit-style high energy, that's not quite on the agenda, either. Instead, Alex Sniderman might best be described as power pop with c***nes; Sniderman's songs are the thoughts and obsessions of a regular guy who digs cool woman and isn't quite sure how to get 'em (but that's not to say he isn't still trying), and his music is lean, wiry rock & roll that's big on hooks without forgetting the importance of a good slab of guitar crunch as a side dish. And Sniderman's voice blends a Stones-y snarl with the heart, soul, and passion of a nice guy who doesn't mind baring his soul every once in a while. If you've ever dug Paul Westerberg, Tommy Keene, Slim Dunlap, Tommy Womack, or Ben Vaughn, there's a space in your record collection for Alex Sniderman, and even if you haven't, if you dig a good song played with grit, passion, and a sense of humor, you'll find something to like in this album. The 2002 re-release on Real-O-Mind makes a good thing even better by tacking on four bonus tracks (featuring Billy Ficca on drums and Kevin Salem on guitar) and a video for "She's Emotion" you can play on your computer's CD-ROM drive.