Snail Mail debuted her third album, “Ricochet,” a hypnotic indie rock record exploring the passage of time, under the grand ceiling of Chicago’s historic Riviera Theatre on Saturday night.
“Ricochet” offers 11 tracks of authentic, clever lyrics. It’s rare to find an album so carefully crafted. While original, every song fits together, and Snail Mail’s distinctive raspy voice and riffs transport listeners into the ’90s indie rock movement. My favorite from the album is “Reverie.”
Before Snail Mail took the stage, Avalon Emerson & the Charm and Sharp Pins opened the night. Sharp Pins, the artist name of Kai Slater — also of Lifeguard — played new unreleased songs alongside his popular classics and latest album, “Balloon Balloon Balloon.”
Infusing energy into the venue, Avalon Emerson & the Charm played songs from her latest LP, “Written into Changes.” Emerson brought a distinctive electronic style to the concert’s primary array of distorted guitar melodies and string arrangements.
As the openers concluded, attendees shuffled closer to the stage and filled the balcony seating in anticipation of Lindsey Jordan, the generational musician and lyricist behind Snail Mail.
Once Snail Mail began, the audience rhythmically bobbed their heads, attentive as Jordan made her way through the new album. Between songs, she quipped with the crowd, dedicating “Tonight Tonight” to “the ladies.” Energy rose for the album’s standout songs, such as “My Maker,” “Cruise” and “Reverie.” The songs cleverly mash Jordan’s intimate lyrics with Snail Mail-specific sounds.
The stage design was simple, but matched the album’s overall vibe. A nod to American suburbs, a white picket fence separated the two stage levels. A traditional white house, whose windows reflected the multicolored theatre lights, loomed in the background.
Nearing the end of the show, the rest of the band disappeared backstage, and Jordan sang a stripped-down version of “Ricochet,” accompanied only by a cello.
After the intimate performance, Snail Mail returned in full for an encore, playing tribute to her teenage beginnings through “Thinning,” from Snail Mail’s 2016 EP “Habit” and “Pristine” from her first full-length album, “Lush” in 2018.
For anyone new to Snail Mail, I’d recommend starting with “Lush.” “Deep Sea” is my favorite song of Jordan’s. “Lush” is one of the albums you can listen to straight through and on repeat. The album encompasses teenage angst, romance and heartbreak in a way I think most modern artists haven’t come close to accomplishing.
“Ricochet” is much more similar to “Lush” than Jordan’s second album, “Valentine.” It expands on some of what made “Lush” so good — its shimmery guitar tones and clear-eyed, honest lyrics.
When I first added songs from “Lush” to my playlist, it was April of my sophomore year of high school. Seeing Snail Mail now, in my sophomore spring of college, felt full circle. The same notes of sentimental ’90s rock still serve well to anecdote any sophomore spring slump you find yourself in.
However, it’s hard to completely compare the albums. “Ricochet” adds a trace of weariness absent in “Lush”’s tribute to earthshattering love. The album has an older, more mature persona, one that accepts that nothing stops time, even the things that felt all-consuming in “Lush.” While “Lush” remains one of my favorite albums, it’s exciting to see what’s next for Snail Mail and witness Jordan’s music evolve.
Email: [email protected]
X: @catebouvet
Related Stories:
— Curtain Call: Freshman Fifteen and The Bix synthesize for the vibrant ‘Shirts vs. Skins’
— Alex Sampson stuns with charismatic crowd work and rich vocals at Reggies Chicago
