Todd Snider's Excitement Plan

Todd Snider is a singer songwriter who's been around for a number of years quietly releasing album after album. Probably best known for his quirky take on 90's alternative, "Talkin' Seattle Grunge Rock Blues," the song landed him solidly in between generations with tongue firmly in cheek. Nine studio albums and a host of labels later, Snider is still around with that sense of quirk and humor in place. Those influences are all over his tenth album, The Excitement Plan.

The first thing you think of when you hear Todd Snider is that he's a countrified version of Randy Newman. I can't help but imagining The Excitement Plan as some sort of strange and bizarre Toy Story outtake that's a bit more adult than anything Pixar has previously done. It's good natured stuff that's twangy, folky, and funny at times which helps it stand out like the odd man out in the crowd. Of course, sounding like a alternate universe Randy Newman doesn't hurt either when it comes to differentiating yourself.

The Excitement Plan isn't necessarily my cup of tea, but it's different enough to keep me entertained. Snider is at his best when he gets all countrified on the album; it's like the best sounding case of depression you've ever heard except I'm not a hundred percent sure it's all bad news. Sounding like he's seriously down on his luck, Snider turns to humor to lift his spirits and his songs. While some people might slight him for sounding too "humorous," to me this is what makes him good. The Excitement Plancleverlydisguises Sniders observations and unless you knew what he was on about you'd have no idea and just assume he was some twangy hick singing slightly odd songs and that is what makes him and his records fun.

Utilizing country, folk, dixiland, and a bit of rock and roll, Snider shapes his songs with tongue firmly in cheek and subliminally pokes fun at himself and the people around him. The Excitement Plan is worth listening to just for that alone and if you fancy a bit of alt-country then you'll find Todd Snider even more exciting.