Addicted To Noise

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Big White Lies
Chris von Sneidern
Heyday Records

von Sneidern's Talent Is No White Lie

By Michael Goldberg

San Francisco rocker Chris von Sneidern is a recording studio wizard who has somehow managed to record what sounds like a lost Beatles album in his home recording studio. In fact, if the remaining ex-Beatles had any guts, they'd seek out von Sneidern to produce, co-write and participate in a Beatles' reunion. The guy is that good.

"Dream Away" (45 second excerpt)

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But Big White Lies isn't simply a homage to the Beatles. Von Sneidern sounds like he's absorbed every power pop group from Big Star and the Raspberries to the Dwight Twilley Band and the Flamin' Groovies, not to leave out Badfinger, XTC, Squeeze and that well-known Beatles fan, Elvis Costello. And he's obviously listened to lots of Beach Boys records too.

Von Sneidern is clearly a pop traditionalist. Beyond the pure joy ones experiences listening to this album, von Sneidern's work is fascinating for the subtle twists and turns he pulls on classic power pop. He typically writes about relationships, most of which don't seem to be working out to well. "Summertime Sun," for example, equates the passing of summer with the end of a romance. In "Hard Again" he runs into a girl he used to know. "I saw you in a dark place/ Hiding from any reminder of better / days I knew you looking well/ I'm sorry to see you falling."

"Mindreader" (45 second excerpt)

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"Here I Go" is von Sneidern's "Nowhere Man," sung in a Lennonesque voice with Sgt. Pepper-style French horn. (And when was the last time you heard a French horn sound perfectly at home in a pop song?) "Mindreader," which features absolutely gorgeous harmony vocals, finds von Sneidern wanting a mind-reader who can help him see through fair-weather friends. "Dream Away," perhaps the high point of this superb album, is about a man who would rather dream than deal with reality. During the bridge, aping Elvis Costello's vocal inflections, he criticizes himself: "Your cowardice isn't very attractive."

In addition to writing and producing the album, von Sneidern played the lion share of the instruments including guitar, bass, organ, piano, bongos and tambourine. And he sang all lead vocals and most of the multi-tracked harmony vocals. Drums were played by Jim Le Blanc and some of the bass tracks are the work of Peter Straus.

"Summertime Sun" (45 second excerpt)

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Big White Lies concludes with a risky cover of the pop group Bread's early '70s hit, "Everything I Own." It's a daring move because while many dismissed Bread as commercial soft-rock wimps, von Sneidern is confident enough to recognize Bread leader David Gates' brilliant song writing, and brave enough to actually put the song on this album and risk pot-shots from hipper-than-thou critics.

Big White Lies is a real gem, a feast of sonic riches and smart, clever lyrics. One of the most beautiful sounding albums released this year.