Description
Label Review.
2017 album.
Our Overview.
British rock band Sniff 'n' The Tears best known for their 1979 song “Drivers Seat” was first formed by singer/songwriter Paul Roberts as Ashes of Moon in 1973. Roberts immediately dissolved Ashes of Moon a year later when the group failed to secure a record deal. In 1977 Roberts was encouraged by drummer Luigi Salvoni to form a new band. Sniff 'n The Tears initially materialised as a six piece outfit: Besides Roberts and Salvoni, the other original core members were Loz Netto (guitars), Mike Dyche (guitars), Chris Birkin (bass), and Alan Faeldman (keyboards).
’Random Elements’ is the eighth album from Sniff 'n' The Tears. After an accident in 2012, and several months recovery, Paul Roberts got into a songwriting spree. This was partly due to keyboardist Robin Langridge, sending inspirational sonic sketches to him. Thus started a collaborative process which led to some rather interesting song structures.
In Paul's words: Some of these new songs reflect the times, in terms of the dilemmas we face in the 21st century. Some are more personal but then, the personal and the political can be connected. Themes Sniff fans are all too familiar with, but, he explains, with a shrug of acceptance, humanity is what it is and this sh*t won't stop any time soon. Hence ‘Random Elements’. A conflagration of the unlikely events that throw everything into flux which in turn makes for unlikely and sometimes unwelcome outcomes. It should be added these songs were written before either Brexit or Donald Trump. The album was recorded over four years with long-time collaborator keyboardist Robin Langridge and Sniff 'n' The Tears guitarist Les Davidson who both contribute to the songwriting. Joining them, old Sniff alumni, bass player Nick South and drummer Paul Robinson. Seven years since the last album, Downstream, a new chapter begins with ‘Random Elements’.