The Snarski brothers are indie rock royalty here in Australia. Forming the iconic Chad’s Tree in the eighties, both brothers have continued to make a major contribution to the music scene down under. Rob Snarski is possibly better known as the singer of The Blackeyed Susans and more recently SnarskiCircusLindyBand (with The Go-Betweens’ drummer Lindy Morrison), and Mark Snarski was the singer-songwriter of The Jackson Code and now lives in Spain.
Surprisingly, the two have never joined forces until now with the recent release of their album ‘Waiting For The Bell’ under the name Snarski vs Snarski.
This is an album that showcases the exquisite vocals of the brothers – likened by the legendary David McComb from The Triffids to Scott Walker – as well as the strength of their songwriting with songs coming from their massive repertoire, from Chad’s Tree to The Jackson Code, Snarski & Luscombe, Nearly Brothers, So-Called Friends and their collected solo works. Included is a version of ‘Bring Yourself Home To Me’, which was originally recorded by The Jackson Code for The Things You Need and famously covered by Jimmy Little on The Messenger.
Across the album, Mark Snarski sings Rob Snarski’s songs and vice versa.
Opening track ‘Tender Like A Bruise’ is a simple guitars with delicate learning vocals. ‘Bring Yourself Home To Me’ is similarly sparse and atmospheric with stark raw lyrics about the mundanity of existence touched with a romanticism.
‘Black Crow in A Loquat Tree’ and ‘Consider The Moon’ display more esoteric poetic lyrics, steeped in a melancholy blush with a mystical feel, the latter with a fuzzy clanging guitar. ‘Be Careful What You Put Your Name To’ has a hypnotic guitar and gentle harmonies: atmospheric and transfixing. ‘Who’s Watching Who’ picks up the pace a little more with a bluesy feel and paints a vivid picture of loneliness, paranoia and isolation, an element of anxiety throughout the delivery.
‘Lay of the Land’ is dreamy and hypnotic with simple acoustic guitars. ‘It’s Been Too Long’ has an almost gospel tone with some delicious harmonies. ‘Stroller In The Attic’ has a motoric beat and a fuzzy instrumentation – jangly and fast-paced. It’s a powerful pulse-quickening track. ‘Crossing Off The Miles’ has crystalline guitars and more delicate harmonies. Final track ‘You’ll See The Moon’ is a gorgeous ballad with singing that bleeds with pain and yearning.
Gentle arpeggiated guitars with lyrics that are poetic and stark are a feature of this album – there are genetic threads to material from Nick Cave and The Triffids but at the heart a very antipodean sheen. ‘Waiting For The Bell’ is a gentle reflective album filled with an aching beauty and wistful melancholia.
‘Waiting For The Bell’ is out now and available to download and stream above and via all the usual sites.
- Tender Like A Bruise – Mark sings
- Bring Yourself Home To Me – Rob sings
- Black Crow In A Loquat Tree – Mark sings
- Consider The Moon ~ Rob sings
- Be Careful What You Put Your Name To – Mark sings
- Who’s Watching Who? – Rob sings
- Lay Of The Land – Mark sings
- It’s Been Too Long – Rob sings
- Stroller In The Attic – Mark sings
- Crossing Off The Miles – Rob sings
- You’ll See The Moon – Mark sings
2025 will see Snarski vs Snarski play live – with the brothers both delving deep into their back catalogues as well as presenting some new material and the songs from ‘Waiting For The Bell’. You can get more details and tickets here.
Adelaide | Wheatsheaf Hotel ~ Sunday, Feb 2 – 4pm
Melbourne | George Lane ~ Fri + Sat Feb 7 – 7pm
Sydney | Django Bar ~ Fri + Sat Feb 14 & 15 – 7pm
Perth | Lyric’s Underground ~ Fri + Sat Feb 21 & 22 – 7pm
Melbourne | Wesley Anne – Sat March 1 [matinee & evening shows]
