The Snuts’ single “Seasons” bursts with color and vigor. It’s not quite a happy song, not quite a sad song. Not quite hopeless nor hopeful. Simply put, it’s complicated.
But hey, aren’t we all?
The Snuts juxtaposed the lively jump-up-and-down-at-an-outdoor-show with a nuanced narrative. The tune is conventional in a much-needed and refreshing way. The mainstream popularity of rock music comes and goes, and as its next wave builds momentum, The Snuts are riding it.
Hailing from Whitburn, West Lothian in Scotland, they have developed quite a following around there for their fun, arena-bound alternative rock songs.
It’s easy to see why.
Their Facebook page speaks of an “infamously anthemic, all-encompassing live show” which popularized their name. Listening to “Seasons”, audiences can hear the energy and attention the band puts in to capture the feeling of alternative rock—a feeling that can only be enhanced by being played live.
Seasons is a total throwback to the last renaissance of alternative music, back in the ‘00s when top 40 radio boasted of guitar solos and lyrics destined to become the mantras of teenagers everywhere. The Snuts’ single would sit nicely in a playlist alongside The Killers, Coldplay, and Arctic Monkeys.
With every pre-chorus, Seasons builds upon the lines that came before
Just hold on me
If you find yourself starting to be
Nothing but a wholesome sole survivor
Losing your time
I appreciate songs that leave room for interpretation without feeling like they’re about nothing.
The angsty but hopeful words take me right back! They’re unspecific, but leave room for the imagination. This makes the song feel heavier, leaving a greater impression. Plus, the duality of the lyrics makes for an extra-relatable anthem. Most of us know what it’s like to feel as though we’re slipping away, but many of us also know what it’s like to be the person saying “Hold on to me.” That kind of characterization give the song layers of meaning—not only will can it represent different feelings and experiences, it can mean more than one thing to one person.
The big, loud questions the lead singer boasts during the chorus bring audiences into the experience of the song, demanding to be sung-along to.
So tell me, how are you feeling?
What are you filling your dreams with?
Have you been stuck in the seasons?
I made those plans to believe in
But you can tell The Snuts really want the vitality of the instrumentation to pack in the nostalgia. It’s not too retro (I refuse to believe alt-rock could ever be vintage), but it draws on familiar musical themes, skillfully revisited in the emotional release that is “Seasons”.
The song was crafted in a way that makes it accessible and easy to categorize without feeling tired, or over-done, or worst of all—fake.
The respect and passion rock musicians must harbor for the genre is evident. Whether the song is a hit or miss for you personally, one can’t deny The Snuts are having a good time on this track. That quality is infectious. After hearing this song, I’d want to see one of their live shows.
The bridge, which showcases a great electric guitar solo, explodes with sound, giving the song its last punch before the ultimate chorus settles down into a slow fade-out.
