by David Wilikofsky
Nap Eyes have been releasing under the radar masterpieces for the past half a decade. Starting with 2014’s Whine of the Mystics, they’ve been steadily growing their following in the indie world with each new release. Snapshot of a Beginner, the first album where they’ve worked with guitarist extraordinaire James Elkington, is poised to be their biggest album yet.
Nap Eyes have crafted an album of musical chicken soup for the soul; it’s the kind of album that’s made to blast off your porch on a hot summer night. Although there are some straight up rockers like “If You Were In Prison” or closer “Though I Wish I Could,” most songs skirt the line between folk, country and rock. This record sounds fuller than any previous iteration of the band, with washes of pedal steel and reverb accentuating the core instrumentation of guitar, drum and bass. It immediately gives off the same sense of comfort you’d get from spinning a well worn copy of your favorite album.
As a songwriter, Nigel Chapman’s empathy and emotional maturity are on full display. On “Even Though I Can’t Read Your Mind” he talks to a partner who he believes isn’t really interested in truly knowing him. However, this is only one side of the story, which he readily acknowledges. “You are very serious and sincere in your own way,” he sings to them, trying to see their perspective as well. Stream of consciousness stomper “If You Were In Prison” asks the listener to imagine what it would feel like if you were imprisoned, unable to follow your passions. Even a song like “Dark Link,” on the surface a fun tune about the famed video game character, examines Link’s selfish pride and how it has pushed away those who love him. Each track is imbued with a generosity of spirit that’s often lacking in this day and age.
There’s no doubt that the world is a crazy place, now more than ever. There’s an undercurrent of hope that runs through this album: the world is enormous, and every moment we get has the potential for beauty. As “Mark Zuckerburg,” the lead single, comes to an end, the narrator comes across a group of teenagers smoking in the park. They sing “transcendence is all around us” into the night. This album serves as a reminder of that, finding beauty in moments both small and large.