Review of Todd Snider's 'Time As We Know It'

Todd Snyder in his extensive collaborations with Vince Herman (of Leftover Salmon and Great American Taxi) has become an honorary member of the music scene of Nederland. And this, no doubt, is an influence in his latest album 'Time As We Know It: The Songs of Jerry Jeff Walker. Of course the primary influence is that of Jerry Jeff Walker, who Snider heard in a Austin, Texas bar when he was young and just beginning and inspired him to be the kind of musician that didn't necessarily need to play with a band, and inspired him to write songs that are beautifully sad and joyous, at the same time, such as Walker's most well known song 'Mr. Bojangles.' "He's the guy I saw at 19 and decided to try to be like. His are the first songs I learned," says Snider. And yet the second song of the album 'Jaded Lover' (A song written by Charles T. Pyle, but often covered by Walker), a song which tells hard truths about a former lover, ends with Herman's often used ending and sentiment "Think About It Darling". Walker still lives and performs and has a killer birthday party every year in Austin. And yet the album is devotional and nothing but respectful, as if Jerry Jeff has passed away and it has been acknowledged that his music will long transcend the time in which he lived. The album is totally in the spirit of Walker's boozy, cosmic cowboy wisdom and cowboy hedonism. And yet, Snider makes the music new and conquers this monumental influence in his personal experience to make the songs of a living musical icon, his own. His power as a musician and songwriter is about how he assimilates his influences, how he explores the songs of others to master his influences and make the songs of another into songs that are uniquely his. The highlight of the album is “Railroad Lady,” which Walker wrote with Jimmy Buffett (another significant influence of Snider's) while they were riding the last run of the Panama Limited. And Snider also does a good job with Walker's most iconic song 'Mr. Bojangles'. Produced by Don Was (Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones), the 14 celebratory tracks feature friends and admirers like Kix Brooks of Brooks and Dunn, Elizabeth Cook, and Amy LaVere. "We just went into a studio and played about 30 of Jerry Jeff's songs and let the performances dictate what songs would make it," Snider says, adding, "I could've done 30 more." The release follows Snider's acclaimed new album 'Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables' (Aimless Records).