Stan Snow - Into the Great Beyond

Stan Snow takes a break from The Sundogs band for a solo effort, which he's titled Into the Great Beyond. A title like that expresses exploration, and this is exactly what Snow does. He ventures out with a sound that leans toward the gentler side of rock & roll.

Guitar is the primary sonic driver on this effort. However, "Gone Too Fast," a song about those we've known, or known about, that have died. This one is a sad/sweet piano ballad, with just a subtle touch of orchestration. It has sort of a Paul McCartney vibe to it, whenever he sang a ballad with the Beatles. It features Snow playing these keys. He also plays guitar, bass and mandolin on the album. On a few tracks, bass great Abe Laboriel contributes, as does guitarist Lyle Workman.

Snow touches upon a wide range of topics with this release. For example, "Insanity Repeats" confronts the tragic war in Ukraine, while "Chemical Fallacy" addresses Covid. Snow sings these songs with a comfortingly soft voice. The guitars may sting, as they do on "Insanity Repeats," but Snow balances out this sonic harshness with a voice that tempers it all with some sweetness.

Clearly, Snow had a lot on his mind when he tracked this album. It has been, needless to say, an eventful time over the last few years. Snow has channeled it all the proper way, though, by putting these thoughts into song. With a fantastic group of musicians to help him out, Snow has gone into the great creative beyond and brought back this strong set of songs.

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