Looper Snare CD

It's safe to say that fans of Stuart David's electronic indie pop will be thrown for a loop on The Snare. On their first record for Mute, Looper drops their bright playfulness for a sophisticated, darker counterpart which uses jazz, R&B, and trip-hop as its foundation. Even David has transformed himself from an innocent indie rocker to a suave-looking character with a suit, tie, and goatee. Or is that Peacock Johnson? It all gets a little too confusing. Whatever the case may be, this is the soundtrack for David's second novel, The Peacock Manifesto, which follows the adventures of Peacock Johnson. Visual artist Karn David, guitarist Ronnie Black, and Evil Bob (another mysterious character who is credited with saxophone, among other things) contribute to the record's downbeat and sinister vibe. The last track, ironically titled "Fucking Around," is the closest thing to previous Looper efforts or even David's former band, Belle & Sebastian. Some fans will hope that the song title implies a temporary experimentation, while others will dig Looper's revised image. ~ Kenyon Hopkin

3rd album and Looper's first for Mute features ten tracks. Stuart David, in relation to the album, takes on the persona of Peacock Johnson as an alter-ego, and this is carried through the album, as well as the video for 'The Snare', which portrays this metamorphosis through a David Lynch inspired dream sequence. Stuart's stories help create the perfect blend of music, word and image that is Looper. 2002.

Personnel: Stuart David (vocals, Fender Rhodes piano, organ, Mellotron, vibraphone, bass guitar, programming, music box); Debbie Poole (vocals); Isobel Campbell (cello); Margaret Smith (flute); Mick Cooke (flugelhorn); Neil Cameron (upright bass); David Campbell (drum programming).

Audio Mixer: Tony Doogan .

Recording information: CaVa Studios (12/12/2000-08/31/2001).

Arrangers: Chris Lauterbach; Isobel Campbell; Robin Rankin; Mick Cooke; Stuart David.

Looper: Stuart David (vocals, Fender Rhodes piano, organ, Mellotron, vibraphone, bass, programming); Karn David (vocals, hammered dulcimer); Ronnie Black (guitar); Evil Bob (baritone saxophone, bass, guiro, programming, background vocals).

Additional personnel: Elaine Lavelle, Debbie Poole, Joyce Beadle, Lindsay Viviani (vocals); Mike Cooke (flugelhorn); Kenny Latham (bass trombone); Scott Twynholm (Fender Rhodes piano, organ); David Campbell (programming).

Q (6/02, p.119) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...High on atmosphere, Looper aren't quite as proficient or groundbreaking as Timbaland, but they're getting closer."
Magnet (8-9/02, p.79) - "...A convincing example of a twee-pop Scot doing R. Kelly..."
CMJ (6/02, p.4) - "...Looper's first record to exist wholly outside of Belle And Sebastian's shadow--it's too busy casting its own....twisted fun."