{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox album | name = Snowbug | type = studio | artist = the High Llamas | cover = Snowbug.webp | alt = | released = 1999 | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = Pop | length = | label = Alpaca/V2<ref>{{cite web |title=High Llamas |url=https://trouserpress.com/reviews/high-llamas/ |website=Trouser Press |access-date=8 February 2022}}</ref> | producer = The High Llamas | prev_title = Lollo Rosso | prev_year = 1998 | next_title = Buzzle Bee | next_year = 2000 }} '''''Snowbug''''' is an album by the Anglo-Irish band the High Llamas, released in 1999.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-high-llamas-mn0000087217/biography|title=The High Llamas Biography, Songs, & Albums|website=AllMusic}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/520206/a-certain-wimpy-charm/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208142157/https://www.mtv.com/news/520206/a-certain-wimpy-charm/|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 February 2022|title=A Certain Wimpy Charm|website=MTV News}}</ref> It was a commercial failure.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ctjc6UWCm4C&pg=PA494|title=The Rough Guide to Rock|first=Peter|last=Buckley|date=February 8, 2003|publisher=Rough Guides|isbn=9781843531050}}</ref>
The album's first single was "Cookie Bay".<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The High Llamas: Cookie Bay |magazine=Music Week |date=Sep 4, 1999 |page=20}}</ref>
==Production== The album was produced by the High Llamas, and engineered by John McEntire.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/high-llamas-1400672|title=Cookie Crew|magazine=NME|date=June 22, 1999}}</ref> Mary Hansen and Laetitia Sadier sang on "Cookie Bay".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sfweekly.com/music/review-11/|title=Review|date=November 3, 1999|work=SF Weekly}}</ref> Unlike previous albums, ''Snowbug'' was mainly improvised in the studio, with frontman Sean O'Hagan deciding to sing on fewer tracks.<ref name=BP/><ref name=DD/> O'Hagan also decided to mostly steer away from electronic sounds in favor of acoustic ones.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Heaney |first1=Mick |title=Llamas pop out – Interview |work=The Sunday Times |date=October 24, 1999 |department=Features |page=8}}</ref>
==Critical reception== {{album reviews |rev1 = AllMusic |rev1score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/snowbug-mw0000252642|title=Snowbug|website=AllMusic}}</ref> |rev2 = ''Dayton Daily News'' |rev2score = A<ref name="DD">{{cite news |last1=Underwood |first1=Bob |title=Recordings in Review |work=Dayton Daily News |date=7 Jan 2000 |department=Go! |page=21}}</ref> |rev3 = ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' |rev3score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref name="CL">{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2006 |publisher=MUZE |volume=4 |page=282}}</ref> |rev4 = ''Orange County Register'' |rev4score = B+<ref name="OC">{{cite news |last1=Wener |first1=Ben |title=The Quick Hit |work=Orange County Register |date=October 29, 1999 |page=F55}}</ref> |rev5 = ''Pitchfork'' |rev5score = 5.8/10<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/3855-snowbug/|title=Snowbug|website=Pitchfork}}</ref> }} ''Salon'' wrote that "the album's crystalline production and understated mid-tempo gait make it a near Adult Contemporary exercise in musical pleasantry, but the studied sweep of its craftsmanship clearly has other, more ambitious designs."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.salon.com/1999/11/03/llamas/|title=Sharps & Flats|first=Andy|last=Battaglia|date=November 3, 1999|website=Salon}}</ref> The ''Birmingham Post'' thought that "if there's a chink in the Lamas' armour it's O'Hagan's fragile, insubstantial vocals which frequently fail to do justice to his elaborate Brian Wilsonesque arrangements."<ref name="BP">{{cite news |last1=Evans |first1=Simon |title=The High Llamas Snowbug |work=Birmingham Post |date=16 Oct 1999 |page=6}}</ref> The ''Orange County Register'' stated that the "recycling is so beguiling."<ref name=OC/>
''The Herald'' opined that, "in 'Cut The Dummy Loose', the band may have recorded the theme for a kids' TV show so weird that only David Lynch could film it."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Belcher |first1=David |title=Snowbug, The High Llamas |work=The Herald |date=21 Oct 1999 |page=16}}</ref> ''The Guardian'' concluded that "the chief problem with this electroid whimsy, however, isn't that it doesn't come from the heart; it's that it doesn't make any discernible attempt to reach it."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cox |first1=Tom |title=Music: Pop CD Releases |work=The Guardian |date=22 Oct 1999 |department=Friday |page=17:1}}</ref> The ''Chicago Tribune'' determined that ''Snowbug'' "plays like a batch of singles instead of a suite, making it not only a perfect introduction, but a solid disc of individual, well-constructed ideas."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hedblade |first1=Jay |title=Recordings |work=Chicago Tribune |date=14 Nov 1999 |pages=7.6}}</ref>
AllMusic wrote that, "at one point, there was charm and invention to his music, even if it was merely an homage, but now that it's become the patented High Llamas sound, it's clear that he's boxed himself into a corner, and worse, he doesn't seem that concerned about it."<ref name="auto"/>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | all_writing = | title1 = Bach Ze | length1 = | title2 = Harpers Romo | length2 = | title3 = Hoops Hooley | length3 = | title4 = Cookie Bay | length4 = | title5 = Triads | length5 = | title6 = The American Scene | length6 = | title7 = Go to Montecito | length7 = | title8 = Janet Jangle | length8 = | title9 = Amin | length9 = | title10 = Daltons Star | length10 = | title11 = Cotton to the Bell | length11 = | title12 = Green Coaster | length12 = | title13 = Cut the Dummy Loose | length13 = }}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{The High Llamas}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:The High Llamas albums Category:1999 albums Category:V2 Records albums