Born from lockdown chaos and egg-punk’s meme-driven DIY ethos, Nashville’s Snooper have sharpened their fuzzed-out sound into something sharper and stranger on Worldwide. Released through Jack White’s Third Man Records and polished by John Congleton, the band’s second album proves they can scale up without losing the manic glee that made them stand out in the first place.
The record tears out of the gate with “Opt Out” and “On Line”, both short, serrated blasts of guitar and drums that barely crack a minute. “Company Car” lampoons office-drone culture with squiggly riffs, while “Guard Dog” snaps like its namesake. Their gleeful cover of The Beatles’ “Come Together” trims the original into a sub-two-minute punk blitz, a perfect example of how Snooper thrive on cutting classics down to pure adrenaline.
Elsewhere, the band push their formula into stranger territory. “Pom Pom” barrels forward faster than R.E.M.’s “It’s the End of the World,” while “Relay” veers from suburban horror soundtrack into controlled chaos. Closer “Subdivision” slows the pace without losing the tension, stretching into motorik rhythms and distorted noise that suggest Snooper aren’t afraid of growing beyond egg-punk’s playful limitations.
What makes Worldwide work is the balance between parody and purpose. Snooper may be irreverent, but they’re not careless; their chaos is honed, their humour underpinned by craft. In a landscape bloated with dour post-punk and hollow indie, this record is a burst of energy that cuts through the noise. Snooper are still having fun, but they’re serious about making punk feel alive again.
