Snapcase

Bright Flashes (Victory)
By Adrian Bromley

When a band releases an album like Bright Flashes – a hodge-podge of new tracks, remixes, and covers – you know they’re just trying to stay in the spotlight. Sad but true. Having been a fan of Snapcase for years, I was interested in hearing their cover songs (Devo’s “Freedom of Choice,” Helmet’s “Blacktop,” and Jane’s Addiction’s “Mountain Song”), but still would’ve preferred a full-length album of new material (with the covers as bonus tracks). That said, Snapcase always delivers the goods with each and every recording. The band serves up two new tracks here, recorded during 2002’s End Transmission (“Dress Rehearsal” and the bludgeoning “Makeshift Tourniquet”), a few clever remixes (“Believe/Revolt,” “Ten A.M.,” and “Exile Etiquette”), and that diversity makes this a pretty cohesive rarities album worth owning, especially if you’re a Snapcase aficionado like me.
(www.snapcase.com)