Tyler Childers Takes Fans On An Electric, Boundary-Pushing Ride With His Highly-Anticipated New Album, ‘Snipe Hunter’

Happy Tyler Childers to all who celebrate… Sniper Hunter is here.

Today, Tyler Childers released his highly anticipated album, Snipe Hunter, which was produced in partnership with the legendary Rick Rubin. Ahead of the album’s announcement, RCA Chairman and CEO Peter Edge said the project will “defy expectations,” and now we can see why:

“I’m really excited about Tyler Childers’ new album, which is produced by Rick Rubin. He defies expectations, and this new album goes even further. The great thing about Tyler is that he does it the way he wants to do it. He’s playing giant venues, and he’s making the music he wants to make.”

When it was announced that Timmy Ty was working with Rick Rubin, my ears were immediately perked. Rick Rubin, who has worked with everyone from the Beastie Boys and Run-DMC to the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Metallica, as well as the Dixie Chicks and Johnny Cash, produced the album alongside Tyler himself, as well as Sylvan Esso’s Nick Sanborn. Of course, one of Rubin’s most significant works is Johnny Cash’s iconic American Recordings, which sparked a career revival of sorts towards the end of his life.

He’s known for pushing artists outside their comfort zone, and although he doesn’t know how to play a single instrument or much about music theory, he’s a world-class “vibe” master and studio guru. No doubt approach, Rubin’s approach may be unconventional, but it’s hard to argue with the results. He has a knack for helping artists channel their inner creativity, stripping away all distractions and noise, and the process is almost a spiritual experience.

And we saw a little bit of that from behind-the-scenes footage that Childers released leading up to the record’s drop. I must admit that in some clips, I see a playful side of Childers that is a stark contrast to the serious singer we see on stage. It’s refreshing, and in the few Rubin cameos, it looks like he and Childers work as a well-oiled machine together.

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But enough about the backstory… let’s dive into the music.

While I might get a slap on the wrist by some for jumping immediately to songs that I was anxious to hear instead of listening to the album top to bottom…sue me, but I was ready to listen to the studio version of “Snipe Hunt.” The unreleased gem has finally made its way out of the vault, and I must admit, it’s much different than how Childers has performed it in the past…and I like it.

Back in 2018, Tyler Childers gave some context to the tune while performing in Norway, and it has nothing to do with the bird or the hunting prank… it’s more of a metaphor for when you think someone is your friend, and then you find out that they’re not:

Tyler said:

“Do you guys go snipe hunting over here? Yeah? They pulled that trick on me when I was a kid, too. And we used to pull it from time to time on buddies who didn’t know any better, and it didn’t happen to them when they were a kid.

Um, this isn’t about that. This is about those people who get under your skin and just, um, you know, just forget about them. It’s a new one that I’ve been working on, I think I’m going to call it ‘Snipe Hunt’ though.”

Childers still pays homage to the folklore of a “snipe hunt” at the start of the tune, with hooting and hollering at the beginning of the song, similar to what you might hear in the thick of the woods if you were convinced to go snipe hunting. But unlike keeping the integrity of “Nose On The Grindstone” and “Oneida” in the studio versions, Tyler Childers let his creativity fly, giving fans an upbeat song that features distorted tracks, making it feel chaotic at times, as he sings about deception.

Playing with his vocal delivery is a common trend across Snipe Hunter, lending a new sound to Timmy Ty. For example, on “Cuttin’ Teeth,” Childers adds a rasp to his tone that is reminiscent of Caamp. But on other tunes like “Bitin’ List” and “Eatin’ Big Time,” we hear the Kentucky twang that we know and love.

Melodically, Snipe Hunter pushes the boundaries of the traditional Appalachian sound that Tyler Childers and the Food Stamps are known for. While that sound is still present in some tunes, in other songs on the tracklist, we see Childers experimenting with electric rock and roll, “Dirty Ought Trill”, along with some spiritual elements, such as the chanting heard in the background of “Tomcat and a Dandy.”

While remaining rooted in the roots of his profound and poetic storytelling, Tyler Childers pushed the sonic boundaries of his previous album releases. The record is at times melodic and calming, chaotic, and it gives you the feeling that you might be the one hunted by the Snipe Hunter at parts. This is a record that gives listeners something to chew on… it leaves you thinking, wanting more, rewinding at specific points to hear something again. It’s different, it’s exciting, yet remains authentically Tyler Childers.

Tyler Childers: he’s done it again with Sniper Hunter.

Take a listen to some early favorites.

“Cuttin’ Teeth”

“Poachers”

“Snipe Hunt”

“Dirty Ought Trill”

The post Tyler Childers Takes Fans On An Electric, Boundary-Pushing Ride With His Highly-Anticipated New Album, ‘Snipe Hunter’ first appeared on Whiskey Riff.