New Noise is getting cozy with Snow Roller, the brainchild of songwriter Collin Kritz. Inspired by various forms of entertainment (movies), XXL finds Snow Roller sifting through the waves of intellect and reminding other that it is okay to write. The Portland based trio offer reflective tracks that seek to find a place in the world, much like Kritz and company themselves. “Electric Stove”utilizes guitars that pounce with chord progressions in the builds, but revert to picked notes to create waves of music within the song. Opener “Cinema Night” is bursting with energy, storming out of the gate that is XXL with poised instrumentals. “Bury The Lede” has dynamic pulses of rhythmic structures, winding together to create a cohesive experience. XXL is out on Tuesday, July 11th via Near Mint Records and Making New Enemies, with a full stream right below.

“XXL represents various peaks and valleys for me. The 10 songs are undoubtedly my favorite songs that I’ve written up to date, but the time I wrote them was just before I admitted to myself that I needed help and had to go on antidepressants. Each day was a struggle. The two things I had to look forward to were my cat (on the cover) and movies, mostly sequels. Magic Mike XXL and Rambo were at the top of the list. What may seem like trashy entertainment to some was my salvation in a world that seemed bleak and I hope the happiness these movies brought me is present in the songs I wrote.” – Collin Kritz

Pre-Order XXL here: Near Mint | Making New Enemies

“Rambo: First Blood is too sincere, but when you get to Rambo: First Blood Part II, that’s when it gets good.” Like any movie sequel worth its salt, Collin Kritz knows what narrative threads to continue untangling with Snow Roller and which to leave behind. In many ways, XXL offers the same locked-in, smoked-out approaches to 90s college rock revivalism practiced on their debut What’s the Score?, but with less of a wink and more a nudge in a new direction. Songs like “Man-Child” simmer and stab, while “The Scott Warner Discount” nests its aggression in apathy. Herein lies the spectrum that this Portland three-piece volleys between: slouching and standing up for their own future foibles. And that’s worth a repeat adventure in itself.

Facebook