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Snarge by Luna Honey sounds just as enticing as what we have come to expect from them and demonstrates yet another facet of the band's artistic expression. The song has an interesting concept since it challenges the myths people have made up and the effects of our actions while exploring the intricacies of the human relationship with nature. Deeper truths are revealed as it considers how humans alter, disturb, and even redefine the natural world.
The band describes the track in detail: “Snarge is inspired by our relationship to not just the natural world, but our relationship to the mythologized idea of what the natural world is. Woven in are references to starlings and purple martins, which are two bird species that I think have fascinating histories in the United States, and represent a kind of warped state of nature that is a result of our interference.
“In 1960, a massive flock of starlings collided with a Lockheed L-188A Electra that was leaving Boston on its way to Philadelphia, and took the aircraft down, killing 62 people. It was the deadliest crash from a bird strike in history, and it was from these tiny birds that just happen to be unusually dense and pose a significant threat when they flock together.
“Years ago, I had learned that starlings, which are an invasive species, were released into Central Park as part of a Victorian-era effort to introduce all the birds mentioned in Shakespeare into the United States. Recently I read that story, which has basically just been replicated in news stories and books over and over with no original fact checking, just plainly isn’t true and no one ever really bothered to dig in. What other minor histories are actually just unproven stories and assumptions?
“The other bird lore in the song is our relationship with purple martins. Native Americans used to encourage the birds to roost near their crops and eat the pests, a practice also picked up by European colonists. Somehow over the years, and they aren’t quite sure when this happened, but this led to many of the birds losing the knowledge of how to find their own nesting spots. They are now almost entirely dependent on humans to provide nests for them. People who put up the housing for the purple martins are referred to as ‘landlords.’ The big concern is that almost all of the landlords are over the age of 50 and it is unclear what will happen when that population ages out. There are some good metaphors in this beyond the birds.“
The song's sound design incorporates elements of art rock, post punk, and krautrock to create a moody and unique blend. The band skillfully blends these components, demonstrating their exceptional capacity to do so.
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Luna Honey
Band photography Ian Maley
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