The DJ Takeover sponsored by Level Up is a program for listeners to discover their favorite artist's favorite artists, working to foster connection to the music and makers inside and outside our city. For the entire hour, we go down the rabbit hole of stories from their past, experiences of the present and goals for the future.
All The Cages Holding Us Will One Day Turn To Dust is the highly acclaimed new album from Milwaukee heavy emo band Snag — a title that doubles as a mantra for band members Bryan Wysocki, Sam Szymborski and Peter Murphy.
As they see it, there’s an aspiration to be free from cages of all kinds: a jail cell, a physical body, an emotional state, materialism, the environment. Wysocki, one of the main lyricists behind the album track “Cages,” explained that “this song is about radical love, unconditional support and finding hope amidst hopelessness.”
The writing was inspired by a close friend and former partner who experiences chronic illness, with the song extending support directly to the listener. “The message … is that I will always be there to support someone no matter what and there to support anyone who is in need of love,” Wysocki offered. “If you’re feeling alone or trapped in a cage of isolation, then feel free to reach out to us.”
Snag have always been powered by their dedication to finding hope in the world and encouraging fans to do the same. Whether it's in response to climate disaster, depression, isolation or the U.S. incarceration system, the sentiment is the same: freedom is possible.
In the past, they’ve included a book of matches and an envelope of seeds with their albums. For this LP, they partnered with Wire of Hope to include individually labeled envelopes to inmates that encourage anyone who purchases the record to find a prison pen pal. “I hope people follow through with the activity and it doesn’t just sit in the jacket,” Szymborski said.
It's not just the activism that sets Snag apart; the technical excellence on this album has been acknowledged nationwide. The album received glowing co-signs from Stereogum and Outside Noise following its release via Deathwish Inc., a major hardcore label. But even after that big step forward, they say one thing that’s shifted during their decade as a band is they don't confine their sound to one genre.
The payoff of this expansive take on songwriting can be heard in “Juneberry.” One of the greatest Milwaukee-made emo anthems of all time includes Will Hansen’s pedal steel; gushing choral vocals from Ellie Jackson, Cleo Jackowick and Kyle Smith; mastering from Steve Roche; mixing from Nicholas Elert; and John Larkin on Trumpet.
Having drawn upon some of the most talented Milwaukee musicians across a myriad of genres to create something that hits home,
The song connecting on a local and national level makes sense, having drawn upon some of the most talented Milwaukee musicians across a myriad of genres. “Juneberry” sounds like Phoebe Bridgers, American Football, Happy Diving, Hop Along and a fifth thing that carries within it an anger that can no longer be ignored — so much so that it has no choice but to become something helpful.
Early lyrics that note a “dry lake giving birth to a sunrise” are paired with Hansen’s pedal steel and Larkin’s trumpet, giving the listener an artificial morning warmth and an unsurprising bittersweet feeling.
The song is a release that’s been a long time coming and a continuation of Snag’s dedication to challenging social norms, supporting others and a reminder that "the opposite of an apocalypse is a neighborhood.”
DJ Takeover: Snag playlist
- Snag, “Cages”
- Kidcrash, “The Ground Eats You”
- Dogs on Acid, “Flushed”
- underscores, “Tell Me (U Want It)”
- KOKOROKO, “Sweetie”
- MANS., “Scratchy”
- Forth Wanderers, “New Face”
- Against Me!, “We Laugh at Danger (And Break All The Rules)”
- Fugazi, “Break”
- Ellie Jackson, “American Dream”
