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Miss Massive Snowflake
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Promotional one sheet .pdf for NPR19 Miss Massive Snowflake "Songs About Music" click here
Release date March 16, 2010
Reviews for Songs About Music

English Reviews

Seriously, this is like a great book that you can’t put down. Putting this on makes you HAVE to listen to the next song, and the next…until you’re out of songs, completely jazzed but still wanting more..Shane de Leon’s clear voice delivers political, smart lyrics set to fine accompaniment by bass, bells, percussion, sax, and trumpet, all mixing together to create an intoxicating rock, jazzy, psyche sound. IT’S AWESOME!!! Listen!
-kfjc Reviewed by humana

The second record from North Pole this month, the second featuring Bill Horist, this time in a supporting role playing guitar. The band is led by Shane De Leon and it is full of the same free-spirited genre-slashing version of rock music that would seem to define the label. They don’t make classification easy, at first I thought of the lithe complexity of the Sea and the Cake and the way they easily meld jazz and rock. ‘Good Morning’ eases the listener in with anti-war sentiment posited without detriment to the music which is true for much of the record which is political without the rhetoric being declaimed; it is better expressed through attitude and sentiment. The episodic nature of the songs makes them seem in some ways like Minuteman spurts, a pamphlet in thirty seconds, the guitar on ‘Be Brave’ could be D. Boon until it melts into a pool of psychedelia. It sounds as though someone is playing percussion on wine glasses and bottles as ‘I Do’ begins with a laconic riff laying with four-square drums, it’s as if they are stumbling across the formula for post-rock, then comes the vocal and the song goes off on some fried Tar Babies odyssey into seriously bent funk/rock crossover that is soothed when the harmony heavy chorus pops in. ‘An American’ is the strongest statement, getting to the rotten heart of the system and the real price paid for sustaining it with joyous horns easing the existential pain. The use of brass throughout adds to the impact of the songs whether it is the noisy dissonant blast as the opening bars to ‘Happy Birthday’ or as a sobering counterpoint to the evisceration of the music business on ‘Shock and Awe’. They make something that sounds distinctly unpromising – intelligent political rock – into something enjoyable as well as thought provoking.
americana-uk.com

This is a difficult album for me, the problem being that there are one or two tracks that are absolutely brilliant, which does seem to overshadow the other material, making it seem that a few tracks are filler material. This is Miss Massive Snowflake’s second album, and is built around singer/songwriter Shane De Leon who exhibits a highly developed sense of humour, with wit and biting sarcasm. The starter track ‘Good Morning’ starts off all lazy guitars and chiming glockenspiels, which lulls you into a false sense of security as your mind drifts to thinking of The Velvets' ‘Sunday Morning’ before the lyrics hit you with all the subtlety of a flying brick: - “Good morning, it’s a bright, bright day, Good morning, it’s a bright, bright day, So I declare peace, but the King says “war”, But it’s not his kids that are fighting in some fucking war.” The song then carries on about social injustices and for a starter track is a bold statement of intent. ‘Be Brave’ has echoey vocals and a melody based around a guitar line that sounds like it could have come from Bowie’s ‘The Man Who Sold The World’, but after ‘Good Morning’, the lyrics just don’t hit as hard: - “Yeah, you got me, yeah, you got us, and we’re the people that you can trust”. This then dips even further with ‘I Do’ a chimy whimsical little number, which is all about marriage. Track four; ‘An American’ pushes the bar way back to the top. This is a brilliant, bitter vitriolic song, which chugs along and has some nice jazzy trumpet work courtesy of David Chaparro. The lyrics here are spot on: - “Hello, hello, hello, hello I’m an American/ Look at my clothes; they’re made in Pakistan/ By a girl who’s ten.” The song is a brilliant denunciation of consumer society and carries the biting line: - “And what I believe depends on, How much I have to spend on, fuel.” The band’s blurb states that they have ‘protest songs that come off like party anthems.’ Well, they’re not wrong here and this track is one of the best on the album. The next song ‘Two guys’ comes across as a gay anthem and preaches tolerance, however, at just two minutes and three seconds long, it doesn’t stay around to leave its message, and seems somewhat a bit of a wasted opportunity. ‘Happy Birthday’, and ‘Shock and Awe’ are both forgettable, which does mean that this album is distinctly one of highs and lows. ‘Knife Blade’ is a bit better being all about a gig and poking fun at the “rednecks spitting insults” during the sound checks. This is followed by ‘Good Night’ which could have been better if it hadn’t been let down by some wishy-washy lyrics. Finally, the last track ‘Encore’ lets the album go out on a high, a jazzy based melody, and lyrics that fit the mood perfectly: - “I can’t sing in this smoke, Yeah it’s thick enough to choke/ All the people that are gathered in here, But it’s the talk of the crowd, There’s so much and it’s so loud/ I can’t hear it up here… On the stage.” Overall, I have to say that I enjoyed the album, but if the four best tracks had been gathered together as an E.P. it probably would have scored a lot higher.
-whisperinandhollerin.com

Yours is no disgrace, Mr de Leon. You may well be rocking a fairly dodgy haircut on the cover of your band's second full-length album - a cover which, by the way, looks like it has been designed by a kid weaned on hallucinogens and which contains therein a picture of the band itself looking like they have just stumbled out of a DeLorean DMC-12 whose flux capacitor had frozen in 1967 and left them all outside a house on Pooneil Corners. Your songs may well be peppered with that same spirit of Haight-Ashbury and your chord structures may well have inherited prog-rock sensibilities. You may well infuse your words with peacenik sentiments and the whole shebang may well end up sounding like a psychedelic anachronism projected through a contemporary pop prism, but what the hell, it works. Give peace, and Miss Massive Snowflake a chance.
Simon Godley

“I could play noise/ I could play jazz/ I would totally bust a move in a boy band,” sings Shane de Leon on a song called “Shock and Awe.” Maybe he could in fact do all those things, but that's not what he has chosen to do with his band Miss Massive Snowflake. Instead, he writes quirky, simple pop songs about his inability to write a book “that's any good,” hanging out at his parents' cabin and two guys making love in a mosh pit. De Leon is no stranger to the, um, stranger ends of the Portland music scene—he spent a decade as a member of local weirdos Rollerball—and he never ceases to make the odd invitingly catchy. Nowhere is this more evident than on the band's new disc, Songs About Music.
-wweek.com MATTHEW SINGER.

The Portland Oregon seventy-million-piece band that is Miss Massive Snowflake is a strange mix of things that I can’t quite put my finger on. It took a few listens for the album to grow on me, but after the second or third time, it was like a virus. I couldn’t help but sing along to the repetitive “Ooo’s and Ahh’s,” sang all through the album. They provide a strange collection of horns and intricate riffs, but I guess it is easy to be intricate with eight musicians all playing at the same time. Obviously, I am still torn on how I feel about this album, and will suggest just listening to it, as it is something you will just have to decide for yourself. There is obvious musical talent represented in the album as a whole, and lead singer Shane De Leon has a lot to say on the state of the world, a good percent of which actually gets the point across without sounding pretentious, which is one big positive point. Songs such as “An American,” bring across a good message without being neither preachy nor ostentatious. It is a little cluttered musically, but that is understandable seeing that there are eight people playing seven different instruments in almost every song. As a whole, the combination of the horns, groovy bass lines and bells don’t come together as well as I think they could. To say the least, there is just way too much going on in this album. In certain songs, Shane De Leon shows similarities to Elvis Costello, As Tall as Lions and Bright Eyes and the band itself seems to be inspired by just about every band that has been described as indie or folk. They have a lot of potential; it is just a matter of toning it down a little bit. You really just have to hear it for yourself and find out how much shit you can pay attention to all at once. It is not in a bad album by any sense of the word, it is just a little abrasive the first few times you hear it.
- wonkavison Dave Quaile

Miss Massive Snowflake is mainly driven by the songwriting skills of Shane de Leon who worked for many years with the band Rollerball. Songs About Music is the second full-length release by this band. The songs fit squarely within the boundaries of progressive pop...but there's a peculiar sense of humor that threads itself through many of these tunes. These songs don't follow the traditional verse/chorus/verse/chorus mold...instead opting for a more spontaneous and slightly abstract approach. Nice foldout cardboard sleeve on this one. Ten clever cuts including "Good Morning," "An American," and "Good Night."
-babysue

Italian Reviews
Periodo di riflessione per Shane De Leon che, dopo aver girovagato per il vecchio e nuovo continente, decide di fare una pausa chiamando a sé alcuni amici fidati per dar corpo alle sue composizioni. I ”Miss Massive Snowflake” suonano brani pop, e lo fanno stramaledettamente bene. Prova ne è l’opener “Good Morning”, biglietto da visita che allontana ogni dubbio. Chitarre acustiche, melodie vocali e fiati per un piccolo gioiello che smorzandosi verso la fine lascia spazio a “Be Brave”, frizzante brano ricco di cambi ritmici ammalianti. Le cose sono cambiate dal loro primo album, le atmosfere elettroniche e la sola voce lasciano spazio a composizioni più piene, dai lineamenti tondeggianti che si fanno ascoltare grazie a suoni morbidi. Gli arrangiamenti, mai spigolosi, esaltano linee melodiche sghembe, garantendo cosi quel seme di instabilità di cui il pop spesso è carente. Stupende le soluzioni scelte per “An American”, i testi sono a volte taglienti, altre ironici e contengono chiari riferimenti politici. Alcuni passaggi sono più melanconici, “Happy Birthday”, e ricordano alcune cose di Neil Young. “Knife Blade” è un puro gioiellino che fa la differenza. Gli MMS (che non è l’acronimo di Multimedia Messaging Service) vi porteranno per mano nel loro mondo e ancor prima che l’album finisca vi sarete già innamorati di loro, non c’è alcun dubbio.
xtm.it Giuseppe Celano

“I could play noise, I could play jazz” canta Shane de Leon in ‘Shock and Awe’. Il sound dei Miss Massive Snowflake spazia tra questi due poli attraverso un pop sperimentale. La band di Portland (Oregon/USA) ha suonato sul palchetto del Fanfulla 101 in trio: Shane de Leon (voce e chitarra), Jeanne Kennedy-Crosby (basso) e Mae Starr (batteria). I “Miss” nascono da un’idea solista di Shane (Rollerball) che strada facendo ha accolto numerosi collaboratori. Dopo l’album ‘Queen’s Headache’ completamente sperimentale: base elettronica e voce, nel nuovo lavoro ‘Songs About Music’ (North Pole Records) c’è più spazio per un tipo tradizionale di canzone, dove i testi, spesso impegnati, vengono urlati come disobbedienti inni politici, o graffiati e ironizzati, dove la musica concede maggiore attenzione al pop e all’orecchiabilità, imprevedibile e mai scontata. Shane suona la chitarra come fosse un’amante: spesso accarezzata, a volte scossa e fatta vibrare sull’amplificatore alla ricerca di sibili e distorsioni noise. Mae, personaggio beffardo dal pizzetto appuntito, ha una batteria bizzarra, composta da rullante, charleston, grancassa, piatto crash ed un hi-hat spezzato in due, un pentolino ed una tazza in metallo laccata. Il sound è dominato dal cambio di ritmo: canzoni che partono in adagio con la chitarra pizzicata e la batteria jazzata, e si trasformano in pezzi dalla velocità psichedelica e glam, accompagnati da un basso prudente ma dotato di groove. Nella serata c’è spazio anche per le azioni performative di Shane, che mostra le sue doti fisiche e i suoi studi da ballerino con una sorta di danza tribale fatta in punta di piedi e ondeggianti e felpati passi alla Michael Jackson. Tra i brani, oltre alla già citata ‘Shock And Awe’, la band esegue la sussurrata ballata ‘Swing Of Hair’, la divertente ‘Two Guys’, l’ironica ‘Hey Honey’, l’irriverente ‘Varese Rebel Shit’, pezzo funkeggiante e rappato, scritto con gli italiani Hormiga. Un live del tutto coinvolgente per questo gruppo underground che scorrazza tra Europa e America suonando nei piccoli club davanti anche ad un pubblico scarso, ma che meriterebbe sicuramente un’attenzione maggiore e un pubblico più partecipativo.
-Lina Rignanese

Mr. De Leon qualcuno di voi se lo ricorderà per i Rollerball, come molti di voi sapranno questo è il suo nuovo gruppo e per chi di voi non lo sapesse ancora i Miss Massive Snowflake sono al secondo album. Qualche avvisaglia del nuovo disco l'avevano già data nel 10" split uscito per la serie Phonometak. Dal primo disco il suono del gruppo si è andato raffinando e da quel che ricordo la formazione si è allargata, e fra gli altri vedo in line up un Bill Horist (ottimo chitarrista sperimentale già in forza ai Rollerball, ai grandissimi Master Musicians Of Bukkake ed altri) ed una serie di altri freakketoni che poi ricompaiono nella sconclusionatezza delle foto interne al digipack. Credo che fra le foto, la grafica e il curriculum vitae di alcuni dei personaggi coinvolti sia anche lecito aspettarsi un disco molto freak e molto anni settanta e state pur certi che questo non mancherà per nulla. Molto ammorbiditi rispetto all'esordio e nonostante tutto mai noiosi, con coordinate che potrebbero ricordare musica americana da O'Rourke solista, Minutemen, certi Rolling Stones, Love, Free, fino a Cat Stevens, ma allo stesso tempo Beck, qualcosa dei primi Lambchop e dei Flaming Lips meno arrangiati e un po' di inserti jazz che non guastano per nulla, anzi, in questo senso mi hanno ricordato dei Calexico più cazzoni e più semplici. Si tratta esattamente di un disco di canzoni, proprio come specificato nel titolo e vi dirò si tratta di belle canzoni, tanto che anche io non ho potuto fare a meno di rilassarmi o di godermele immaginandomi seduto sotto il "porch" di casa mia mentre sorseggio del buon burbon (che nel mio caso potrebbe essere quel thè freddo che riempiva le bottiglie di whisky nelle foto dei gruppi glam rock anni '80). Se il soft-rock freakketone americano filo-settanta con qualche influenza esterna non vi lascia insensibili, questo disco potrebbe regalarvi dei bei momenti.
-sodapop.it

E' una vecchia conoscenza Shane de Leon, già membro della cult-band Rollerball, ma spesso coinvolto anche dalle nostre parti con escursioni musicali assortite, in combutta con formazioni come Ovo, Ronin e Vonneumann. Miss Massive Snowflake è il progetto nato qualche anno fa, uno sfogo personale e, più che altro, una faccenda strettamente familiare, visto che vedeva la partecipazione anche di moglie, figlia e nipote. Poi la cosa ha preso una piega più impegnativa ed ecco un più ampio assortimento di collaboratori, compreso il chitarrista Bill Horist e il fido Gilles, già collega nei Rollerball. Anche in questo capitolo, intitolato in maniera significativa “Songs About Music”, si coglie un'indole per lo più rilassata, la capacità di scrivere belle canzoni, senza troppi fronzoli e con un piglio non particolarmente spericolato. Le atmosfere si fanno più tradizionali rispetto al precedente cd, “Queen’s Headache”, il che consente di apprezzare le qualità compositive del musicista di Portland, che naviga con sicurezza nel pop classico, finanche romantico e passionale, con escursioni nel glam-rock e un pizzico di psichedelia e jazz. Un dischetto davvero niente male.
-Guido Siliotto

A capo dei Miss Massive Snowklake c’è Shane de Leon, che è stato cantante dei Rollerball e ha anche collaborato con diversi artisti sia Usa che europei, tra i quali Jacopo Andreini, gli OVO e i Ronin. Con questo suo progetto, con cui pubblica il secondo full-leinght si esprime con un pop sbilenco e fuori dei canoni tradizionali del genere. De Leon, infatti, rilegge il pop a modo suo, ironizzandolo e omaggiando i grandi padri del pop inglese e del sound freak a cavallo dei ’60, con qualche innesto di free-jazz. In “Songs about music”, infatti, serpeggiano i fantasmi dei vari Elvis Costello, David Bowie e Beatles. Se “Happy birthday” ha elementi marcatamente costelliani, in “Knife blade” convivono il free jazz con il funk dei Funkadelic e addirittura elementi di folk scozzese, mentre con “Good morning” si prende gioco del pop, che, al contrario, viene valorizzato ed enfatizzato nel lento e progressivo incedere di “Good night”.
-rockon.it

German Reviews
Dass MISS MASSIVE SNOWFLAKE demnächst im Weikersheimer w71 aufspielt, lässt mich vermuten, dass ihr guter Ruf sich nur noch nicht bis zu mir durchgesprochen hat. Das dicke Schneeflöckchen ist eigentlich der Singer-Songwriter, Gitarrist, Keyboarder und North Pole-Labelmacher Shane de Leon im Verbund mit Jeanne Kennedy Crosby am Bass, Zacery Stanley an den Drums, David & Caroline Chaparro an Gitarre & Trompete bzw. Saxophon & Bells sowie - und jetzt wird‘s kurios - Bill Horist mit weiteren Gitarrenzutaten. Diesen Avantler auf de Leons sympathischem, aber unspektakulären Songs About Music (NPR19) zu begegnen, durchkreuzt wieder mal alle Scheuklappenborniertheit. De Leon packt zwischen ‚Good Morning‘ und ‚Good Night‘ 7 weitere Lieder, deren Witz sich, obwohl auch sein Timbre zu gefallen weiß, erst ganz erschließt, wenn man auf die Lyrics achtet. Es sind ironische Kommentare darüber, heute ‚An American‘ zu sein und die Welt mit ‚Shock and Awe‘ zu beglücken. Da gibt es nur eins - ‚Be Brave‘, blas deine Geburtstagskerzen aus und wünsch uns allen eine gute Nacht. Die Verpackung als überzuckerte Popsong mit hymnischen Bläsersätzen und Backgroundchorus - gerade bei ‚An American‘ und dem an Mr. President und Mrs. Congressman adressierten ‚Shock and Awe‘ - lassen einen leicht überhören, um was es geht - etwa um zwei Homos making love bei ‚Two Guys‘ oder um Rednecks mit Pentagramm-T-Shirts bei ‚Knife Blade‘. Das Empire ist unser. Drum singt euch mit de Leons Wiegenlied in den kollektiven Schlaf der Gerechten. Als ‚Encore‘ gibt es noch wehmütiges Gebläse, das sich in einen mutmachenden Song ausfaltet.
-badalchemy.de

Czech Reviews
Dalším titulem, který bude americkým vydavatelstvím North Pole v březnu realizován jsou Písně o hudbě od Slečny Velkosněhovločky. Pod katalogovým číslem NPR19 trh obohatí deska v papírovém kartónovém obalu ala falešné dvojalbum ve světě nazvané ‘gatefold’. Vinyláři si rovněž přijdou na své. Čím více muziky poslouchám tím jsem občas bezradnější. Nelehkost popisu desky Billa Horista je tu znovu. Pravda, ne tak docela. Tady už jsou písničky čitelnější, mají málem-klasický střih, hrají normálně. Můžeme-li věřit fotkám uvnitř rozevíracího obalu, každý z šestice členů je z jiného těsta. Podobně je na tom to, co společně složili a přehrávají na své druhé desce. Chvíli mi připadá, že poslouchám rockovou kapelu snažící se být co nejpopovější, pár minut poté cílí pompézní elementy k folkovému obecenstvu nebo splaskávají funky výdutě pichlavým fištrónem. Dosahují toho střídajícími se zpěvy, arzenálem deseti hudebních nástrojů, sbory nepočítám. Snad je to průmět všemožných (amerických) muzik jak je nemáme možnost vnímat daleko před oceánem, jak je nemáme na malém českém písečku vžité. Hravost, síla vybudovaných melodií, muzikantské zkušenosti, hudební vyzrálost a poučenost nemachrují. Vše tihle kluci a holky používají, tak proč nad tím bádat? Lépe než o tom planě kecat je soustředěně poslouchat, porovnávat, hledat. Třeba zrovna vy objevíte popovou hvězdu příštího desetiletí… minimálně pro sebe, což není málo! p.s. FLAMING LIPS, BOWIE, MINUTEMEN, BECK, MARK RIBOT, FUNKADELIC jsou jména zmíněná v tiskové zprávě. Dvě z nich neznám, ale třeba vám pomohou lépe zaostřit slechy.
-rumzine.com


Miss Massive Snowflake
Phonometak split 10" #6 with Gianni Gebbia
released April 09

English Reviews
Oregonian
Singalongs are the new screaming matches. At least, that's what songwriter, guitarist and musical provocateur Shane de Leon would have us believe. "I could play noise. I could play jazz. I would totally bust a move in a boy band. Break your heart. Blow your mind. My pyrotechnic show will leave you stupefied," he sings on "Shock and Awe," a song from the group Miss Massive Snowflake's most recent record, a split 10-inch slice of vinyl released on an obscure Italian record label. For those whose last exposure to de Leon came via Portland experimental rock group Rollerball, the direction of Miss Massive Snowflake will be a startling one. Part blissful, off-kilter rock, part jazzy instrumental excursion and all singalong-inducing, childlike pop, Miss Massive Snowflake rarely treads the dark, complex corridors of Rollerball. Instead, and as those new to de Leon in general will instantly recognize, there's something quite simple and, well, fun about Miss Massive Snowflake. "It's so easy," drummer Zac Stanley says. "It's so chill." "It's the most fun I've ever had playing music," bassist Jeanne Kennedy Crosby adds. Along with brother and sister David (guitar, trumpet) and Caroline Chaparro (sax, keys), Stanley, Kennedy Crosby and de Leon make music that is at once playful and overtly political, waxing nostalgic about confrontations with obnoxious fans while inviting new ones to join in choruses that are stretched to the breaking point. De Leon first formed Miss Massive Snowflake to record a Christmas album in 2003, then began performing full time under the name around 2006. At first, it was a solo project, with de Leon playing a laptop and an acoustic guitar. Before long, however, "I started thinking I missed playing with people," he recalls. He soon recruited the other band members, several of whom have worked at the same Portland children's club, which caters to autistic children. "I'm not a politician," de Leon says of the odd confluence of the mischievous and the deadly serious in his music. "The things I can do for change revolve around the fact that I'm good at working with children. I'm going to make the lyrics pointed, but the music's a good time." This means protest songs that come off as party anthems, and all of it wrapped up in a package that is more about group dynamics than calculated perfection. It's a change in tactics that has translated to de Leon's personal antics as well. While he used to scream at the audience or take off his clothes to get their attention, he now revels in the subversive act of getting them to join him in singing absurdist choruses. "It's all about, 'How can I get these people's attention?'" he says. "It doesn't have to be super practiced. It has to have the spirit."

Side B hosts Miss Massive Snowflake with three sweet short pop songs. Well, they’re not really pop songs in the commercial meaning of the word, but you’ll catch my drift. They’re short, funny, melodic, and do have vocals. I might as well call it pop songs. I like this. Throw in a guitar solo and you would call it zappa-esque.
-united mutations

gazettetimes.com
Portland's Miss Massive Snowflake is led by former Rollerball skipper Shane de Leon, and the group plays a politically charged mix of glammy rock augmented by brief noisy excursions. As somebody who finds most political music instrumentally static (early Public Enemy and Dead Kennedys excluded, obviously), I loved the dynamic quality of the compositions. It's de Leon that really brought it home, though. The first time I saw him with Rollerball, he took his clothes off and screamed at the audience to shut up. A flamboyant showman, homeboy knows how to rock a crowd, whether he's playing the dense jazz-rock experimentalism of his former band or the more hook-oriented political pop of Miss Massive Snowflake.(Jay Tenpas)


PSU Vanguard
 At 6-feet-plus, Shane De Leon looms over most people. It would not be a surprise to find out that this man was made up of several 5-year-old kids standing on each other’s shoulders. His wild, black wavy hair is peppered with about as many grays as instruments and genres he experiments with in his music project Miss Massive Snowflake. From preschool hip-hop to Nick Cave-esque narratives, from sharp-tongued social critique to children’s recordings, from techno instrumentals to middle school band practice, De Leon is everywhere all at once. For him, music is all about being free. Originally from Billings, Mont., De Leon played in a few different bands but didn’t hit his musical stride until he became the vocalist and trumpeter for local genre-bending indie band Rollerball. “It was rock but with jazz,” De Leon says, “all genres at all times. It tended to be dark most times too.” Very little in De Leon’s career has been easy to identify or to pin down. He played in Rollerball for 10 or 11 years before he took to the guitar (of which there were none in Rollerball), and thus Miss Massive Snowflake was born. De Leon says in his tour diary: “Miss Massive Snowflake is my musical/familial art project. I write the songs and then recruit different family members for different recordings and tours.” The project has featured De Leon, his mother-in-law, his nephews and even his own daughter. But when touring, the project was hard to digest. “I had my mother-in-law doing concerts, kids singing backup. It was off-putting for the audience,” De Leon says. “Adults without children don’t understand children. We were throwing people’s expectations off.” De Leon was trying to test boundaries without even realizing it. “I realized I wanted to erase the idea of the audience,” reflects De Leon. “We would play video—try anything to be engaging. Talk to the audience. Make it about people coming together, wanting them to have a good time.” De Leon soon realized what sort of a band MMS was, and what it wasn’t. “I remember seeing Nick Cave a long time ago,” says De Leon. “It was in the middle of the day. And it was hot. Seeing him in the sunshine sucked. It’s hard to translate into daytime, but that’s what we were. We’d play street fairs and it was great. We are a daytime band. Now we are a morning band.” There is no doubt that the band’s songs themselves are best experienced live, or at least with some visual component. It is often hard in the recordings to figure out where De Leon is coming from, how tongue-in-cheek he’s being or what exactly is going on in a song that starts off with preschoolers saying “Who wrecked the party?” then adds a beat and a rap talking about “eating the cupcakes that Jessica baked” and “politicians digging ditches to hide their dirty dishes.” The music video for this tune was filmed at the preschool De Leon used to work at and follows a bunch of children around as they dance their tails off. The band has taken a bit of a turn away from the family structure in its recent 10-inch release and upcoming album (due out at the end of the year entitled Songs About Music). De Leon realized the need for a full band while on his last European tour supporting MMS’s last full-length album, The Queen’s Headache. “The best thing about a tour is experiencing things with family and friends,” says De Leon. “I had my laptop for backing and I played guitar over it solo. I missed playing with friends—having people there to talk to.” Enter David and Caroline Chaparro (lead guitar/trumpet and sax/keyboards, respectively) whom De Leon met while working at the preschool. He recruited long-time friend Jeanne Kennedy-Crosby (bass) and Zacery Stanley (of Dramady and Narwhal vs. Narwhal) to play drums. De Leon still writes all the music and lyrics for Miss Massive Snowflake but understands his limitations. “I’m not gonna tell Zach what drumline to play,” De Leon says, “because I don’t play drums. It’s about trusting the people you play with.” A lyric from his first full-length MMS album, from the song “Swing of Hair,” seems a fitting display of De Leon’s philosophy and trust in music: “First we start by kissing the ones we love/ Then hold the hands of others less fortunate than us/ May your smiles become as numerous as the stars above/ If first we start by kissing the ones we love/ Then hold the hands of others less fortunate than us/ May this song embrace the people and fill them up with love.” Miss Massive Snowflake knows they are an underground band, DIY in every sense of the phrase, but they have embraced this, showing that with good friends, family and music, you really don’t need much else. Except maybe an audience every once in a while.

Oregonian
Sure, there are lots of ways to describe this noirish experimental project full of floating samples and manipulated electronics. But two words sum up this music quite well: kinda creepy.

Terrascope Online
Shane De Leon and friends intrigue and delight the listener with three tunes that sound fresh and alive. An added pleasure can be found in the excellent lyrics especially on the first and longest track. Track to twists melodies into noise in a burst of manic energy, whilst the final track is a mellow haze of notes with some lovely vocals spinning through the mix.

The Stranger
Miss Massive Snowflake's song "Shock and Awe" isn't the screamo guitar fuck you'd expect a song titled "Shock and Awe" to be: Instead, it's a quiet, thoughtful song with a jerky, lofty little chorus. With MMS, it's best to expect the unexpected. One song begins with something resembling a reggae riddim, tosses in some banjo amid the electronic bleeps and bloops when you're not expecting it, and ties the whole thing together with some Prince-like vocals. Another one sounds like the best Smog song not yet recorded. I don't know what to call it, but I like it a lot.

Italian Reviews
xtm.it
La seconda parte del cd invece vanta tre brani di Shane De Leon, già all’attivo sui dischi dei mai troppo elogiati Rollerball.
“Shake And Awe” è il primo brano, qualcosa a metà strada fra psichedelia e melodia d’autore, con un cantato sconcertante, una grande prova.
“Can’t Be Wrong” viaggia su percussioni e accordi acustici pizzicati, mentre la voce si spinge, controcorrente, su falsetti e urla psicotiche.
“Bender” è un puro gioiello lisergico, liscio come velluto, un brano adatto ad una notte senza luce.
Avrei preferito qualche brano in più ma si sa, tre è il numero perfetto no?

ondalternativa.it
a si può chiamare follia,la si può chiamare pazzia,c'è chi la chiama semplicemente genialità. Un album profondamente insolito questo "Shock and Awe", storpiato,scivolato,strofinato,ruvido,sicuramente molto innovativo. Oscilla musicalmente, fra confusione, rumori in libertà e musica ben argomentata. Un lavoro complesso, che può arrivare all'ascolto soltanto di un pubblico di nicchia. L'esasperazione in musica, che stupisce attraverso la follia, un'alterazione delle percezioni musicali che può colpire, stupendoci in positivo.Se per voi sono già fin troppo lontane le sonorità di John Zorn, e lo trovate un jazz eccessivamente esasperato,credo che stenterete ad ascoltare la prima parte di questo lavoro. Si tratta di rumori emozionali,coinvolgenti,ma sempre di rumori. Il brano "Shock and Awe", musicalmente più orecchiabile dei precedenti, ripetitivo ma ipnotico. Esasperato "Cant' be wrong" è comunque un brano che può colpire per musicalità e ritmo. "Bender", chiude il disco con un ritmo lento e cadenzato,che ti lascia un po' intontito per il forte contrasto fra i primi brani dell'album. Il lavoro è sperimentazione pura, è coraggioso e profondamente innovativo. Le prime canzoni però, sono difficilmente orecchiabili e questo le potrebbe penalizzare per una rapida diffusione d'ascolto. Nel complesso non si può rimproverare niente a qualcuno che ha avuto,il coraggio,l'idea e la forza di realizzarla. Comporre una cosa così stravagante, che non sai definire e che non si può nemmeno consigliare ad un genere di ascoltatore o ad un'altro. E' un imprevisto in musica, non puoi classificarlo,sarebbe come sminuirlo. Fa parte di quel caos dal quale nasce la materia. Nel distruggere a volte,si crea.

kathodik.it
Sesta uscita per la Phonometak Series, ed accoppiata ben stramba, quella approntata in questo caso. Di Gianni Gebbia, bisognerebbe portare le spille sul bavero della giacca, invece, bene che va, qualcuno, dalle nostre parti, lo conosce di nome. Miss Massive Snowflake, sono il side project, di Shane De Leon dei Rollerball (tromba e voce), e propongono, uno stralunato sguardo, che incrocia ed ingloba, rock, jazz, forse hip hop, ed altre granaglie off. I sei brani di Gebbia, sono stati registrati nel 2004, presso la Ives Hall della Sonoma State University della California. Sei impro solitarie per sax alto, che ribadiscono la qualità da esportazione di Gebbia (Daruma's Call, sospinge il cervello a lavorar con ironia corrosiva, Sussokan viaggia di respirazione circolare, e pare aggrovigliarsi ed irrobustire il silenzio circostante). Duck Call, al contrario, il silenzio lo intimidisce, Cinabro, è jazz traumatizzato, Transmission, si guarda intorno con area surrealista, e Moon Faced Buddah, stende spatolate di notte sul finire del primo lato. Tutto piuttosto ok (buon materiale, ma i capelli, non si rizzano più di tanto). Miss Massive Snowflake, son bella accozzaglia assortita, tre brani, che parlano diversi linguaggi, un bel mucchietto di esecutori (fra i quali, il caro Bill Horist), ed una notevole vena folle (ma mica tanto...). Ripeto, son rock, son psichedelici astratti, son anche jazz (dalle parti di Canterbury), hanno testi divertenti, ed ogni tanto, la vocalità di De Leon, si avvicina a quella di David Byrne. Tre brani strampalati ed originali. Shock And Awe, corrode, Can't Be Wrong, mira al petto, Bender viaggia di tradizione scompaginata (la migliore del mazzo). Il tutto gira. Funzionale e soddisfacente.


Nerds Attack
Le Phonometak Series, per chi non lo sapesse, sono un progetto portato avanti da Wallace Records e PhonoMetak Laboratories nel quale vengono raccolti artisti di punta della scena sperimentale mondiale, ai quali viene data l’opportunità di dividere un dieci pollici, un lato ciascuno. Giunta all’uscita numero 6, questa volta gli artisti chiamati a registrare questo split vinilico sono Gianni Gebbia, improvvisatore jazz, che riesce a tirar fuori dal suo sax alto suoni da far invidia ai tappeti sonori tipici dei film di David Lynch, e i Miss Massive Snowflake, interessante gruppo americano, molto pop, ma anche molto particolare. Il lato A è decisamente il meno facile, infatti sono le improvvisazioni di Gianni Gebbia a caratterizzarlo. Tuttavia il suo particolare stile di esecuzione rendono il tutto molto interessante, ma più che ascoltarsela sul divano a casa, la sua musica sarebbe ideale accompagnamento alle immagini del già citato regista americano. Di tutt’altro genere il lato B, dove nello spazio di tre brani i Miss Massive Snowflake stravolgono le atmosfere del lato A, con tre canzoni decisamente più facili da ascoltare, tra le quali spicca la bellissima, conclusiva ‘Bender’.

sentireascoltare.com
Il sesto appuntamento con la serie di 10” Phonometak vede protagonisti lo storico jazzista improvvisatore siciliano Gianni Gebbia e il side project di Shane De Leon, voce e trombettista dei Rollerball. Non impressionano particolarmente le sei tracce di sax registrate da Gebbia nel giugno del 2004 presso l’Ives Hall della Sonoma State University, mentre gradita sorpresa sono i tre pezzi dei Miss Massive Snowflake. Psichedelia a contaminazione lontamente jazzy per “Shock And Awe” e “Can’t Be Wrong”, straordinario folk acustico Califone in jam con il reverendo Edwards “Bender”. Da tener d’occhio.
Miss Massive Snowflake
Queen's Headache
released February 26, 2008


English Reviews

Chain DLK
Miss Massive Snowflake is one Shane de Leon of Portland, Oregon. This multi-instrumentalist and songwriter played with the experimental group Rollerball for ten years, and he has recorded and performed with numerous bands and artists. "Queen's Headache" is a felicitous romp full of playful tunes that sound like what might happen if Ween were to sneak into one of the classrooms in Jack Black's "School Of Rock" and host an impromptu fantasy music camp for kids. This is by no means a knock on the music, which is really catchy and chock full of intriguing and diverse instrumentation. It is rather a very positive indictment on the booster-shot-sized injection of youthful exuberance and fun brought to this CD by its many young contributors, and the apparently young-at-heart ringleader, de Leon. The opening cut is a sweet and serene instrumental entitled "Satsuma." "Bombs Away" follows with a sad and scathing political message woven into a simple, understated melody. Larry Yes lends his vocal talents on "Swing of Hair," a love-infused ditty with a banjo appetizer and a mildly funky feel. "Hillarianos" introduces us to child vocalist Micah Von Werssowetz as he riffs about being a robot over a mild dose of television static. This mirth goes out the window as Von Werssowetz switches gears in "The Hunt," a creepy piece that sounds as though it might've been authored by Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris! Things simmer down considerably after that, though, with "Meredith," a mellow guitar melody with a soothing beat and a few juicy midi horns thrown in for kicks. "Who Wrecked the Party" sees the return of Larry Yes on lead vocals with music by DJ Faccia di Merda. A buzzing beat hops 'round with middle-eastern influenced drums as children from the Choral Kinders ask "who wrecked the party?" About a minute into this tune, Yes uncorks one of the most absurd raps ever penned, sounding like Larry Nye-does-G-rated-Eminem. This is "better-not-listen-to-it-for-the-first-time-while-driving-because-it's-so-amusing-you-may-wreck-your-car" funny! "Draggish Friends" features child vocalist Kiana Monihan offering a brief update on the situation in Iraq. Werssowetz reappears on "I Don't Know," though you wouldn't know as his vocals are heavily processed and hidden behind a beefy beat with some ham & eggs keyboards on the side. "One I've Been Waiting For" is a lovely, low-fi cover of a tune by Raleigh, N.C.-based alt-rockers, Remora. "Fossil Fissure" is an unsettling statement on invasion and death with Kiana Monihan and de Leon on vocals. The edge is taken off once again as this is followed by the spunky instrumental "Sunday, Monday," and then "Cake," which appears to be a fondly reminiscent dedication to a friend. Somber tones return on "The Mexican," but the disc closes out with a laugh on "26 Names," as Marley Von Werssowetz drops a list of playground insults describing Miss Massive Snowflake – one for each letter – over bongo beats and a slow chord progression. A-Alligator Breath…B-Butthead…etc. Too much comedy! As an added bonus, the disc also includes videos for five of the songs in quicktime format. The disc and a lyric sheet are housed inside of a colorful sleeve within a nice digipak-type slipcase with a beautifully letterpressed cover. The playful artwork and design are products of de Leon's fertile imagination and should provide a clue for the listener that fun times are ahead. One of the true joys of being a music reviewer is discovering hidden treasures – releases I probably would not have otherwise come across that appeal to me so much I would have happily dropped some coin to add them to my collection. "Queen's Headache" fits firmly into that category!

Terrascope Rumbles
Mainly the work of Shane De Leon (ex-Rollerball, pictured with a fly on his nose), "Queen's Headache" is the first full-length release from the oddly named Miss Massive Snowflake, and what a strange disc it is, containing 15 short tracks that run together telling a tale of love and war. Throughout the disc you can hear shades of Zappa, Robert Wyatt, Thomas Dolby, and other people whose singular vision has given them a unique voice. Featuring Children's voices and an array of different instruments the music is never dull, playing out like a strange animation in your head. Also included is a cover of "One I've Been Waiting For", originally the opening track on Remoras "Enraptured" and here transformed into a surreal pop ditty, leaving behind the starkness of the original.
Portland Sentinel
Ms Massive Snowflake made many people wonderfully uncomfortable with special blend of confrontational art-pop sound making and 'dope' rhymes.

The Devil has the best Tuna
Portland's Miss Massive Snowflake (first featured on the Devil's blog in October last year, Miss Massive Snowflake) is about to release his first full length at the end of the month, the truly frightening 'Queen's Headache'.
Overflowing with lavish orchestration and claustrophobic charm, 'Queen's Headache' is a post modern concept album full of songs about peace, love and the horrors of war. It's also one of the strangest, yet oddly satisfying, albums. you're likely to hear this year.
Clocking in at a little over 30 minutes Miss Massive Snowflake packs in 15 mind blowingly exciting tracks with more anarchic wit, invention and intelligence than a decade of NME Awards tours. From the frightening vision of 'Fossil Fissure' with it's childish vocals singing of teenage body bags to the electro hip hop of 'Who Wrecked the Party' (it was apparently Miss Massive Snowflake), from the laid back psych pop of 'Cake' to the closing track '26 Names', an alphabetical list of childish taunts, 'Queen's Headache' is a difficult album to pigeonhole. But, as pigeonholing is compulsory for us bloggers, I'm going to do my best. The closest I can get to categorising this wonderfully schizophrenic affair is the Flaming Lips covering Pink Military brilliant early 80's album 'Do Animals Believe In God' in the middle of a kids party while The Lord of the Flies' is on the TV in the background.

Willamette Week
There are wide-ranging influences in Miss Massive Snowflake's music—from psych rock to hip-hop to the craziest of noise projects—but the one ingredient that remains throughout the project's catalog is the singular influence of MMS godhead Shane de Leon. Mr. de Leon's aesthetic is often playful and childlike, but set against backdrops of dark guitar loops and cluttered noisescapes, his child singers—real children!—sound ghostlike and creepy. The whole funny/scary one-two punch is pretty rare, and, if nothing else, MMS shows are worth your time just for seeing de Leon play unpredictable sonic ringleader.

Kids can be creepy in the following ways:
Kids saying things that only adults should say.
Kids whispering things.Kids speaking with adult voices.
Kids dressing up and wearing lots of makeup (i.e. JonBenet).
Kids running faster than a kid should run.
Kids being extremely good at chess.
Kids knowing your name, though you never told them your name.
Dead kids.Kids who make macabre artwork.
Kids who have swirling fire where eyes should be.
Kids who are black and white when everything around them is in color.
Kiana Monihan, who provides the vocals on "26 Names," isn't creepy. This kid's vocals are pretty adorable, really. And while the contrast between kid voices and psychedelic sounds can be off-putting elsewhere on Queen's Headache, the MMS album which sees a release later this month, here it's just kinda cute. Especially "B: Butt-head" and "L: Lady Lover." Those are probably the first things I'd come up with when I had to put a word to those letters, too. And "Z: Zombie," that's a way better pick than "Zebra."
Who'd a thought that psychedelic, abstract music would make for good family fare? Miss Massive Snowflake is the Partridge Family of weird. (Casey Jarman)

inkoma.com / komakino fanzine
That Miss is whiskered, - actually Miss Massive Snowflake is Shane De Leon, better known for His past in Rollerball, now at His first solo full-lenght release, - differently experimental than before, funky (Swing Of Hair), barely pop, swinging between groovy electronic tunes (Sunday, Monday), horns, banjo and world music (26 Names), - besides being crazy. Or sharp, You choose. As illustrated by a drawing on the pinky cover, Shane's Music is somewhat orchestrated, laptop or not, where The Mexican is a good song (and a funny video from Wyoming too..), - His voice is evocative and melodious, well harmonized by the drumming. Also the brief parenthesis of Cake is truly enjoyable, but i'm not sure what kind of album this really is. Like, there are several tracks where vocalists are under ten, - well, ok it's kind of anarchist but at the same time maybe.. disturbing to me? maybe just funny, and so breaking with everything - i'm talking of The Hunt, - or Who Wrecked the Party, where later Dj Faccia Di Merda (in italian, DJ Crap Face) starts rapping, - disturbing at least as the flies over Shane's face on the CD envelope. But, You cannot but smile later as You're watching the above mentioned kids dancing in Who Wrecked the Party video, filmed in a kindergarten. An album constructed with ambiance and light experimentalism, yet not forgetting the sense of rhythm, groove, and with an eye to the political catastrophe, and last but not least, Music is not for adults only. - I'm pretty curious to see His live performance downhere .

Foxy Digitalis

When I first heard this CD I found it really appealing – quirky melodies with charmingly outmoded samples thrown in here and there, a reference-loaded pop sensibility, a deliberately naïve stenciled cover and a nice project name, too. I could even enjoy those children's voices that recur throughout the CD, although I must admit that I generally doubt the necessity of granting any attention to singing children. However, after having listened to it several times and with closer attention to the lyrics I got confused and this confusion has not left me since. I still like the colorful eclecticism and tongue-in-cheek theatricality of the music, but then I keep wondering if it is really all as ironic as it initially appeared to be? Cynicism doesn't seem to be Miss Massive Snowflakes' thing. However, lines such as "throw the bombs away/cause peace never stays/when power is at play" risk becoming cheesy if the musical context doesn't reflect on their superficiality – and I'm not sure if Massive Snowflake is successful at that. And are (pre-?)teens and kindergarten-aged kids mocking (deliberately or not) the standardized coolness of rap or electroclash really funny or just nerve wrecking?
In general I would appreciate a work's potential to confuse me, but also in regard to this I'm not so sure about Miss Massive Snowflake. So – what to do now? The CD includes some short videos, and after having seen the kindergarten crowd performing I'm at least sure that they had a good time, while there is no reason for me to watch that film again. As said, Miss Massive Snowflake's approach is charming, but the more I think about it, it turns out that what could have been a great cartoon-version of DIY electro pop doesn't hold what it seemed to promise – at least not for me. 5/10 -- Magnus Schaefer

German Reviews

Rotorfaden.org
Shane De Leon, dem ein oder anderen eventuell als Ex-Sänger und Trompeter der Portlander Experimental-Combo ROLLERBALL bekannt, legt unter dem Synonym MISS MASSIVE SNOWFLAKE in Form von "Queen's Headache" sein erstes Soloalbum vor. In seiner langjährigen Musikerlaufbahn stand der Mann aus Portland, Oregon bereits u.a. mit SOLEX, OVO, 31 KNOTS und THE ART OF FLYING im Studio sowie mit BLACK HEART PROCESSION und Bill Horist auf der Bühne.
Verbindendes Element all dieser Projekte ist wohl der Anspruch an den Ausdruck der den Musikern inne wohnenden Eigenwilligkeit; ein Anspruch der auch in De Leons künstlerischen Schaffen nicht aus Berechnung, sondern als Notwendigkeit zum Ausdruck kommt. Seine Soloaktivität ist deutlich von den experimentellen Ansätzen dieser Projekte gezeichnet, verfolgt aber sicher einen anderen Pfad der musikalischen Entfaltung. Behutsam, fast sanft versucht er den Hörer an der Hand zu nehmen und ihm seine Message unterzuschieben. Musikalisch bewegt sich MISS MASSIVE SNOWFLAKE dabei immer zwischen kindergartentauglichem Elektro-Klamauk und nach sonderbaren Ausdruck suchendem, "ernstem" Klangmaterial. Verpackt in 14 eigenwillig instrumentierten – viel Bläser, viel Elektro-Spielerei, dezente Perkussion, verhältnismäßig wenig Saiten-Instrumente – und mit zahlreichen Kinderstimmen angereicherten Stücken transportiert Shane de Leon seine überaus direkten Anprangerungen von Missständen (z.B. "Bombs away, because peace never stays when power is at play.") einerseits, aber auch eine gewisse Komik ("Who wrecked the party acting arty farty, had us screaming Lordy Lordy, almost pushing forty? Miss Massive Snowflake just finished off the cupcakes that Jessica baked, the kind you can't fake") andererseits.
Ernsthaftigkeit und Spaß finden bei MISS MASSIVE SNOWFLAKE in Musik und Text genügend Raum und halten sich angenehm die Waage, so dass das Album weder in Kopflastigkeit erstickt, noch in völligem Herumalbern versinkt. Das Artwork, bestehend aus Zeichnungen sowie Fotos vom Künstler himself, unterstreichen die Unmittelbarkeit des Albums und runden den guten Gesamteindruck ab. Eine schicke, sehr persönliche Kompilierung von nicht ganz einfachem Klangmaterial.
Konstantin Hanke

trust-zine.de
Hinter dem Debüt Album von Miss Massive Snowflake steht die ex-Rollerball Sängerin und Trompeterin Shane de Leon. Wie kommt aus Portland und ist schon seit vielen Jahren aktive Musikerin. Auf dem Album zu hören sind leichte elektronische Klänge die den Rhythmus formen, zu dem Shane singt, Trompete spielt und jede Menge Sample Spielereien laufen lässt. Dabei wirkt das allerdings alles nicht aufdringlich. Die Songs gehen beinahe in Richtung von entspannter Lunge Musik oder was auch immer und über weite Strecken singt Shane auch gar nicht. Wenn sie aber singt, dann mit zuckersüsse leiser Stimme. Eine weitere Spielerei sind jede Menge Samples von Kinderstimmen und Kinderchören, die sich Shane wohl tatsächlich auch ins Studio einlud. Ein fröliches aber irgendwie auch trotz der Elektronik Hippie mässiges Album. Als Bonus gibt es ganze fünf Videos zu betrachten. (andreas).

ox-fanzine.de
Shane de Leon, wie MISS MASSIVE SNOWFLAKE im richtigen Leben heißt, ist schon seit gut eineinhalb Jahrzehnten aktiv, hat mit 31 KNOTS aufgenommen und stand mit BLACK HEART PROCESSION auf der Bühne. "Queen's Headache" ist allerdings sein erstes Soloalbum, eine Tour de Force durch Pop und Experimentalmusik, Americana und Electronica, Rock und Jazz. Der exaltierte, opernhafte Gesang, die Elektronik, die mal nur rhythmisch eingesetzt wird, mal fast nur Störgeräusche produziert, die weichen Melodien, all das erinnert beim ersten Hören stark an XIU XIU. Doch die vierzehn Songs sind weitaus abwechslungsreicher, eigenständiger, als dass ein einfacher Vergleich genügen würde. Denn mit Schubladen ist es hier nicht getan, zu eingängig sind manche Lieder, zu sperrig andere. Shane de Leon hat das Album im Alleingang eingespielt und aufgenommen, die Cover-Illustration veranschaulicht das: Neben einer kleinen Figur stehen Computer und Gitarre, darüber, in einer riesigen Blase, versammeln sich Bass, Trompete, Tuba, Klarinette, Saxofon, Schlagzeug und und und. Und so stehen sich auch auf dem Album Dance-Pop-Songs, HipHop-Beats und akustische Jazz/Postrock-Elemente gegenüber. (6) (Chris Wilpert)

Sellfish.de
North Pole Records und ihre Künstlerin Miss Massive Snowflake, welcher eigentlich ein Mann ist, vereint die gleiche Herkunft: Beide stammen aus Portland, Oregon; der Metropole im pazifischen Nordwesten. Shane de Leon, der bereits mit den großartigen 31 Knots zusammen gearbeitet hat, bildet dabei das klare Zentrum der Formation: "Queen's Headache" (North Pole Records/Import) wurde von ihm entworfen, konzipiert und umgesetzt. Dabei scheint er doch ein notorischer Schwerenöter zu sein: Vieles hier wirkt (bewusst) nur angerissen, nachhaltige Momente lassen sich kaum finden - dafür jede Menge Klamauk. Unterstützung fand er dennoch bei einer ganzen Reihe von Gastmusikern, welche das beinahe Comic-hafte Werk zu einer kurzfristig unterhaltsamen Angelegenheit machen: Feines Artwork, 15 Tracks und eine handvoll weiterer Quicktime-Videos sorgen zudem für value-for-money. Dem quantitativen Gegenwert wird durch die bruchstückhaften Songskizzen allerdings nicht qualitativ entsprochen. Weshalb "Queen's Headache" nur für Kuriositäten-Sammler attraktiv sein wird.

Wordpress.com
Gestern abend bin ich durch Zufall auf eine Veranstaltung aus der You Need Friends Not Diskos - Reihe geraten. Ein Kumpel schaute aus der Messe der MS Stubnitz und ganz schnell waren es drei Köpfe, die sich aus dem Fenster streckten. Nach kurzer Überlegeung war ich überzeugt und der geplante Spaziergang zugunsten eines Besuchs auf dem Schiff gecancelt. Da ich sonst nur im Rahmen der You Need 3000° Parties im JAZ als Gast auf YNFND Veranstaltungen war überraschte zunächst die Deko, denn das Bardeck, auf dem sich alles abspielte , war schwerstens auf gemütlich dekoriert. Doch ein noch viel krasseren Kontrast zu den üblichen Stubnitzparties und dem Ambiente des Schiffs an sich stellte die Musik bzw. der Auftritt von Miss Massive Snowflake dar. Insgesamt waren nur wenig Menschen anwesend, so dass die Atmosphäre zunächst sehr intim war und so der Auftritt eine besondere Intensität erzeugte. Während des Konzerts schoß mir dann die Frage in den Kopf, warum mich das jetzt alles so überrascht und vielleicht auch ein wenig befremdete. Musikalisch kamen mir an einigen Stellen Assoziationen zu Xiu Xiu, die ich immerhin sehr gerne mag. Eine mögliche Antwort war, dass ich immer noch und vor allem in Bezug auf mein "Ausgehverhalten" an proletarischen Subkulturen orientiert bin. Die Fortsetzung von Oi! mit anderen Mitteln. Vielleicht war es das, vielleicht auch was anderes. Vielleicht war es auch einfach das erste Mal und es gibt (noch) keine vergleichbaren Veranstaltungen. Ein weitere Assoziation lies mich an einen bahamas-hörigen, krawall-antideutschen (nun ja wie soll man sagen) Kumpel (?) denken. In seiner Version der Hölle könnte Miss Massive Snowflake den ganzen Tag performen. Ein Mann der von zerbrechlich über gekünstelt bis hin zu theatralisch eine Menge Facetten von Ausdrucksweisen durchspielte, die diesem "Kumpel" alle samt unerträglich sind. Darüber hinaus hat Miss Massive Snowflake sich inhaltlich auch noch an den großen Klischees von Amerika abgearbeitet. Es wäre eine nette Vorstellung plumpe Antideutsche damit zu martern.
Wie bereits erwähnt war das Bardeck sehr auf größtmögliche Gemütlichkeit hin eingerichtet. So saß ich dann noch für ein paar Biere mit Freunden in den Sitzsäcken, die auf dem Boden verteilt lagen und führte nette Unterhaltungen. Dabei wurde der Plan geschmiedet am 26. April nach Hamburg zu fahren und sich Skream im Hafenklang anzuschauen.
Insgesamt wurde das nur noch mal vor die Tür gehen und sich die Beine vertreten also zu einem unverhofft guten Abend. Und vielleicht ist es auch mal Zeit den Menschen zu danken die diese Abende auf dem Schiff zu schönen machen. Danke!

Kleinezeitung.at
Who wrecked the party?", fragen die kinder. War es Miss Massive Snowflake? Oder besser: wird er es sein? Wir hoffen doch sehr!
Shane de Leon ist ein mensch der musik macht. Zum beispiel mit den experimentellen Rollerball oder mit bands wie 31 Knots oder Six Foot Sloth. Aber nicht nur musik macht dieser mensch, sondern auch sowas was mit K beginnt und sowas was mit C beginnt, comics also – unter dem namen Starbage Can. Veröffentlicht in Top Shelf Comics, Hypno Magazine and Genetic Disorder.
Diesen Mittwoch konzentrieren wir uns allerdings vollkommen auf Miss Massive Snowflake's musik, die auch was comichaftes hat. Sehr bunt, vielfältig und auf eine gewisse art unmöglich. Da mischen sich Country, HipHop, Rock und was nicht noch alles zu einem klaustrophoben ganzen. Ausschnitte aus dialogen, fragmente von naiven kinderstimmen, elektronische samples und dunkle beats vermengen sich zu einer schrägen popmusik, die in all ihrer comichaftigkeit dann auch wieder wie ein möglicher soundtrack zu einem film noir des 22. jahrhunderts klingt

Intro 160

Kurisoes Soloprojekt aus Portland, das Kinder und deren Texte in schrottigen Electropop einbindet. Neoangin minus Pop, Solex minus Drive, Danielson Famile minus Famile.


Italian Reviews

Sodapop.it
sProprio di recente ho avuto il grande piacere di ascoltarmi in anteprima l'ultimo Rollerball e per l'ennesima volta mi sono domandato come mai dopo tutti questi anni, svariati tour ed una serie di dischi davvero belli siano sempre stati presi sottogamba. Miss Massive Snowflake altri non è che Shane De Leon, un Rollerball storico che si è dato alla carriera solista. Venendo da Portland (oltre a Rollerball dirò solo Jackie O' Motherfucker) il suo disco è intriso di fricchettonate assortite ma nonostante ciò e nonostante l'atmosfera più o meno acida di tutto il cd, direi che si tratti di un disco di canzoni e per di più molto orecchiabili, a tratti strane, ma orecchiabili.
Dura trovare tutte le influenze con cui identificare un lavoro di questo tipo anche se manderei tutti a casa facendo un facile parallelo con il Beck più cazzone, ma credo che andreste vicini se provaste ad immaginarvi Prince periodo Around The World In A Day (e quindi il più freak), virato ex Rollerball e con qualche trashata elettropop in più. Il disco come era facile immaginare è molto eterogeneo e molto strano, si passa dalla canzoncina sghemba cavalcata dalla voce di un bambino al pezzo pseudo hip-hop alla Panjabi MC. Le parti con la voce del bambino mi ricordano un disco di Jad Fair dedicato ai mostri più famosi in cui suo nipote presenta Dracula, Godzilla, Frankenstein, etc. In mezzo a 'sto paesaggio da giardino d'infanzia per matti c'è spazio anche per una serie di pezzi a metà fra marcette da orchestra e trovate minchione stile Zappa, anzi il disco come spirito è più zappiano di parecchie cose che riprendono il sobillatore dei Mothers Of Invention. A parte tutto, Beck e Bob Geldof se non avessero avuto nulla da perdere forse sarebbero riusciti a registrare roba del genere, si può già vincere un premio per questa cosa? Non saprei, ma se avete un certo feeling per i cantautori minchioni che scrivono canzoni, Miss Massive Snowflake è qui e fra poco sarà anche in tour in Italia.
(Andrea Ferraris)


sentireascoltare.com
L'uomo è Shane De Leon, già trombettista e vocalist nei Rollerball, scellerati sperimentatori da Portland. Il progetto Miss Massive Snowflake lo vede a capo di un manipolo di incalcolabili compagni di merende (provenienti da un numero non meglio precisato di band), armata brancaleone col cuore indomito, la verve genialoide ed il fare sgangherato per una calligrafia tutta sconcerto e apprensione, una svampita meraviglia innervata di psichedelia amarognola capace d'impastare soul, hip-hop, country ed electro-pop come un Prince sballottato Beta Band (Swing Of Hair), così come di evoluzioni wave-soul che stemperano Jim O'Rourke e i primi Ultravox! (Fossil Fissure), per non dire del Brian Eno abbacinato Sparklehorse in Cake o del sarcasmo rap da sbrago Beastie Boys in Who Wrecked The Party.
Tastierine e sbuffi di tromba, cinguettii sintetici e strali di banjo, drum machine e spiattate friabili, ruvidi miraggi di chitarra e quei bambini chiamati a cantare con implume seriosità tipo la Guns Of Brixton di Sandinista (vedi The Hunt). Eppoi il ciondolio obliquo nel blando-funk di Bombs Away, come una flebo di sdegno non convenzionale, che a guardar bene innerva tutto quel fare misticanza di folk residuo, solluchero errebì, dance-funk vetrosa, gospel marziale e brama spacey. L'effetto è vagamente zappiano anzi meglio pensare a dei Country Joe And The Fish centrifugati, strizzati, infeltriti, implosi nel vago senso d'impotenza d'oggidì. Considerati anche i video ad alzo zero reperibili nell'edizione enhanced del cd, otteniamo una malferma, palpitante, fragile, schizofrenica, in fin dei conti raccomandabile irrequietezza. Stefano Solventi

milano.zero.eu
Una volta il rock'n'roll era roba per adulti sbandati, drogati, alcolizzati, artisti ed urlatori.
Una volta appunto.
Prima gli Artic Monkeys si portano le mamme in tribuna, ora Shane de Leon (ex-Rollerball) mette su i Miss Massive Snowflake (versione invernale di Little Miss Shunshine) e per il tour del primo lp "Queen's Headache", si porta appresso mezza famiglia con annesso coro di voci bianche pre-maman.
Brani di durata minima: folk dadaista decisamente accattivante.
Poi magari dietro le quinte acchittano le strisce con i Plasmon e allora il rock'n'roll sarà di nuovo salvo.(Nicola Gerundino)

supermizzi
Nonostante lo pseudonimo al femminile, dietro Miss Massive Snowflake si cela Shane de Leon, vecchia conoscenza dell'underground a stelle e strisce in quanto voce e tromba dei Rollerball, band peraltro legata a filo doppio col nostro paese, viste le collaborazioni con l'etichetta italiana Wallace e con artisti come Ovo, Vonneumann e Jacopo Andreini. Shane realizza "Queen's Headache" con lo stesso spirito che ha contraddistinto anche le opere della band di provenienza, ovvero in assoluta anarchia creativa. Canzoni in cui ci sono chitarre e tastierine, ma anche fiati, con un effetto un po' musica da camera, un po' musica da cameretta. Le liriche sono spesso affidate alle ugole di due cantanti in erba, under 10, oltre alla voce ospite di Larry Yes. E poi spunta anche il nostro Jacopo Andreini, in versione dj, per i suoni di "Who Wrecked The Party". Cinque video allietano il cd, con immagini per lo più di vita campestre e casalinga. Insomma, una visione personale per una musica davvero libera (www.myspace.com/northpolerecordings).
Guido Siliotto

Blow Up
Shane De Leon (voce e tromba) invece se n' è proprio andato dal gruppo mettendosi in proprio col nome di Miss Massive Snowflake; ad aiutarlo in questo primo full length solista ha chiamato l'amico folkettaro Larry Yes alla voce in un paio di pezzi, tre voci bianche ai cori e alle voci e il "nostro" Dj Faccia Di Merda (aka Jacopo Andreini) che gli realizza tutta la musica di una traccia. Il risultato è un balzano disco di art-rock piú sperimentaloide e modernista di quello dei Dramady ma ugualmente canterburiano fino al midollo (difficile pensarlo altrimenti, data la provenienza), ora curiosamente vicino agli Xiu Xiu (Bombs Away, the Hunt, Fossil Fissure), ora sottoposto a trattamenti ritmici in levare (Swing for Hair, Meredith) e addirittura hip hop (Who Wrecked The Party) o puramente dance (I Don't Know). Idee ce ne sono ma tutto è troppo frammentario ed estemporaneo per convincere.

inkoma.com / komakino fanzine
- Attenzione che quella miss ha la barba, - dato che trattasi del progetto solista di Shane De Leon, meglio conosciuto per il diLui passato nei Rollerball, qui alla Suo primo disco, - differentemente sperimentale che pria, funky (Swing Of Hair), a malapena pop, altalenando godibili tracce elettroniche (Sunday, Monday), corni, banjo, della worldmusic (26 Names), - oltre al fatto di essere pazzo. O geniale, decidete Voi. Come illustrato dal disegno sulla copertina rosa fucsia, la Musica di Shane è piuttosto orchestrata, laptop o no, dove The Mexican è una buona canzone (e anche un video divertente girato con gli amici nel Wyoming), - la Sua voce è evocativa e melodiosa, - ben armonizzata dalle percussioni. Anche la breve parentesi di Cake è degna di nota, ma cmq non sono sicuro di che sorta di album sia questo in verità. Ad esempio, ci sono diverse tracce dove a cantare sono dei bambini sotto i dieci anni, - ok, cosa piuttosto anarchica, ma allo stesso tempo.. di disturbo? Almeno per me. Forse è divertente, e spezza con tutto, - ma parlando di The Hunt, o di Who Wrecked the Party, - dove poi comincia a reppare tale DJ Faccia di Merda (proprio con nome in italiano), - direi che il tutto risulta disturbante, almeno quanto le mosche sulla faccia di Shane nella bustina del CD. Poi ok, torni a sorridere quando nel video della canzone, girato in un asilo, vedi questi ragazzini cantare e ballare. Un album costruito su ambienti e leggero sperimentalismo, senza dimenticare il senso del ritmo, il groove, e con un occhio alla catastrofe politica, - e ultimo ma non proprio, la regola è che la Musica non è solo per gli adulti. - Sono piuttosto curioso di vederlo live nella ventura primavera in italia.

Click Here to read an interview with Shane de Leon about being a musician, artist, and father in QRD magazine in May 2007.


Bender
released January 2006


The Broken Face
Miss Massive Snowflake is Shane de Leon, well known for his work with the much-heralded Rollerballcombo out of Portland, Oregon. Bender is a perplexing 3" CD-R that comes with a nicely packaged full color comic about animals with Tourette's syndrome, or gender/species bending bunnies. As this description might suggest this release is one of the oddest things I've heard/seen all year but this is not just weirdness for the sake of it as it overflows with musical curiosity and charm. We get 10 tracks packed with child and adult vocals, samples, electronic claustrophobia, murky beats, fragmentized acoustic snippets, introspective horn sections, noise, subtle pop elements and the occasional feedback attack that clock in at just over 16 minutes and to tell you the truth this length is probably ideal for this somewhat schizophrenic sound affair. I can't really say what it is about this disc that makes it work so successfully but I like it a lot and some of you might do the same so feel free to contact the North Pole label at: starbagehands-at-yahoo.com.
Mats @ The Broken Face


KFJC
Positively excellent electro-experiments & minimalist pop from Portland, Oregon! Kids cry out as low fi bass drums crackle and thud. Buried spoken word rants and high pitch screams register simultaneously as the schizo rhythm ensues. One and a two and a Scooby Dooby Doo initiates the stutter stop electronic shop. Acoustic melody strums softly over muted horn whomps. Instructional trumpet tunes about tying up balloons introduce the squeaking twisting sounds of multi-colored air-filled latex before hitting the reverse loop button. Mike Patton-esqu monologues offer languid yet verbose imagery about animals, enemies, carnage, and, decay over stumbling deep jug plops and popcorn snaps. Programmed mid-tempo synth keys modulate clinking sleazy beats and low end groove as grizzled spy guitar slips in and out of the shadows. Synths mutate into sustained organ tones as terrible tykes spew unintelligible utterances. Nocturnal bossa nova masks wobbly metallic sheets and sets the pace for brass horn excursions into bambino babblings. Artificial gongs & bell rings and acoustic nylon string guitar produce melodious sounds for mellow new wave pop. Echoing helicopter vibrations underscore the alternating scratch samples and casio piano. Weird and semi-structured wonders spark intrigue! Such splendid enchanting irregularity from Rollerball's, Shane de Leon would certainly match up with Monster Dudes, but with diminished discord and improvisation tendencies. File under strangely fucking awesome audio gender bending!
Guy Montag@KFJC


Terrascope Online
For ten years Shane De Leon has been a member of Rollerball, as well recording with a host of other artists, drawing comics and exhibiting his artwork. Now, he has put all this together under the name Miss Massive Snowflake and released a 16 minutes, 10 track 3" CD called "Bender" which, whilst having the experimental spirit of Rollerball very much evident, is a different creature, full of vibrancy and a cut and paste techniques that means images come and go through your brain before you have fully processed them. The accompanying comic repeats the trick, the animal characters plagued by Tourettes and living in a surreal shifting world. Yes, this is a great CD, there is no time to be bored the songs are intriguing, holding your interest throughout, with the recorded (and suitably treated) voices of children adding a playground atmosphere to the pieces. Also available from the same artist is a self-titled three-track disc (also 3") that has a more song-based acoustic feel with "Racoon Eyes" being particularly effective, sounding like Beck meeting the Beta Band, whilst "Dead Of Night"is a beautifully poetic dirge with some great electronics underneath.
Simon Lewis @ Terrascope


Portland Mercury
For the last 10 years, Shane de Leon has been vocalist and multi-instrumentalist in Portland's best and most underappreciated band. Shane recently left Rollerball to concentrate on real life and his solo project, Miss Massive Snowflake. His often unpredictable contributions regularly pushed the group into uncomfortable places where only certain factions of the audience dared tread. I saw him carve open his arm with a broken pint glass at the much missed club EJ's back in the late '90s in front of a crowd of 20. More recently, his voice has created blissful harmonies with Rollerball's other lead vocalist Mae Starr. I wish I could say that I'll miss Shane, but really, he's still here. His tenure was very well documented on album after album and show after show. Bereft of his occasional "nails on chalkboard" lapses into freestyle humor, the group will be more streamlined then ever. There's no question that Mae's voice alone could carry any band, anywhere. This is not an ending so much as Chapter 1, Book 7. I'm pretty sure in this book, Rollerball graduates from Wizard School and destroys the fucking universe

The Devil has the best Tuna
Miss Massive Snowflake is the nom de plume of the most definitely masculine Shane de Leon previously of musical experimentationalists Rollerball. In additon to his work on Miss Massive Snowflake he has recorded with a multitude of bands including 31 Knots, Six Foot Sloth and Narwhal vs. Narwhal and regularly exhibits artwork in Portland, San Diego, and Milan, Italy. The multi talented Mr de Leon has also published 9 comics under the title Starbage Can and has had his art featured in Top Shelf Comics, Hypno Magazine, and Genetic Disorder.

The claustrophobic music of Miss Massive Snowflake is like the soundtrack to an unsettling film noir from the 22nd Century. It's jam packed with snatched samples of dialogue, fragments of naive childlike vocals (check out the truly scary 'The Hunt' on the MMS myspace site) , electronic samples and sombre beats that congeal into a wierd pop from an alternative dimension like Barry Adamson and Beck playing name that tune with the The Beta Band.


Willamette Week
Miss Massive Snowflake, The Next Door Neighbors, Chair Project, Rainstick Cowbell 10/24/2007
PSYCHEDELECTRONIC If you wanna hear some weird shit, go see Miss Massive Snowflake. Electro beats mingle with the sound of children spouting bipolar-sounding things and frontman Shane de Leon (ex-Rollerball) half-singing (he sounds sorta like the Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt) short stories that might not seem so unsettling if it weren't for the mechanical drones and guitar feedback swelling up the tracks. It's cool stuff, and more importantly, adventurous. You ought to open your mind to this freakout. CASEY JARMAN. Goodfoot Lounge. 10 pm. $5. 21+.
Miss Massive Snowflake, Bill Horist, DJ Nate C 07/03/2006
NOISE POP Shane de Leon, a.k.a. Miss Massive Snowflake, is a damn fine artist, giving us the Starbage Can comic books and gracing the covers of many an underground record with his...ummmmm...swell paintings (I'm a MUSIC writer dammit!). But he also has a voice sort of like Matt Berninger, the cocky dude from the National with the wicked baritone. That is, when he sings anyhow: Expect some "little kid" samples, a touch of the good ole noise and a general roundtable of genre appropriation. Good stuff. MICHAEL BYRNE.Tube. 9:30 pm. $3. 21+