“Todd Snider (has) the heart and humor of John Prine, the wild unpredictability of Roger Miller, and a fresh, original spirit and freedom of imagination that’s absolutely his own.” --Kris Kristofferson

“Of all the young singer-songwriters out there, I think Todd Snider is the best.” --Jerry Jeff Walker

Keith Richards said humor was rock and rolls greatest weapon, Bob Dylan proved it and Snider takes it to heart. For twelve years, Snider has been a satirist, class cutup and the rare artist who understands and celebrates the connections between the Stones, Dylan, Bill Hicks, John Prine, Mitch Hedberg, Kris Kristofferson, Hunter S. Thompson and Randy Newman. Sniders records are fun even when they arent being funny, funny even when theyre sad, and no less truthful for the laughs.

Which brings us to The Devil You Know, a sparkling, smiling, snarling portrait of the doomed.

I was angry because I had no shoes til I saw a man who had no feet. Now Im really pissed off, he explained. If youre going to accept your fate, you might have to accept fate as your enemy.

Things dont end well, you know. But Snider has a unique way of sidling up to a topic, spinning a yarn, making you chuckle amidst all the sinister stuff going down. Theres an edge to what hes done over seven albums, and this eighth album hones that edge. Its not any more a concept album than many others all albums come from concepts but its as direct an attack as this master of the odd, oblique angle has ever waged.