Snail Mail is the American indie rock solo project of guitarist and singer-… Read Full Bio ↴Snail Mail is the American indie rock solo project of guitarist and singer-songwriter Lindsey Jordan. In 2015, she started playing her songs live with her band and released the EP Habit in 2016. Snail Mail's debut studio album, Lush, was released on June 8, 2018. Snail Mail's music is heavily guitar-inspired.

Lindsey Jordan released her self-recorded solo EP Sticki in 2015 and played several live shows with her new band as Snail Mail. She was joined by Ryan Vieira playing bass and Shawn Durham on the drums. After completing one short DIY tour in 2016, Jordan released the EP titled Habit on Sister Polygon Records, which gained traction after being featured on several major US music sites, and they signed with Ground Control Touring. Pitchfork added the EP's opening track "Thinning” to their Best New Track series.

Snail Mail, with bassist Alex Bass and drummer Ray Brown, toured North America extensively 2017 supporting Priests, Girlpool, Waxahatchee and Beach Fossils. Jordan signed with Matador Records in September 2017 and the group's debut full-length album Lush was released on June 8th, 2018. The Snail Mail band played their first headliner tour in the beginning of 2018.

In 2019, Habit was rereleased via Matador Records along with the song “The 2nd Most Beautiful Girl In The World”.

On November 5, 2021, Snail Mail released their second studio album, Valentine, via Matador Records. The album hit number 61 on US Billboard charts and number 35 on UK and Australian charts and it was nominated for two Libera awards in 2022.

On her 2018 debut album Lush, seventeen-year-old Lindsey Jordan sang “I’m in full control / I’m not lost / Even when it’s love / Even when it’s not”. Her natural ability to be many things at once resonated with a lot of people. The contradiction of confidence and vulnerability, power and delicacy, had the impact of a wrecking ball when put to tape. It was an impressive and unequivocal career-making moment for Jordan.

On Valentine, her sophomore album out November 5th on Matador, Lindsey solidifies and defines this trajectory in a blaze of glory. In 10 songs, written over 2019-2020 by Jordan alone, we are taken on an adrenalizing odyssey of genuine originality in an era in which “indie” music has been reduced to gentle, homogenous pop composed mostly by ghostwriters. Made with careful precision, Valentine shows an artist who has chosen to take her time. The reference points are broad and psychically stirring, while the lyrics build masterfully on the foundation set by Jordan’s first record to deliver a deeper understanding of heartbreak.

Current accompanying band
Alex Bass – bass
Ray Brown – drums
Benjamin Kaunitz - guitar, backing vocals
Madeline McCormack - guitar, keyboards

Past members
Ryan Vieira – bass
Shawn Durham – drums

Dirt
Snail Mail Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Dirt
I've been down countless halls
And once you've seen one it's like you've seen em' all

And i've seen two open doors
And I can't help but wonder what the second is for

I can't tell myself anything

Even when it feels so seamless
Even when it feels so seamless
Don't get caught in the dirt
The dirt

There's a weight and I feel it and it's pressing down
And it won't be for nothing
And it won't stick around

If it is about anything that I can fix
Than i'll see you on the other side if it really exists

I can't tell myself anything
Even when it feels so seamless
Even when it feels so seamless
Don't get caught in the dirt
The dirt

No more clean air
It burns my lungs
No more second guesses
I've had enough

Let's forget it now
Baby when i'm 30 i'll laugh about how dumb it felt
Baby when i'm 30 i'll laugh it out

And oh god it's not funny
It's not funny
It's not funny

But I know we can
Laugh it out

Overall Meaning

The song "Dirt" by Snail Mail seems to reflect on the feeling of being stuck in a mundane routine, going down the same hallways and seeing the same open doors. The lyrics seem to convey a sense of frustration at being unable to escape or change the current situation. The lines, "I can't tell myself anything, even when it feels so seamless" suggest that the singer is struggling to find motivation or a sense of purpose in these familiar surroundings.

The repeated phrase "Don't get caught in the dirt" seems to be a warning against becoming too comfortable or stagnant in this routine. The dirt could represent a metaphorical trap that holds back progress and growth. The weight that the singer mentions could also be another symbol of this burden and struggle to break free.

Towards the end of the song, the tone changes slightly as the singer starts to look towards the future. The phrase, "Let's forget it now, baby when I'm 30 I'll laugh about how dumb it felt" suggests that the singer is hopeful about eventually overcoming this struggle and finding a way out. The final lines, "And oh god it's not funny, but I know we can laugh it out" reinforce this sense of hopefulness and optimism.

Overall, "Dirt" seems to be a thought-provoking and introspective song, questioning the meaning of routine and the potential for growth and change.

Line by Line Meaning

I've been down countless halls
I've been through many experiences

And once you've seen one it's like you've seen em' all
And after a while, they all feel the same

And i've seen two open doors
And I've had a couple of opportunities

And I can't help but wonder what the second is for
And I can't stop thinking about what I missed out on

I can't tell myself anything
I can't convince myself of anything

Even when it feels so seamless
Even when everything seems to be going smoothly

Don't get caught in the dirt
Don't get stuck in a negative situation

The dirt
The negativity

There's a weight and I feel it and it's pressing down
There's a burden on me that's hard to bear

And it won't be for nothing
But it won't be meaningless