NewMusic First Spin: An Horse
December 14th, 2009
Brisbane, Australia’s An Horse sure have a way of ensuring they reflect the current state of music. First off, they’re a duo, and right now it doesn’t get any trendier being in a twosome (see No Age, Japandroids, Matt and Kim, etc.). Secondly, their music evokes that undeniable spirit of the ‘90s, when the term “alternative” found its legs. And well, touring with the likes of chart-topping alt-rockers like Tegan and Sara and Silversun Pickups certainly helps things.
Selecting Vancouver-based producer Howard Redekopp for their debut full-length then certainly made sense. Having previously recorded acts like Tegan and Sara, The New Pornographers and The Organ, An Horse positively make the most of his skills. Rearrange Beds comes alive with an effervescent spark, as if members Kate Cooper (vocals/guitars) and Damon Cox (drums/vocals) know they need to give it more than a band twice their size.
But the songs are efficient and electric, relying on bursting fuzz and boy-girl harmonies to fill the sorts of holes that come with such a meagre line-up. They get scrappy with their distortion on tracks like “Postcards” and “Little Little Little,” but Cooper’s voice, stays rich and clean for her pensive prose, recalling an inflection like a younger, Aussie Neko Case.
Is it a coincidence that they drop a line as enticing as “Like that good Hole album, I can live through this”? Likely not. An Horse seem unabashed about looking back a decade. And with songs as anthemic and tightly knit as these, more power to them for picking up on a good thing.
Artist: An Horse
Album: Rearrange Beds
Genre: Indie Rock
Author: Cam Lindsay
First Spin Live Until: December 28, 09
Tracklisting:
- Camp Out
- Postcards
- Company
- Horizons
- Rearrange Beds
- Little Little Little
- Little Lungs
- Scared As F**k
- Shoes Watch
- Listen
Tags: an horse, first spin
Posted on Monday, December 14th, 2009 at 11:07 am by Alberto and is filed under Reviews.
