In no particular order…

Chuck Ragan – Country Gold 2009

Label:       SideOneDummy

Genre:       Acoustic

Website:   www.myspace.com/chuckragan

Very impressive “country” album from the Hot Water Music vocalist/song writer Chuck! I’ve been listening to this guy sing and scream for over 10 years and he has never failed to impress. The first few solo acoustic songs that he put out a few years ago were very good but I never expected a full album of well written and interesting songs, not to even mention the switch from electric rock to country/folk. Chuck really showed that he can write timeless songs in whatever way he wants, if there is anyone in the “alternative music” scene that can claim better song writing credentials I have no idea who it is.

Strung Out – Agents of the Underground 2009

Label:     Fat Wreak Chords

Genre:    Punk

Website:   www.strungout.com/

7th album from another band I’ve been listening to for over 10 years and I’m still impressed. Strung out has continued to put out high quality albums year after year. When many of their contemporaries either quit or only put out a few songs every 4 years, Strung Out is still producing the goods, and when the slew of new teenage “punks” put out their myspace “albums”, Strung Out is giving us matured and crafted melodic punk with clever lyrics and interesting arrangements. They have evolved and gotten better like a fine wine, but they are still the same Strung Out I fell in love with in the mid-90s.

Propaghandi - Supporting Caste 2009

Label:     Smallman Records

Genre:    punkrock

Website:   http://www.myspace.com/propagandhi

Another high quality punkrock album from some oldschool punkrockers that are still doing it better then anyone else. Intelligent lyrics covering a vast array of social and political issues, they support activist organizations through their album sales and benefit shows for children in the middle east and dvd’s for Canada’s native peoples. True Punk. Capital T capital P.

Lyrics to Supporting Caste :
When the credits finally roll
for this, the worst story ever told,
don’t bother sifting through the names
for yours or anyone you know.
Unless they were by chance a shepherd king,
a virgin birth, a resurrection, a messianic prince
or some such childish thing.
You can storm the edit suite
or move to block its theatrical release,
but I think we can safely guarantee
that there will be no revisions to the script
made on behalf of a supporting cast(e).

The Dangerous Summer – Reach for the Sun 2009

Label:    Hopeless Records

Genre:     Rock

Website: www.myspace.com/dangeroussummer

I probably listened to this album a few thousand times this year. It doesn’t even have those catchy sing-along chorus lines, it’s just good stuff.

Dredg – The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion 2009

Label:   ILG

Genre:   Progressive Rock

Website:    www.dredg.com

I first became aware of this band with their 2005 album Catch Without Arms and I’m definitely hooked now, they have a very unique style of groovy and also oddly sparse rock that makes me think they must “jam” for long hours to find the interesting little passages that they work into the standard rock format. These guys also paint, and raffle their paintings off at shows! how cool is that. Also I worked with a guy this year that had a series of tattoos down his right arm from the art on the 2005 album.

It Prevails – Capture and Embrace 2009

Label:   Rain City Records

Genre:    Melodic metal?

Website:      www.myspace.com/itprevails

Straight foreword melodic metalcore, listened to this lots o times, does a good job of combining the heavy and the catchy.

A Death In The Family – Small Town Stories 2009

Label:     Resist/Poison City

Genre:     Indie Rock

Website:   www.myspace.com/adeathinthefamily

Second album from this aussie indie rock band, they have an interesting style, kind of quirky and I dig it!

Those Who Lie Beneath – An Awakening 2009

Label:    Rise Records

Genre:   Metal

Website: www.myspace.com/thosewholiebeneath

Extremely heavy and chaotic metal from Oregon very impressive for a debut album. Technique-wise these guys prove they can pull off just about anything, I’ll be looking forward to seeing them carve out a style all their own with the next album.

HORSE the band – Desperate Living 2009

Label:  Vagrant Records

Genre:   Nintendo-core

Website:  www.horsetheband.com/

My favorite band photo ever. If you ever think the “scene” is getting stale, check out HORSE the band, funny, creative, and just plain great. I’ve liked this band since R. Borlax but I think this latest album covers some new ground  and shows that they can do more then just write whacky songs about whatever, this is darker and more focused I think. Plus they use clips from the Adult Swim show “Xavier: Renedage Angel”.

Converge – Axe to Fall 2009

Label: Epitaph

Genre:   Hardcore Gods?

Website:  www.convergecult.com/

Well it’s Converge. What else is there to say? I’m sure I’ll always think Jane Doe is the greatest album ever but this is probably my favorite Converge album since then.

I had a hard time picking out only 10 this year, and I couldn’t number them 1,2,3  either, too hard, and they are all great, but here are some honorable mentions:

Pelican-What_We_All_Come_To_Need-2009
Isis_-_Wavering_Radiant_2009
Emery_-_In_Shallow_Seas_We_Sail
Polar_Bear_Club-Chasing_Hamburg-2009
Sigur_R0s_-_We_Play_Endlessly

Horse the Band, really?

I can see myself thinking this is sooooo cool, ’cause I’m like you know, so groovy dude. This is so original because I don’t know shit, bro. My knowledge of music is so good dude, I fucking know that this band is the shit ’cause they mix Nintendo and metal together. It’s the new trendy shit, man: Nintendocore. Don’t  take it from me, that’s how they describe themselves. I love whatever is original, like Nintendocore. If it were generated randomy by some script, I’d love it still, as long as it’s original. Those time signatures allow me to claim credibility, even if they don’t make any sense.

—————————————————————–

 IWABO is a joke, a fake product like a lot of trendy crap with a pathetic lack of real originality. Horse the Band comes up with a concept that appeals to people who think that a Nintendo NES is the epitome of music. Fine. Or not. They play their junk on SiriusXM. So, someone somewhere  thinks we are dumb enough to like Horse the Band; hey, we went along with IWABO… This is sad.

I recently planned a trip to Chicago to see the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum (NVVAM). I first found out about it on an episode of Wife Swap or Trading Spouses (whichever spouse exchange reality TV show CMT has). Unfortunately the reality TV show crap obscured the finer details of the NVVAM, but the ceiling has thousands of dogtags hanging from it and it kind of looks like the surface of a lake when the air moves. After touring the museum, I plan to hit up South Coast Sushi Bar for, what I’ve been told is, the best sushi in town. Rounding out the night will be a most epic event. Norma Jean AND The Chariot at Reggie’s Rock Club. Yeah, I said it! NJ and The Chariot at the same venue which means I have an opportunity to see them perform “Memphis Will be Laid to Waste” with their original vocalist, Josh Scogin. I might even be really luck and that night could be one of the nights that Norma Jean plays all of BLESS THE MARTYR AND KISS THE CHILD (except for the one 15 minute track). Also on the bill that night are nintendocore gurus, HORSE the Band, and a band that I haven’t heard yet, Arsonists Get All the Girls. Ought to be a pretty rockin’ time!

I will be staying at a hotel in Chicago’s Chinatown which should also give me the opportunity to do an opportunity to use my language skill (or what is left of them).

I’ve never been to a show in Salisbury before and I have to say I didn’t enjoy it much to be honest. I think I was about 10 years older than everyone else there and everyone was “oh so cool”. I’m turning into a grumpy old man. Blakfish were amazing, I think they are a brilliant live band, really enthusiastic and entertaining. Horse The Band were also good, although the bass player was a little too aggro for my liking. So yeah, like I said… I’m getting old. Fact.

Mi papá está estrenando camioneta, camioneta nueva, estereo nuevo. Y estos nuevos discos me suenan todavia más fantásticos en él. Yeah.

01. “Estático” – Zurdok.
02. “Espiral” – Porter.
03. “Trouble” – Coldplay. (los BUENOS tiempos de Coldplay)
04. “Citizen Erased” – Muse. (los BUENOS tiempos de Muse)
05. “Store Bought Bones” – The Raconteurs.
06. “In the Castle” – Wolfmother. (han regresado, mas poderosos e inspirados que nunca)
07. “Eyes x 10″ – Fu Manchu. (lo mismo que Wolfmother)
08. “Black Egg” – Orange Goblin.
09. “Fossil Genera – A Feed From Cloud Mountain” – Between the Buried and Me. (impresionaaaaaaantes)
10. “Sunshine the Werewolf” – The Dillinger Escape Plan.
11. “Wrath Upon Ourselves” – As I Lay Dying.
12. “No Stars Over Bethlehem” – Protest the Hero.
13. “The Failure of All Things” – Horse The Band. (otro discazo de este año)
14. “Red Flags and Long Nights” – She Wants Revenge.
15. “All My Friends” – LCD Soundsystem.

Selbst wenn Horse the Band aktuell nicht mehr ganz zufrieden sind mit “A Natural Death” und es als “gezwungen” und “gefühlslos” bezeichnen, denke ich über das letzte Album der Band ganz anders. Klar, es war vollgepackt mit Einflüssen und Songs die konträrer kaum sein konnten, suhlte sich dabei in allerlei Soundscapes. Für meine Begriffe ging der Mix aus atmosphärischen Interludes, typisch durchgeknallten Parts und poppigen Hooks aber hervorragend auf. Außerdem schwebte über allen Songs der Gedanke des Wild West-Konzepts. Ich fands auf jeden Fall sehr frisch und unterhaltsam. Das neue Album “Desperate Living” folgt einigen Pfaden, die der Vorgänger vorgab, etwas konkreter. Selbst wenn es bescheuert wäre, Horse the Band nun als erwachsen oder ernsthaft zu bezeichnen… nunja, zumindest die Musik ist das in vielen Teilen definitiv. Wo es sich früher alles darum drehte möglichst wahnsinnige Songs zu kreieren, da geht man nun etwas songdienlicher und abgespeckter zu Werke. Schon der Opener “Cloudwalker” macht dies klar. Trotz des angeschrägten Beginns verläuft das Stück nie aus dem Rude und erinnert mit seinen Crew-Shouts zum Ende hin fast etwas an Enter Shikari. Der Titelsong “Desperate Living” gibt dann relativ früh die Richtung vor in die das Album gehen wird. Herausstechen tun vorallem die Keyboard-Sounds, die in ihrem Volumen eher an 80er-New-Wave-Acts denn an Nintendo-Gedüdel erinnert. Letzteres findet man zwar immer noch, tendenziell geht man mit den elektronischen Elementen dieses Mal aber in eine ernsthaftere Richtung. Das Keyboard wird zentralisiert und darf öfter denn je alleine im Raum stehen, statt als Begleitmusik zu fungieren. Weitere Highlights sind etwa “Science Police”, das vielleicht sogar das poppigste HTB-Stück überhaupt ist und einfach nur zum Tanzen anregt. In der inoffiziellen Bandhymne “Horse the Song” zeigt die Band, wie vielschichtig sie ist. Der Song ist zwar ebenfalls ein perfekter Partysong und dürfte schnell zum Live-Liebling (ich sage nur “1-2-3, H the B!!!” ) mutieren, bietet zum Ende hin aber auch diese atmosphärischen Synths. Überhaupt verstehen es Horse wieder hervorragend für zig Überraschunge zu sorgen. Aus dem anfangs ziemlich verschrobenen “Shapeshift” schält sich zum Ende hin, wie aus dem Nichts, eine unglaublich hitverdächtige Melodie hervor. So ungefähr läuft es mit den meisten Songs auf “Desperate Living” ab. Zwar bietet es eine ähnliche Mischung wie sein Vorgänger, wirkt musikalisch gesehen aber noch etwas dichter und versierter. Die Athmo-Parts sind nun etwa gut in die Songs verpackt, statt leer im Raum zu stehen. Außerdem ist “Desperate Living” trotz seiner, für Punk-Verhältnisse, statttlichen Spielzeit von 54 Minuten unglaublich kurzweilig. Es gibt zwar zwei, drei Songs, die dezent abfallen. Doch das kann man verkraften. Gerade weil es mit “Rape Escape” einen epischen Abschluss gibt – selbst wenn der richtige Closer erst kurz danach mit “Arrive” folgt. Inhaltlich lässt sich über das neue Horse-Album sagen, dass über dem Gesamtpaket kein grundsätzliches Thema mehr schwebt… doch auch “Desperate Living” macht schnell klar, in welche Richtung HTB gehen wollten. Das Zitat aus “Horse the Song” gibt dies wohl am Besten wider: “Living at the top, when you’re at the fucking bottom”. Anscheinend ist das Album, inhaltlich gesehen, stark durch die Welttournee der Band geprägt worden. Die im Booklet enthaltenen Pics sind wohl auch aus dieser Zeit.  Im Großen und Ganzen kann man nur begrüßen, dass es Horse geschafft haben wieder mal anders zu klingen, sich dabei ihre Markanz aber beizubehalten. Welches ihrer Alben nun am Besten ist, ist wohl Geschmackssache. Fakt ist, dass Horse the Band immer noch unglaublichen Spaß machen! 8/10

Story and Photos By: Steve Sawyer

View all of Steve’s HORSE The Band photos here.

HORSE The Band just unleashed their new album “Desperate Living,” and to celebrate, the band decided to bring their unique brand of blasphemous noise to the Eagle Rock Center for the Performing Arts for a record release party. But they also brought some friends along for the ride, in the forms of iwrestledabearonce, and Rolo Tomassi. So were they able to melt everyone’s faces off with the combined power of heavy metal and keyboards? For the most part, yes.

The opening bands borrowed/lend quite a bit to the type of sound that Horse has created. And while it would be completely unfair to label either of them as opportunistic, or derivative, it’s not completely unfair to say that they sounded very similar to one another. And interestingly enough, they were both fronted by female vocalists, both feature keyboardists, and both bands have five members. Matters of clarity were only made even more complex by the fact that both bands lead singers use an almost audible identical twin of a scream, with the only stand out moment of difference coming in the form of iwrestledabearonce’s Krista Cameron’s occasional Bjork inspired crooning, and Eva Spence’s blond hair to Krista Cameron’s brunette.

While both bands did a more than competent job of getting the crowd moving, and shaking, there’s definitely room for some expansion of sound for both camps, which isn’t a surprising thing in a genre that’s still wide open for experimentation. But at the same time, I think that for both of these bands, any type of overindulgence that only results in them falling further into their own rabbit hole would probably be a misstep, as others like Genghis Tron continue to paint some very frightening, and beautiful musical images that should serve as a creative template for those that are serious about progression, and intimidation for those that are content to settle. It’s one of those “only time will tell..” sort of situations, but the potential payoff, could be well worth the investment of risk.

By the time Horse took the stage, the audience was a healthy rock and roll mixture of half drunk, and sweaty excitement. So when the signature sound of Lord Gold’s keyboards filled the crowded auditorium, the response was predictably insane. It only took one song to turn the entire audience from a collection of mumbled conversation, into a cacophony of slam dancing maniacs. It seemed like everyone was right at home in this absolutely insane mix of noise, and wildly animated bodies, but no one more so than Horse. Only a few songs in the band had made a “friend” in the form of one of the audience members whose drunken performance was apparently either so amusing, or amazing (take your pick) they decided to let him join them on stage to help them sing along.

This unique brand of organized chaos is without a doubt what made the show so much damn fun. If Nathan wasn’t fighting back the swarm of people constantly overflowing onto the stage, he was singing in the sea of them, or wearing the various items of clothing they saw fit to throw to him at random intervals. I’ll forever have the image of him using a red beanie as an impromptu sock puppet back up vocalist, only to pull it over his head moments later to do his best cholo impersonation while singing.

The highlight of the show however was without a doubt their encore performance, which had them performing one of the single greatest songs of all time “Kangarooster Meadows” (youtube it) with members of both Rolo Tomassi, and iwrestledabearonce, and a good chunk of the front row of people invited on stage to finish off the show. The results were immediately spectacular, with the crowd turning into a massive bouncing crazed collection of dancing madness. During the chaotic mass dance recital, a crowd surfing member of the audience came careening down onto Lord Gold’s keyboard… rendering it inoperable for almost half of the song. All they did was laugh their asses off, and played through until someone managed to reconnect the victimized cable. It doesn’t get much better, or more Rock and Roll than that I suppose.

Before the show started, I had a chance to talk to lead singer Nathan Winneke for a few minutes. When I asked if he would mind me reviewing the show, he said something that I’ve been thinking about since. Rather than try to quote a casual conversation that wasn’t intended to turn into an interview I’ll attempt to relate what he said as I remember, and reap the consequences of getting pummeled by the band later in the off chance I got a bit of it wrong. But Nathan said, that he wasn’t terribly fond of reviews in general. That when someone would write a review that wasn’t particularly good it would bug him a little, but at the same time, whenever he read a particularly good review of something they did, it would bother him just as much if only because he would feel like it was undeserved praise.

I thought about that as I watched the guys interacting with everyone from the audience members, to the members of the supporting bands. There is truly a sense of legitimacy to the group, the sense that if only 15 people had shown up, that they would have played just as hard… That type of ethic is damn near impossible to come by anymore, and their live show is amazing for it, as much as it may bother Nathan to know so.

Well I’m Kez and for the most part my posts aren’t going to be terribly in depth. I’m just going to be talking about what I am listening to, and tell you why you should check it out too.

I have something really cool planned for the end of this week or perhaps early next week, but I didn’t feel like waiting until then to make my inaugural post.

That said, lets talk about HORSE the Band. A post-hardcore outfit from Lake Forest, CA.

HORSE the Band has always had a very unique view on music and touring. 2008 saw the band planning and executing the “HORSE the Band EARTH TOUR”. The band booked the tour themselves at times turning to fans to help book shows. Often playing with little or no compensation, they continued their tour on maxed out credit cards. The result was them performing in upwards of 40 countries many of which had not seen an American metal band for years.

This band is different in its heavy use of  8-bit sound effects. You’ll often find brutal sections flowing seamlessly into bouncy synth-pop sequences that rocket straight into one of far too many other genre-bending directions to mention. What you’re left with can only be described as a unique listening experience that you’ll find yourself returning to again and again.

Be sure to catch them on tour this winter with Norma Jean.

I for one haven’t stopped listening to their latest album Desperate Living, which is streaming in its entirety on their myspace page. So, give it a listen, what do you have to lose?

- Kez

]]> http://cwgmagazine.wordpress.com/2009/10/13/horse-the-band/ Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:16:00 +0000 Jim Markunas http://cwgmagazine.wordpress.com/2009/10/13/horse-the-band/

Written By: Steve Sawyer

Horse The Band. Just the name itself conjures up images of a group of good for nothings slapping and banging at various instruments, in a manner that could only be described as manic. And in fact it’s not very far from the truth. Horse The Band started in that magical time known as 1999 in Lake Forest CA. And by 2002, not only had they self produced and recorded 2 EPs and a full length, but they also managed to book their own tour and carve out a comfortable niche in a number of musical scenes, yielding them a ravenous over caffeinated fan base.

Often credited with coining the phrase “Nintendocore” Horse The Bands defining feature of their sound is easily the inclusion of Nintendo and game boy sound effects due to their use of the LSDJ synthesizer kit. Blending these sound effects with a mixture of punk, grind, heavy metal, and electronica has definitely yielded one of the most interesting sounds in music in recent memory. And the familiar sound effects essentially all but guaranteed Horse The Band would maintain a special place in the hearts of every nerd that ever owned a Nintendo Entertainment System. But what solidified their place in music was their incredibly dedicated ability to promote themselves, and constantly push their own sound into new unexplored territory.

Their first major release “R. Borlax” did just that. It put on display a band that had discovered, and defined a sound, and was now fine tuning it into something deadly. One Part Locusts, two parts Super Mario Brothers, and a pint or two of crazy, it’s not very hard to pin down what makes the band special when listening to the album. Almost immediately you’re greeted by an audible assault on reason. It’s absurd, it’s loud, and it’s invariably unpredictable, but for all it’s excesses, it puts a great big smile on your face. That might have been the reason it was so easy for Horse The Band to translate all of that musical energy into increasingly complex tours, both in size and scope.

By 2004 the band had managed to book a world tour that included 85 shows in 90 days, spanning 7 countries throughout North America and Europe, and was in the process of recording their follow up to “R. Borlax”, which came in the form of “The Mechanical Hand”. And while “Mechanical Hand” wasn’t as avant garde as their previous efforts, it tightened up their sound, and came with a heavy coat of production polish. The added gloss helped to bring in even more fans than before, and enabled Horse to hit the road again. It was during one of these self promoted jaunts through our great nation that Horse stumbled upon Lou Malnati’s in Chicago, where they were served a deep dish pizza that would forever change their lives and career. It is at this point that it becomes necessary to quote the band, because to put it in my own words, would do it no justice…

“We left that tour because we ate really, really, really good pizza in Lou Malnati’s in Chicago with Dave’s grandparents. The pizza was such that we were inspired by God to write music of the kind not heard in this world since Mozart was fed his first currywurst. A copy of Nietzsche’s ‘The Gay Science’ was on hand and for 2 days we struggled with the question posed in ‘The Greatest Weight’ passage, which follows. In essence, it asks the reader to examine their every action if they had to repeat their lives exactly for all eternity, begging the question in each and every thing, ‘Do you desire this once more, and innumerable times more?’

We couldn’t decide if we should stay in Chicago and keep eating pizza for the rest of our lives. But after two days of rigorous theory, we realized we had to write divine music about the pizza. We decided to drive home immediately and write and record a 5-song EP called “Pizza” before Sounds of the Underground and Warped Tour started. God was there.”

The “Pizza” EP gave Horse a booster shot of creativity, and fan support, and provided them with a renewed sense of purpose, and a wellspring of energy. Their sound again sounding fresh, and with fans clamoring for another album, Horse The Band started an unprecedented cycle of self promoting, in anticipation of their album “A Natural Death”. And when the album finally hit. It landed with a loud resonating boom. The album showed a band that had not only pushed their sound again, but a band that had managed to mature in the short time between releases. Another concept album, “A Natural Death” was about the pursuit and futility of human life in the totality of existence. Heavy stuff, for sure, but it showed a very different side of a band that had previously been thought of as impossible to take seriously.

In 2009 after embarking on another self booked, and self promoted world tour that took them to over 45 countries, Horse settled back in to record their next full length “Desperate Living”. And life has never looked better for the band. While it’s still not right to call them accessible, they are closer to that word than they have ever been. With songs like “Shapeshift” and “Horse The Song” it’s an almost infectious pleasure, and much like a skin disease, soon you just can’t shake it. It doesn’t hurt that they’ve recruited the crooning Jamie Stewart from Xiu Xiu to produce, and guest on one of the tracks, as it adds a depth of humanity, and heart that may have been lacking from earlier releases. But more incredible than anything is Horse’s ability to again take a sound that they essentially created, and not only contribute to it, but redefine it, and put it in fresh new packaging for everyone to consume. Something tells me it tastes just a little like Pizza.

Horse The Band is:
* Nathan Winneke – vocals (1999-present)
* David Isen – guitar (1999-present)
* Erik Engstrom – synthesizer/LSDJ (1999-present)
* Daniel Pouliot – drums (2009-present)

Their New Album “Desperate Living” is through Vagrant Records now.

Horse the Band is awesome. I just saw them for a whole $12. I Wrestled A Bear Once was there too, and they’re pretty good. If you ever see Horse, expect to get injured if you climb on stage.

Someday, I’ll go back to posting about stuff that isn’t music.

Holding to the pseudonym, the Electric Zombie, Kyle Crawford as secretly taken over the music industry with his artwork.
For years he’s been working with countless bands to create t-shirts, album art, logos, and posters for them. Bands that include Horse The Band, Alesana, Sky Eats Airplane, A Skylit Drive, Breathe Carolina, In Fear and Faith, and so many other bands that I listen to.

Chances are you’ve seen his art without realizing it.
Chances are you own one of his shirts.

Chances are you’re wearing it right now.

funny, I own this shirt

I stumbled upon his art as I was going through various artists on a site that featured t-shirt designs, and now I look up to him. His art is literally everywhere I look, and I could only dream and salivate over this accomplishment.

You can get some further insight to his art here

Su www.dedication.it vi presentiamo i seguenti album in uscita in questo periodo:

• The Academy Is… – Lost In Pacific Time: The AP/EP – Fueled By Ramen
• AFI – Crash Love – Universal
• Castevet – Summer Fences – Count Your Lucky Stars
• Evergreen Terrace – Almost Home – Metal Blade
• Horse The Band – Desperate Living – Vagrant
• Nothington – Roads, Bridges & Ruins – BYO
• Ruiner – Hell Is Empty – Bridge Nine
• Strung Out – Agents Of The Underground – Fat Wreck Chords
• The Swellers – Ups And Downsizing – Fueled By Ramen
• Teenage Bottlerocket – They Came From The Shadows – Fat Wreck Chords
• This Drama – San Diego XIII – Deep Elm
• VV/AA – Let Them Know The Story Of Youth Brigade And BYO Records – BYO

Artist: Horse The Band
Album: Desperate Living
Label: Vagrant Records
Website: http://www.vagrant.com/artist/index/51

Horse The Band in completely unclassifiable! Not to mention inaccessible to the masses. From where I sit, that is the beauty of this band. In a world where bands like Papa Roach put out an album every 3 years and change their sound to the chic sound at the moment, it is nice to see other bands writing progressive music that is different. To say “Desperate Living” doesn’t fit any classification is a breath of fresh air for this reviewer.

HTB has been classified as Nintendocore, post rock, hardcore and post-hardcore. This album you just need to listen to it all the way through. I have listened to it 4 times over the last few days and I am going to write down the 11 points I jotted down, because these notes pretty much sum up this album:

1)      Shai Hulud, Converge, Dillinger Escape Plan noise core/hardcore vocals and music patterns

2)      80’s synth

3)      Faith No More like tangents and experimentations

4)      Super Mario Bro’s (if you have a USB joystick, you can play for free online- click the link) loops and samples

5)      Bruising thrash

6)      Moving mood music via synth with a 80’s movie dramatic flare

7)      Songs are a patchwork of different parts, no consistency!

8)      Nothing remotely accessible to radio

9)      Grooving one second, woodpecker loops the next. Techno dance, metal then piano symphony. How odd and all fun!

10)   The collision of New Age, Noisecore and 80’s syth with some thrash elements

11)   “Arrive” is a radio song, but still too far removed from the mainstream for the feeble American mind to wrap its head around. HaHa! Playing this track live would be a hoot!

I will leave you with this. “Desperate Living” takes incredible amount of talent and vision to pull off. The production work is fantastic and the seamless blending of sounds is perfectly executed. For many, the Nintendo samples will annoy them, but for me there was just enough to keep it interesting. In the end, Horse The Band is the epitome of progressive and “Desperate Living” is a refreshing variety of sound in a world of imitation for the almighty dollar. My suggestion is to listen to this album as one song, give it three listens and I guarantee you will really dig a vast majority of it.

Rating: 9 out of 10
Suggested Tracks:

Track Listing:

1)     Cloudwalker
2)     Desperate Living
3)     The Failure Of All Things
4)     HORSE the song (featuring K-SLAX)
5)     Science Police
6)     Shapeshift (featuring Jaime Stewart)
7)     Between The Trees
8)     Golden Mummy Golden Bird
9)     Lord Gold Wand of Unyielding (featuring Lord Gold and His Purple Majesty)
10)   Big Business (featuring Ed Edge)
11)   Rape Escape (featuring Valentina Lisitsa)
12)   Arrive

I had to include this video from Erik in the band promoting the record. So funny- not exactly marketing genius! But wicked funny!

And here you can hear HTB

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Here are this week’s new music releases:

Todd Agnew – Need
Air – Love 2
The Aliens – Luna
Rusty Anderson – Born On Earth
Arch Enemy – The Root of All Evil
Backstreet Boys – This Is Us
The Black Hollies – Softly Towards the Light
Luke Bryan – Doin’ My Thing
Built to Spill – There Is No Enemy
Brandi Carlile – Give Up the Ghost
Rosanne Cash – The List
Exene Cervenka – Somewhere Gone
Vic Chesnutt – Skitter on Take Off
The Cinematics – Love And Terror
The Clientele – Bonfires on the Hearth
Mike Doughty – Sad Man Happy Man
Elliott Brood – Mountain Meadows
Tinsley Ellis – Speak No Evil
Bill Engvall – Aged And Confused
Everclear – In a Different Light
The Fall of Troy – In the Unlikely Event
Fool’s Gold – Fool’s Gold
Lita Ford – Wicked Wonderland
The Gossip – Music For Men
Calvin Harris – Ready for the Weekend
Hawk Nelson – Live Life Loud
Hockey – Mind Chaos
HORSE the band – Desperate Living
The Irish Tenors – The Irish Tenors Christmas
Jamie T. – Kings & Queens
Daniel Johnston – Is and Always Was
Toby Keith – American Ride
Blake Lewis – Heartbreak On Vinyl
Mission of Burma – The Sound, the Speed, the Light
The Mountain Goats – The Life of the World to Come
Maria Muldaur – Maria Muldaur & Her Garden of Joy
N’dambi – Pink Elephant
Me’Shell NdegeOcello – Devil’s Halo
Noah and the Whale – The First Days of Spring
Nick Oliveri – Death Acoustic
Joe Perry – Have Guiar, Will Travel
Port O’Brien – Threadbare
Powerman 5000 – Somewhere on the Otherside of Nowhere
The Raveonettes – In & Out of Control
Redemption – Snowfall on Judgment Day
Relient K – Forget and Not Slow Down
Steel Panther – Feel The Steel
Sufjan Stevens and Osso – Run Rabbit Run
Tiësto – Kaleidoscope
Tokio Hotel – Humanoid
The Very Best – Warm Heart of Africa
Kurt Vile – Childish Prodigy
BeBe & CeCe Winans – Still
WOW Hits 2010 compilation album
The xx – xx

Hit the jump for this week’s new releases.

• Mayday Parade – Anywhere But Here
• Relient K – Forget And Not Slow Down
• Strike Anywhere – Iron Front
• Lights – The Listening
• The Fall Of Troy – In The Unlikely Event
• Blessthefall – Witness
• Racing Kites – Right Here, Right Now
• HORSE The Band – Desperate Living

El video del 7″ de Horse The Band, Shapeshift, ya salió a la luz. Chequenlo esta bien deahuevo, esta banda me gusta un vergo y ya se vienen con nuevo material.

Ismét hoztunk nektek három friss klipet, szinte még ki sem hűltek! Ezúttal az idei Szigeten is fellépett Snow Patrol mutatja be ‘Just Say Yes’ című dalát és a hozzá tartozó videót itt, majd jön  a Horse The Band ‘Shapeshift’ című remekműve (lejjebb megnézhetitek), végül pedig a The Swellers legújabb klipjét, a ‘Fire Away’-t leshetitek meg. Utóbbit ide kattintva éritek el.

You already know how I feel about HORSE The BAnd.

Well, they have a new, awesome music video. Enjoy:

Fun fact: Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu contributed his vocals and production skills to the song. Woo!

Although I can say with absolute certainty that this is not my kind of music, I found the video of the ‘Nintendo-core’ band signing a pubescent boy’s sweaty ball-sack at a festival pretty damn staunch.

Check it out.