Band of Horses | Everything all The Time | SubPop Records
The first few bars of Everything all the Time, the debut album of Band of Horses, flashes me back to Us and Them by Pink Floyd - and then the vocals kick in and the comparison flies out the window.
With a unique ethereal sound, Ben Bridwell (guitar/vocals) and Mat Brooke (guitars), open the album with The First Song and then move into the more up-tempo Wicked Gil. Bridwell’s vocals are high-pitched and likable, and each track on the album surrounds his voice with both lush instrumentation and stripped-down acoustics. Our Swords opens with a simple bass line and then carries a catchy drum beat (that I quixotically keep trying to play) throughout; The Funeral shifts from quiet to epic and back again with ease; Part One is acoustic and beautiful, with a reference to Carolina, which makes it all the more endearing. Yes, I’m biased.
Even though the bearded duo look a little like Iron & Wine, the similarity ends there – many Band of Horses songs (like The Great Salt Lake) open quietly and crescendo into layered, energetic sound. Weed Party opens with a yee-haw and is a straight-forward rock-n-roll single.
The album closes with my three favorite tracks. I Go To The Barn Because I Like The has a strange name, but it's the most melodic song on the album - acoustic guitar, harmonizing vocals and great lyrics (okay so maybe there is an Iron & Wine comparison) converge, and the world is a better place for three minutes and six seconds. Monsters follows and begins with the same laid back feel. Then it picks up the pace and the album rises once more, before ending quietly and introspectively with St. Augustine.
If you can’t already tell, I really like this record; so far, it’s my favorite album of 2006. To me, this type of album is what a music blog is all about – hopefully, a few people will read this post and, hopefully, Band of Horses will gain a few more fans.
Downloads and Links:
Band of Horses | The Great Salt Lake [MP3] | SubPop Records
Band of Horses | The Funeral [MP3] | SubPop Records
Band of Horses | MySpace
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