4/5
All The Pretty Horses.
How you doing? Nah, I'm not pulling a Joey Tribbiani, I'm seriously asking. I want to know. It's been a tough 2020. Wait...what do you mean it's two years later!? I know it's felt long, but seriously?! We're still a long way from escaping this lockdown. Two Christmases and still not home. But still, we shall overcome and we will get through this together. Meanwhile Seattle, Washington's own Band Of Horses for their sixth signature album are telling us 'Things Are Great'. And the coffee house favourites like their native Starbucks aren't needling us like their cities iconic, skyscraping landmark. The beautiful band and it's Lincoln bearded leader always give us a picturesque view of nature for their amazing album art. 'Everything All The Time', 'Cease To Begin', 'Infinite Arms', 'Mirage Rock' and their last album back in 2016 'Why Are You OK' (hun). But in times of quarantine for 'Great', they give us the most compelling look of their own drive in the suburbs. Cars piled up almost on the lawn for this studio session at a distance from the industry. And coming home, it's one of vivid vocalist Ben Bridwell and his band of steeds, most beautiful and brooding best yet.
Father of the unbridled. From the opening 'Warning Sign', it's clear they're still here, even with a new look. Don't worry, Ben hasn't shaved. This new band of brothers features Matt Gentling and Ian McDougall. Going through changes like Brandon Flowers' boys, but taking it back to their roots and making a killing. Singing, "Small talk with a registered nurse/Not to cry in front of people at work/Well that’s hard, hard, hard, at times you know/Get reminded of the earlier days/The end of April ’78/That was a long, long, long, long time ago." Just like 2020. Yet it's the 'Crutch' of the lead single that really picks up. Even if the past two have left us feeling like we're on one leg. The lines, "Not, not a long time ago when I knew all the answers/I couldn't pace myself or raise my standards/But one can hope, you need to know", feeling like the ones we're all drawing collectively together and apart from ourselves. Like each other at a more than social distance. For this world at war amongst the planets pandemic. It's a 'Tragedy Of The Commons' like "Feel the emptiness of creature comforts/I want some I want some/You’ve always gone/You’re never here/It’s hard to smile from ear to ear/Babe, I’m dog tired, can I cancel it all?/The hate train, pray that it crashes/Jaded chattering of neo-fascists/The clatter of the ever-warring classes/So we chose to look within/Off my rocker with the rest of them/The relatives we’ll never see again." I guess things aren't as great as expected, or advertised. But this tragedy like the will to start again is something we all have in common, if we'd just come together like the Beatles said love is all you need. 'In The Hard Times' that's all we need, staying in the sauce. "And everything has changed/Wait up wait another day/You’ll be coming around again/Shameful heavy-hearted/And reasons not to give in/Remembering now and then." We're all 'In Need Of Repair' like John Mayer once sang. "Stayin' friends is really fantastic/We'll be together from the cradle to the casket," Bridwell offers bridled.
In the 'Aftermath' like Dr. Dre and friends performing at the Superbowl show, at this album's halftime the band offer us a Hail Mary. Atmospheric over the whispers of growling guitars, harmonising, "I brought you back/Lost myself and you in the aftermath/Then what’s worse than that/That was falling asleep dead in the bath/Then the morning brought a scare/Holding a child falling down the stairs/Say what’s that over there/It’s the baby and me tumbling down the stairs/If I could say to you/It’s been a while, spend the afternoon/I got you back/I lost myself in the aftermath/Fought me through panic attacks/Cut me down I’m suffering the wrath." The tracks of these tears on this track may just lead us to the bands best lyrical recital yet for the record. It's these 'Lights' and this single that will show you the way to a new one for yourself. "Swept up all the charcoal dust for the fingerprints/Maybe under the wrong impression/So we had things that they want, all the items ya bought/Hey what you wanna know, two detectives on the patio/Hey, can the lights turn off, lights turn off ." Folk anthemic for all you Mumford's and all your sons. It's a nice night we're having hey?! Excuse me...an 'Ice Night We're Having'. In the cold of this Winter that's no longer coming like a 'Game Of Thrones', but rolling for us and this rock act. "Educated dropout living in a vacation home/I guess you never know when the wheels will fall off/He’s a happy old fella in a short sleeve shirt/Telling us stories of when he was at work/He’s barking louder, tales get taller every time he does." Storytelling like the diaries banded together beside the bed of their childhood home. Where the heart and the soul of these sessions are like "sleeping in the car" or "living on the floor." A new beat is hit and welcome on 'You Are Nice To Me' for a man who admits, "I shouldn't fight it, it's been a hell of a hard climb." But as the fingers still did in, like to the chords of the classic closer that keeps us closer, 'Coalinga'. It's worth the fight, like this Californian city in Fresno County worth the visit. Putting it on the map like Bon Iver and dedications including, "The first of days, on our way/Towards the biggest stage of the western states/At the Thunderbird Lodge the creeping resident gives a strong salute/Not the best shoes for shingles though/ Things are great, yeah things are great/In a cow s### smelling hellhole called Coalinga." Alright...maybe not exactly putting this roadside on the map. But just like things aren't so great (yet), more, so, so. There's still beauty to be had (have you tried Victorville for a welcome break?). And things are slowly getting that way towards the better. Wild horses couldn't drag us away from that. Now band together, brothers. These guys have, as the light shines from their home. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Playlist Picks: 'Crutch', 'Aftermath', 'Coalinga'.
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