Horse

Description

The band Holy Motors hails from Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It is a fascination with the American West that brought the members together. They wait together during the long winter nights, with their instruments or while watching westerns. On this second effort titled Horse, their blend of americana and rockabilly, with a touch of shoegaze and dream-pop, remains an integral part of the Estonian group's DNA. The album opens with "Country Church," a catchy track that evokes Mazzy Star in a major key supported by a bluesy rhythm guitar. Further along, we find "Midnight Cowboy," which sounds like a Buddy Holly 45 played at 33. These two tracks prove that the ex-Soviet cowboys have more to show beyond the impenetrable darkness that characterized them until now. While "Trouble" and "Endless Night" revolve around the ethereal production and existential themes of their previous effort, repeated listening reveals a human warmth and complex compositions. Overall, Horse represents a warmer and perhaps more human counterpoint to the album Slow Sundown. It is certainly a record that finds the perfect and completely unexpected balance between americana and dream-pop and could serve as a new soundtrack for the film Paris, Texas.