Murphy Horse

Description

These last ten years, Conor Murphy, the man, and Smidley, the band, have taken on a dimension that far exceeds the simple creative overflow left untapped by his work with Foxing. Through his personal evolution, both within and outside of Smidley, art and life itself have entered a constant cycle of redefinition. This redefinition is not a destination, but a new path forged by the gratitude and security that Murphy finds in the artist, husband, and man he has become. Smidley's third album, Murphy Horse, accompanies this journey. Although doubt remains a recurring obstacle for Murphy, each Smidley song brings him back to love. The doubt present in the opening track, "Corpse Flower," dramatic and with stripped-down percussion, fades away with the first notes of "Capstone," both original and catchy, just before the airy voice of Lucy Dacus, Grammy Award-winning artist, concludes the duo with these words: "All this love for you has been the crowning of my life." On the bittersweet melody of the eponymous track, Murphy reproaches himself for being too careerist and dreaming of escaping earthly troubles. His downward spiral is constantly interrupted by the "Hey!" of his wife. In "Love In Every Direction," an explosive and vibrant title, Murphy laments this obsession with everything he owns, over an irresistibly danceable indie pop composition, destined for memorable festival performances. Throughout "Murphy Horse," shoegaze, tropicalia, and 80s rock influences can be found, revealing a Smidley that is moving away from its intimate indie folk style of the early days. Murphy relies more on Smidley and his band. Although it is not strictly a debut album, "Murphy Horse" has all the makings of a first opus for Murphy. Confusion and doubt no longer paralyze him, as he has finally found the support he has always sought. Everything can be transformed.