Horsegirl (RIYL: Cat Power, Mercury Rev, Galaxie 500...)

3 teenage girls from Chicago, I think they just signed to Matador
Can't wait for an album to drop. I've been living off the singles these winter nights.

Ballroom Dance Scene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr_oViYr_1s

Billy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsip3FReatE

Sea Life Sandwich Boy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkOGeuh9jnA

saw them last August, good show/very promising.

i have heard "Ballroom Dance Scene" before and really liked it, very Stereolabish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBuOJF_rX40

Did anyone get their 7 inch with the Minutemen’s “History Lesson Part II” b-side?

loved "Billy" as a single, might be even better as a closing track. album is sequenced nicely in general, kinda backloaded with tunes but in a way that suggests a band materializing from the primordial bog bog.

Like this a bunch - like how its kinda messy & murky and the melodies and songs emerge out of that. Refreshing to have something which has not been polished out of existence. Best song for me is Dirtbag Transformation but I expect the others to grow on me. Reviews undersell this I think by leaning too much on the 90's references - who cares ? - most everything is reductive & picking on this band in particular seems like its probably misogynistic.

i haven't read any reviews but you can certainly say they sound like the '90s w/o picking on the band, right? are the reviews presenting them as rip-offs?

i think they sound like those bands and it's a feature, not a bug.

here's some reading about Horsegirl https://chicagoreader.com/music/horsegirl-and-the-dream-of-a-teen-rock-scene/

the reviews were ok just a couple I saw had a faintly condescending whiff about em & yea what we don’t need is another band sounding like idles or whoever I find this version of rock roll v refreshing right now

this is grebt

I listened to this album Saturday night and loved it. It should be a great summer album.

agree — thought this sounded fantastic on first listen.

What a cool album. Need to listen more, but I like all the different things they try.

Very cool guitar... the vocals and "songs" may not be exactly my style, but I'm surprised the album would be received negatively by anyone with a taste for this type of thing.

I understand the appeal of this band but that doesn't make them good or interesting. They're just teenagers playing along with their record collections. And if you like them, you own all those same records. So what makes them any different than a band of 19-year-old boys trying to sound as much like the first two Metallica albums as possible?

I would also listen to 19-year-olds trying to sound like early Metallica if they were good at it and made something interesting in the process — which is to say, for all the obvious touchstones I think Horsegirl does actually sound like their own thing.

I understand the appeal of this band but that doesn't make them good or interesting. They're just teenagers playing along with their record collections. And if you like them, you own all those same records. So what makes them any different than a band of 19-year-old boys trying to sound as much like the first two Metallica albums as possible?

― but also fuck you (unperson), Tuesday, June 7, 2022 10:23 AM (ten minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

Removing said appeal doesn't automatically make them bad and uninteresting either, and I don't think this band sounds THAT devoid of ideas applied to this genre? Your post sounds like a cynical overcorrection in response to "undeserved hype". You would have a point if there was nothing here, and maybe you did listen with an open mind and still feel like there is nothing here, but from the tracks I heard it has something to it beyond empty 90s band imitation.

Your post sounds like a cynical overcorrection in response to "undeserved hype". You would have a point if there was nothing here, and maybe you did listen with an open mind and still feel like there is nothing here, but from the tracks I heard it has something to it beyond empty 90s band imitation.

Can you point to what that is, exactly? Because I've only heard a couple of songs, but all I hear is reheated Sonic Youth and other early '90s "alt" sounds that I can't even put a finger on, because I couldn't tell those bands apart back then. And I mean, I barely listen to (non-metal) rock music at all anymore and this is glaringly obvious to me — I can't imagine how familiar it must all sound to people who listen to rock music all the time.

And that's all fine! Teenagers should be in bands, and they should play the kind of music they like, and if it sounds like the music they listen to, that's to be expected. Not everyone is a pioneer or a pathbreaker — if they were, there would be no such thing as hardcore. Or country. Or any other genre. Alt-rock is a genre; if these girls enjoy playing it, good for them.

I'm not sure I can so easily. I'll need to go back in and think on it, but my initial listens did not scan as "boring genre exercise". But like all those other genres you cited, unless you're really invested in it, from the outside it all sounds like the same genre tropes and cliches reheated. So we're all fooling ourselves to certain degrees. Those invested hear nuances better among acts yet are also more easily seduced by the tired genre cliches. Those not invested are the exact opposite.

What are the bands they're supposedly aping so heavily (besides the ones named in the thread title)?

Yeah I mean I can hear lots of influences, but combined in lots of different ways. The sense I get from the album is of a talented band playing around with sounds, textures and melodic structures that they like. There's not a single song that has hit me like, "Oh, this is the Sonic Youth song," or "This is the Galaxie 500 song" or whatever.

But also obviously not everybody has to like them.

I'll admit to being a little wary of the hype, but this is so so good.

To me they don't sound like anyone exactly in particular from the 90s, but like many artists, you can tell the records that informs their sound.

It still seems disingenuous for me that guitar/bass/drums are old fashioned, but using the same 808 kicks, moog basslines and FM pad synths is still new. It's supposed to be about the song and groove either way, right? Not my war anymore either way...

great cover of a classic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJmsOraTnN0

seeing them tonight with the oh so controversial Dummy.

interested to hear what you think. i had a pretty specific reaction to seeing them a few weeks ago.

i had a great time seeing them at a little place in north portland a week and a half ago

Just saw them, it was awesome. Plus "As We Go Up We Go Down"!

Yes, excellent show. Saw them last summer and they were rough, had the 3 (?) good songs that had been released at that point, but still coalescing. The two of them intermesh so well vocally and instrumentally, and the new drummer (brother of one of the women, looks about 15) is very good. On their way to being a great live band.

Alpine, lol, shouldn't have read your post pre-show, had me riddled as to what your specific reaction might be.

Sorry, didn't mean to be cryptic, just didn't want to influence how you felt.

I thought they were good, but to me they felt a little tentative / nervous / (an acquaintance interpreted it as "too cool to be there" but I didn't) and my overall takeaway is that they will benefit greatly from lots more time playing live. Which is understandable! They are young and on their first tour.

I enjoyed the GBV cover, for sure, and the songs are great ... I very much appreciate that they seem to "get it" with regards to making pop songs noisy.

They covered Minutemen "History Lesson Pt. 2" . It's ok

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIWVsPtGRbU

Covering a 40 year old song Classic or Dud?

as a dude with a 40-year-old life, i can definitively say "dud"

https://www.stereogum.com/2296772/horsegirl-on-how-the-velvet-underground-childrens-recitals-leaving-home-and-more-inspired-their-new-album-phonetics-on-and-on/interviews/under-the-influence/

New album produced by Cate Le Bon out Feb 14. Listening to Faust, VU - Loaded , their old high school recital tapes

Also praise for Young Marble Giants .

And they moved to Ny from Chicago as some of em are at NYU now

I keep thinking this is about the DJ horsegiirL

i keep getting uncontrollably envious of this band
to be young, supported, and able to express oneself
sigh

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/horsegirl-indie-rock

https://12ft.io/https://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/horsegirl-indie-rock

another recent profile

Being supported is great but this is probably even better: “I remember you being like, ‘We’re huge fans,’ and Kim Deal was like, ‘I’m a huge fan.’ And then she got our number and made a group chat,” says Lowenstein.

I keep thinking this is about the DJ horsegiirL

I just got a goldenvoice listing that had both of them in the same email which was confusing as I'd never heard of the DJ

I can't wait to hear this in full, loved the first one and everything I'm reading about this makes it sound even better.

yeah super excited for this!!

the one song that is out sounds distinctly different from the first album which is great. I hope they keep evolving. Missed their first big tour so looking forward to this one.

there are four videos. for four songs. been out for weeks and weeks.

they did a Pitchfork thing where they chose their "perfect 10" albums.

Jim O'Rourke - Bad Timing
Melt Banana - Fetch
The Amps - s/t

https://www.instagram.com/p/DF6E5Y-hYSm/

Perfect timing for me, I liked the first album well enough when it came out but just revisited it recently and fell totally head over heels for it, cant wait to hear where they go next

really liking this a lot. very stripped down and clean and simplified. makes me think of the raincoats or something on flying nun.

yes, thought of Look Blue Go Purple

An enthusiastic review by Mark Richardson:

https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/music/phonetics-on-and-on-review-horsegirls-hypnotic-guitar-rock-65b75fff

I'm liking these songs. Sometimes I think of classic indie rock (Imperial f.f.r.r. comes to mind), but they are doing their own thing.

Good album. I think the singles are the highlight, but that could change with more listens.

Imperial f.f.r.r. comes to mind

Teen Beat revival is overdue and it starts with "Switch Over"

I'm startled by how often this reminds me of "Peng!" era Stereolab.

I love the sound of this album. The cleaner guitars took a couple listens to get used to. I like the whole flow of the first 5 songs, then it's sort of hit and miss for me. With their sound I think they have a built in vibe, and could afford to go as catchy as possible. I know this is easier said than done. Maybe they could have cut out about 30% of the da da da's, but that's a small quibble.

I liked the first album but could only get through a few tracks of this, feels like they've gone pretty normie alas

Man, I could not disagree more with that take, I don't hear "normie" anything about it. It's fantastic. I was a little hesitant since what I loved most about the debut was the noise and distortion, but this really is an excellent follow-up.

i keep getting uncontrollably envious of this band
to be young, supported, and able to express oneself
sigh

― Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Thursday, February 13, 2025 10:14 AM (four days ago) bookmarkflaglink

a couple of years ago i read an article about the band Lifeguard (with Lowenstein's younger brother) and, if you maybe just add 'adorable' to the list, this was exactly what I took away from it.
uncontrollable envy and maybe some grief for the childhood I might have had. LOL

Yes sad lol
If only I had had parents who cared about what I wanted :-/

don't forget an entire community of precociously arty kids who love each other :)

That too but for some reason I associate that with Slint and the Louisville scene, another source of uncontrollable envy for me because I was closer to them in age but had none of that.

oh, i get such a different vibe from that Slint crew. excess yang, fearlessness tipping over into recklessness, driving our car to the edge of the precipice, 'danger's my middle name' kind of energy.

The Chicago kids seem a lot more like coddled, normal, healthy kids.

the Louisville kids love each other for sure, are textbook level precocious, but it's ride or die

first album was good, this one is better - or maybe just more my speed (my speed is old)

nah, it's just better.

i can accurately predict imago's take on anything at this point.

first track on the new one is totally Subway Sect! amazing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLHUG_X5CkQ

first track on the new one is totally Subway Sect! amazing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLHUG_X5CkQ

blerg, sorry for the repeat

blerg, sorry for the repeat

lol

Slint and Subway Sect, and Unrest didn't make music inspired by music from 30 to 40 years earlier, or were there artists doing that in the past other than oh swing and rockabilly bands? Just curious and does it matter? And do the Horsegirl musicians like any current music that doesn't sound like 70 to 90s rock?

linear time stopped shortly after 9/11

re: Slint comparison, the kind of music they make is not at all the point aiui

re: Subway sect, i am reading the "amazing" as 'wow @ their expansive knowledge of arty rock music'

so, to your point, i mean the burden and limitation of that expansive knowledge is that they cannot produce "year zero" type shit under The Anxiety Of Influence.

There's always been young people who prefer older stuff. But 40 years ago, a lot of records were out of print. 30 years ago, records were not freely avaiable to pirate or stream on the internet. The unfettered access that young bands have to listen to whatever they want seems budensome in some ways.

I’m also in the “liked the earlier, noisier stuff better” camp, but hate myself for being that way.

it was not a comparison between Slint and this band musically, it was an admission of envy (shameful envy at that!) so please let's not belabor that and forget i mentioned it please and thank you

The bit in that Vanity Fair interview where they mention noticing the front rows suddenly being filled with dudes older than their parents really hit close to home for me, a dude older than their parents

When I, a dude older than Horsegirl's Horse-parents, heard Sabrina Carpenter say the other night that her parents weren't alive in 1976, I just went ahead and died.

Not true, her parents were born in 1961 and 1964. So they're older than me.

Just had my 2nd listen to the new HG album and it's growing on me quickly. All the bah bah's and harmonies are charming, and I dig the fact that they went for something very different this time. They're still so young, I look forward to their creative journey.

Really? Huh.

I thought that sounded like it had to be close, mathematically, but I didn't know how to check their ages and she was born in 1999, so I figured they just had her pretty young.

Guess it was just a joke.

fucking LOVE this album

unrest comparisons otm, your girl desperately needs more young bands to take cues from unrest

just learned that this was produced by cate le bon and moving it way up on my listening list (unrest comparison making me move it even higher up!)

"information content" early soty contender

listening now. "in twos" has a major le bon footprint. really hypnotic

made it to "julie" and, yeah, i am hearing those notes of unrest