This is fine.
Sunday’s a hard sell to the Austin music-going community, but Barracuda hosted a powerhouse bill last night. Local act Lola Tried kicked things off, with Aussie duo An Horse closing things out, fresh off the release of their new album Modern Air. Brian showed up and got some great pics for us to share below!
After a long hiatus, Aussie duo An Horse are returning with their brand new album, Modern Air this Friday. We’ve heard several of the tracks, all just as convincing as when the band left us with Walls back in 2011. But, more importantly, the band return to Austin this Sunday at Barracuda, and seeing as it’s never easy to catch an Australian band in the States, you should jump at the chance to win free tickets! Plus, the group will be joined by local powerhouse, Lola Tried.
All you have to do to win two tickets is pick a number between 1-1000, leave it in the comments, or tweet it at us! The only hint I’m giving you is that it’s not my favorite number! You’ve got 48 hours! Go!
Regular old tickets are HERE.
It’s been nearly a decade since we’ve heard from An Horse, but the Aussie duo don’t seem to have missed a beat since announcing their return. They just shared their latest single, which has Kate entering the fray rather calmly before Damon starts banging furiously on those drums. Most impressive, aside from how great Cooper sounds is that the band’s dynamic always has this perfect balance, tip-toeing between intimate and boisterous. If you’re stoked to hear the group back at it, then you’ll want to give Modern Air a listen when it drops on May 3rd via Lame-O Records.
They’ll be touring the US in May, with an Austin date on May 5th at Barracuda! We’ll be offering some giveaways and what not leading up to the show, so keep your eyes peeled! Or buy early-bird tickets HERE.
It has been a crazy long time since I’ve mentioned the name of old school Australian act An Horse. Seriously, the band have been absolutely dead and on hiatus since the release of their overlooked 2011 album Walls. During their mutli-year time apart both Kate Cooper and Damon Cox spent some time making music through other avenues, but they couldn’t stay away from each other forever. Having come together once again, the duo just released this stellar new track “Get Out Somehow”. Hopefully they plan on staying together for a bit so all of us fans can score some sweet new tunes like this one.
Rating: 
Hailing from Australia, An Horse consists of Damon Cox and Kate Cooper who give off the impression of more than a two-part band. Two-part they are, and on this sophomore effort they don’t reach much further than that of Rearrange Beds, but as a fan of this band, I don’t see how this is any negative qualm. If anything, Walls has a more mature sound, while holding on to that edge-y pop sound that made them stand out in the first place.
The first song, “Dressed Sharply,” begins this album out with the edge and twang that this band is based around. Hard edged guitar floods the song with the bitterness, and combines with the lead vocals of Cooper, that is only juxtaposed slightly with faint oohs in the background. It gets you started on quite the raw note, but then “Not Mine” follows, slowing things down and changing the sound to somber instead of sharp. It is here that you can feel overtones of recent events in Cooper’s life in her lyrics. Her songwriting reflects her struggles of being on tour while a family member was ill back at home. While it must have been a painful time in her life, the writing feels intricate and mature; probably some of her best.
Some more standout tracks can be found on the title track as well as on “100 Whales.” “Walls” softens up things a little, but the Australian drawl doesn’t let it turn into mushy fest, while “100 Whales” waivers somewhere in the middle of outlandish and minimal, becoming one of the most balanced and even-headed tracks on the whole album.
Up to this point, there isn’t a bad song on Walls; each has been interesting and enjoyable. That being said, the last three songs of the album just dissipate. Something that started out fairly strong withers to a sadly boring end. It feels like this band just gave up and in light of this, the rest of the album is flattened. What could have been something fantastic turns out as something just good. Instead of ending on a high note, An Horse doesn’t go anywhere with their songs that make up the listeners last impression.
Despite being left disappointed, it’s still safe to say that the majority of this album is enjoyable. Have a listen, but perhaps just skip the last bit.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/an-horse-trains-and-tracks.mp3]Download: An Horse – Trains and Tracks [MP3]
Continuing on with our coverage of established SXSW bands and their current state affairs today, we take a look at Australian outfit An Horse. We sent over some of our SXSW oriented questions to Kate Cooper who represents ½ of the band. Follow the jump for her sweet responses.
The Australian duo known as An Horse are prepping for their sophomore release Walls out in April on Mom + Pop Music. Prior to that release date, fans of the band can check out new number “Trains and Tracks” below. You won’t find much of a shift in sound from their debut LP, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy it regardless. I’m feeling it.
Download: An Horse – Trains and Tracks [MP3]
One of our more recent finds An Horse just recorded a long awaited Daytrotter session. The in-studio performance features 3 songs from the band’s latest release Rearrange Beds. Here’s one of our favorites from last year “Postcards”.
Download: An Horse – Postcard (live) [MP3]
We caught up with An Horse during SXSW for a quick interview, and now that their album Rearrange Beds has been circling aroudn, we thought we’d offer up more of their festive pop for you today. Also, this single, “Camp Out,” has just recently got the video treatment, and you should check it out here.
Download: An Horse – Camp Out [MP3]
Not too long ago, we ran a feature on Australian band An Horse and now we’re lucky enough to have them coming to town for SXSW. Don’t forget that the band’s debut LP Rearrange Beds is out now in stores or on itunes. Follow the jump to read a short interview with Kate from An horse or see some SXSW dates.
