Horse Feathers is an indie/folk band born in Portland Oregon with a smooth and elegant sound. Their albums could be strictly instrumental, stripped of vocals, and still be just as enjoyable. With spring upon us, their 2010 release Thistled Spring comes to mind. If I had to choose a soundtrack for the season this would be an excellent choice. The pianos and strings paired with Justin Ringle’s haunting voice in the title track remind me of the changing seasons. And that’s what Horse Feathers does for me, their music paints a picture and instills me with emotion. Their newest release “Cynic’s New Year” is a bit more upbeat than some of their previous work, but is just as melodic and layered. The track “Fit Against the Country” (listen here) is perhaps my favorite, with lyrics like “Nearly every day, we earn a lower wage/ To tell you what we’re made of, or a wage is what we’re paid/ It’s a hard country we’ve made.”, Ringle sings words of the common world, creating comfort and instant relatability.
Horse Feathers is an especially unique group, as they dont fit perfectly into any one genre, instead teetering on the edge of many genres, courtesy of the talented multi-instrumentalists that make up this group. We’re excited to welcome them to the PlayLive stage this Friday! I’m sure it will be a performance to remember and a great way to kick off our weekend.
Here’s the title track from their 2010 release “Thistled Spring”
[youtube http://youtu.be/RDLfb1xSAY4]
