An Horse
The Living Room, NYC
October 25, 2008
By David Chiu
An Horse are poised to be Brisbane, Australia’s next and best musical export since the Go-BetweensOnly having been together musically for about a year, singer/guitarist Kate Cooper and drummer Damon Cox are slowly making their mark—they have previously opened for Tegan and Sara, Death Cab for Cutie, and the New Pornographers. The duo’s passionate and driving indie punk pop was on full display at the Living Room as part of the CMJ Music Marathon, as they performed songs from their upcoming debut album, Rearrange Beds.
An Horse’s sense of urgency in the music matched Cooper’s lyrics about relationships beginning with the set opener “Company”: “You said I’m out on a ledge/Come stand with me/I need the company,” she sings. Other songs such “Little Little Little,” “Postcards,” and the final number “Shoes Watch” followed similarly to “Company” with some catchy hooks and tough-minded attitude. And another highlight of the show was “Little Lungs,” which started off subdued until it evolved into a rocking climax.
Overall An Horse’s music really strikes a perfect balance between catchy pop and punk aggression. Cooper strummed aggressively on her electric guitar like a punk rocker, and her singing was expressive and distinctive. It wouldn’t be a surprise if she and Cox became household names, like the Go-Betweens’ Robert Forster and Grant McLennan, in carrying the torch of exceptional music from Brisbane.
Photo by Nadia Mizner.
NewBeats 