Life Don't Always Fold Up Neat

Horse Feathers - Falling Through the Roof

A band like Horse Feathers has confidence. These two boys aren't worried, and there is an assuredness that vibrates out of the strings. There is a purpose to every flick of bow, every crash of cymbal. The production is pin-drop perfect, and sometimes the sounds of the instruments themselves are enough.

This song has an abrupt shift in the middle, from a quiet little melody to an almost sinister string line. It runs up just to the border of grating before retreating. It's a wonderful piece of restraint. The cello and violin mark out the rhythm in place of a bass line, marking a rich atmosphere. It's a beautiful backdrop.

The story goes that lead Horse Feather Justin Ringle impressed Peter Broderick during a basement show. The two soon joined musical forces to flesh out the band. And here we are today with their new record, Words are Dead on Lucky Madison records. It's a beautiful album, and I've really been quite taken with it. It's not often I find myself coming back, again and again to an album. And I listen to this one at least once a day. It's got just the right combination of melody and timelessness to make it infinitely listenable. It's highly recommended. Unfortunately, it's not out yet. You'll soon be able to buy it from their store, or you can pre order from amazon.