Review: feeble little horse - modern tourism
May 2021 is a special month for music. Its going to be remembered as the month when the sun started to shine, and world started to open back up and heal from what shut it down a little over a year before. Most musicians and bands all over the world are going to remember it as the first month where getting back to playing shows felt so close they could taste it.
On another side of the coin is the band feeble little horse.
feeble little horse have not played a show. They only had only song online before last Friday. They recorded their songs in a dorm room, with only “covid lockdown recording project” aspirations in mind. Lockdown is where they were born, and they’re comfortable staying there for the time being. Yet, their debut EP is exactly what something like the Oakland house scene needs, as dirty basements across town start becoming popular DIY venues again.
The 5 track EP is a charmingly lo-fi mix of post punk and noise rock; not really a reinvention of the wheel. Even though this is essentially a “bedroom” record, the energy is high and the guitars are loud and compressed—not leaving any crack for air to escape. When you think throat shredding screams might take the lead vocals and this might sound like just another indie-screamo band, barely audible melodic singing is delivered, like timid 3rd grader asking his teacher if he can go to the nurses office.
The combination of these vocals, heart wrenching lyrics and some glitchy synthesizers buried in the frenzy of noise, somehow manages to create something sweet and addictive. The guitar riffs are grungey and melancholy, but the bass and synthesizers usually come in to make these more pop songs than rock songs. For example, the bubbly synths turn the opening track “15” into something more than just another bummer rock song—it sticks in your head and gives you a melody to hum for the rest of the day.
“hold” has a similar effect. Its another indie-pop song, but instead of fun synths, we get abrasive yet tasteful noise layered on top of the already loud guitars and bass. Its almost like Death Grips had a hand in the production. The song is crunchy and fulfilling, like a plate of nachos topped with burnt American cheese.
“i am smoking cigarettes again” originally by Adrenaline Etc, is a short number that acts almost like an interlude, but it still has the same staying power as the other tracks by use of staunch repetition.
The title track “modern tourism” is probably the most fitting centerpiece for this project. The descending guitar riff really hits you right in the gut, as the melody sings painfully self reflective lines like “did I invest in someone just to boost my ego again?” The whole thing feels like a Car Seat Headrest/Dinosaur Jr/Cloud Nothings mashup, and it works so well.
“down” closes things out in a more headbang-y fashion. The guitar riffs are a little speedier and rooted in grunge rather than indie rock. Even though the vocals are still at their same hypnotic volume and delivery, the song still urges you to jump in the pit and start shoving to survive.
This is a surprisingly sharp and fun project for a band who barely exists at this point in time. We all know the lockdown inspired a lot of bedroom recording projects to be started, but few of them warrant continuous listens and live performances like this one. Hopefully there’s more music on the way, followed by more, more and more.
The EP is streaming everywhere now! Go listen.
