Horse Feathers

Horse Feathers– The Borderline

(Nov 19, 2012)

Horse Feathers in an American indie folk band from Portland, Oregon. Formed by Justin Ringle in 2004, Horse Feathers has been creating Appalachian landscapes of piano, violin, cello, banjo, mandolin, guitar, and horns, that give this band their signature sound. Their fourth album, Cynic’s New Year, released in 2012, was stacked with beautifully ornate tracks (A Heart Arcane, Last Waltz, Pacific Bray, FIt Against the Country, Better Company, Bird on a Leash) that transport you to the Pacific Northwest where you can disappear in the backwoods and find ‘Better Company’ (pun intended) amongst Thistled Spring and Starving Robins (two of my favorites from their 2008 album). I wasn’t able to capture one of my favorites (Heart Arcane) on video, but I soaked up as much of it’s beauty (in the moment) as I could. The last two verses are my favorite:

“Time Don’t Change,
With a heart arcane.
Everyday was born the same.
..
Despite what I do,
Every ending begins,
The start of something new.” (YES.)

The live rendition of Fit Against the Country (another favorite) was so powerful, and it’s hard to escape the weight of the woods:

“Every night we all go to a house we’ll never own,
Every night we are tired we’ve been worked to the bone,
But nearly everyday we earn a lower wage,
Does it tell you what we’re made of, or are we just what we’re paid?
It’s a hard country we made.” (Truth be told)

No matter how sad/lonely/frustrated I was that night, I surely walked out with a smile on my face. There is just something about the mandolin, violin, and bango, ESPECIALLY when it’s DOUBLE VIOLIN and some of the most creative banjo arrangements out there. Plus, I met a fellow music junkie (Belle Piec) from Melbourne, Australia who also gigs alot and already had great new recs to share. Musical exchange is best received first hand. 🙂

Cynic’s New Year (2012): A Heart Arcane, Last Waltz, Pacific Bray, FIt Against the Country, Better Company, Bird on a Leash
House with no Home: Rude to Rile, Working Poor
Thistled Spring (2008): Thistled Spring, Starving Robins
Words are Dead (2006): Finch on Saturday, Hardwood Pews