Something interesting has been happening over the last few months. A good band actually seems to be getting some of the attention they deserve... and (whisper it) they're actually nice guys too. If, like me, you are sick and tired of boring run of the mill, marketing campaigns disguised as bands getting all the buzz, then this is undoubtedly a good thing. I mean, who the fuck actually listens to WU LYF anyway? Certainly no one that I'd rescue from a canal boat fire.
If you live in Manchester and have been cursed with the insatiable desire for new and exciting music, you'll be pretty familiar with the great "scene" we've got going here. Lots of great musicians make great sounds for great people in great places. It’s all really great. Unfortunately, the rest of the country tends to overlook all the good stuff coming out of the city in favour of the endless stream of anaemic pussbags erupting from Wilmslow’s ass like a tepid pill shit.
Perhaps this is starting to change to some extent. Like the blinding flash of light as the police raid an illegal sex dungeon, there is hope for the disenfranchised. Our days of being chained to the greasy torture rack of anonymity may be a long way from over, but one of our own are about to break free. Having just been featured in Classic Prog Rock Magazine (that ubercool guardian of hipster style and taste), Trojan Horse are about to embark on a nationwide tour which is bound to increase their profile.
Personally, I couldn't be happier for them. I've been living vicariously through Nick Duke's beard for the last few years, whispering into the ears of underaged emo girls that I used to be in a band with the guy. Things are about to get a lot better for me. And for You, because The Horse fucking rock. Comprising of three ginger brothers and some other Guy, the band is often referred to as Eccles' answer to Hanson- and believe me, their jaunty Prog-Metal styling totally lives up to the comparison.
To celebrate their recent turn of fortune, the Horse are giving away their debut LP (which I reviewed a few months ago) for free. So why not click HERE and download it? You could even listen to it... if you're into that kind of thing.
It’s a good job I don’t do this for a living. I was asked to review Trojan Horse’s album weeks ago and am only really getting around to it now. But here I am, typing some words. In order to do so, I’ve decided not to go to work- which, coincidently, is where I do make a living.
Like any ne’er do well, I’ve got my excuses. A big stumbling block has been dark associations that the band’s name has in my curiously fragile life. Some time ago, when my over used collection of asphyxi-cuckoldry videos began to feel a bit stale, I set out in search of a new exciting alternative. I delved the recesses of the human condition (feltch-gasketing, HIV bukake, train track bondage etc. etc.), hoping to rediscover that indescribable thrill of the decadence nouveau or, at the very least, achieve something resembling an erection. For those of you unfamiliar with these passions, be advised, the internet is a dangerous place- particularly for your computer. Within minutes of starting my lonesome journey into the wildernesses of perversion, my PC began to show the first tell tale sign of wear and tear- advanced intelligence. The computer began to think for itself, the curser struggling free of my mouse enabled ownership. I watched in horror as it drifted around the screen for a few moments, before opening my online banking account. It then made several large transfers to the Vatican, only stopping when my overdraft had reached it’s limit. The blue screen came next. Efforts to resuscitate the machine had various degrees of success, but all came to the same end- a series of beeps, several error messages and then a crudely made, and unstoppable, Powerpoint presentation outlining the benefits of the Rhythm Method.
Back in the present tense, I’m currently using a borrowed laptop with several keys that stick (see above paragraph), writing a review for a band which, ironically, shares a moniker with the film that killed my computer. In hindsight, I probably should have given that one a miss.
Trojan Horse kicks off with the rather ecstatic ‘Mr Engles Says...’, which nicely charters out the band’s own manifesto. Tight stylistic changes, lush arrangements and catchy choruses abound here- it is clear that a lot of time and effort went into this album and the results, for the most part, reflect this. The Horse take a no holds barred approach songwriting, bouncing between genres regularly without ever feeling forced. It’s a tapestry of familiar sounds, patched together to make a finished product which is unique and interesting. Not an easy feat. There are, however, moments that let the album down- it occasionally ventures in to blander pop territory with tracks like ‘…And the lights went down’ being less than memorable despite some nice flourishes.
Minor flaws are forgiven, as Trojan Horse have created an album which fully showcases their elaborate sonic spectrum. These 10 songs certainly hint at their reputation as one of the more exciting live bands in the Manchester area (an opinion that I whole heartedly endorse). I’m not sure if they’d like me saying this or not, but there’s a very British feel to this LP, kind of like drinking Liberty Cap tea with the Mad Hatter in the pouring rain. By which I mean to say, the album is euphoric and rich, full on and excessive… it’s likely that too much of it could make you feel a bit ill, but there’s only one way to find out. TH make nods to an eclectic mix of bands, ranging from the Beatles to Mastodon, but manage to mould their own sound throughout. The lasting impression that I got from listening to this album was of a band that immensely enjoys making music and sees no reason to pretend otherwise. Hopefully, I’ve burnt down enough churches not to be kicked out of the Burzum fanclub for finding this joyful approach to music refreshing.
