Horseneck: Fever Dream

When Horseneck named this album Fever Dream, they probably had no way of knowing it would come out at the beginning of an international pandemic. But even if some listeners bristle at the unfortunate title, they should listen anyway. After all, the music is supposed to capture the current negative state of things, including all the violence, all the excess, and all the uncertainty. On all those topics, and many more, the album delivers a consistently heavy, sludgy, and overwhelming set of songs.

If you want to dive right in, I’d suggest listening to “Happily Level Lafter� or “Porcelain Ass,� two tracks that quickly show off Horseneck’s darker and more despairing sound. If you like what you hear, shift over to “Margaritadelphia,� a wild song with lyrics that make even the most mundane thoughts or desires seem shaky. There’s also a music video you could check out. I suspect many listeners will want to hear “Barbara Streisand,� if only to hear the legendary Gary “U.S.� Bonds belt out of few notes. Fortunately, it’s a good song that not only shows off Bonds’s signature vocals, but also lets the band ease up on the sludge just enough to channel a warm heavy rock feel. For another guest artist, check out “Red Curtain� which features the popular indy singer Jules Bee. I’m not familiar with Jules Bee, or with Sea of Bees, but her vocals gave some much-needed counterbalance to a song that is extremely dark and blistering. For a more straightforward sludge-soaked rocker, check out “Matt Lauer’s Secret Button,� a song that unfortunately brings to mind yet another example of bad human behavior. “Grease� was another great song, as was “Mr. Funny Guy, Full of Bullshit.� That song had some of the best riffing on the album, but it also had a trumpet and alto saxophone added into the mix. I didn’t mind them, but I also wondered if they were really necessary. Overall, this is a strong new release. It probably isn’t the best choice if you are sheltering in place and are already getting cabin fever. The last thing you need is to start screaming along with “Margaritadelphia� while the neighbors are trying to rest.

Track Listing:
1. Barbara Streisand (feat. Gary “U.S� Bonds)
2. Pen15
3. Happily Level Lafter
4. Porcelain Ass
5. Red Curtain (feat. Jules Bee of Sea of Bees)
6. A Discarded Mess
7. Matt Lauer’s Secret Button
8. Sleeping with Silverfish
9. Grease
10. Mr. Funny Guy, Full of Bullshit
11. Margaritadelphia

Added: March 31st 2020
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Bandcamp Page
Hits: 770
Language: english

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