Before They Were Blogged: Band of Horses demo tape
Seattle’s Band of Horses turned up at the top of many “Best-Of” lists this year with their full-length debut Everything All The Time (Sub Pop), a jangly, shimmering album that is mandatorily compared to The Shins, My Morning Jacket, and Neil Young in every album review ever written (oh, and sometimes Flaming Lips).
Yep, you can hear all those influences, but I think they are doing so well because –beyond the comparisons– they have an eminently fresh & enjoyable sound that is uniquely their own.
Before they hit the blog buzz this year, they released several versions of demo tapes (under the simplified moniker “Horses”) that are worth taking a listen to. This is the stuff that caught the ears of Sub Pop:
DEMO 1: “Horses”
Snow Song [aka The Snow Fall]
Bass Song (early version of Our Swords)
Ghost Song [aka For Wicked Gil]
Part 2 Song
(Biding Time Is A) Boat To Row
Name: Heather Browne
thanks a ton for all the great music on here. I have been a loyal reader for a long time now and really appreciate this blog. but for some reason, I completely missed the paolo nutini show from october. I was wondering if it would be a huge deal for you to re-upload it? if it is, then no worries (I do not know all that goes into file hosting and other computer matters), but if you can, it would be awesome. again, I really appreciate the blog and thanks a lot.
Josh — December 27, 2006 @ 8:59 am
Hi Josh,
They guy who originally taped that show was contacted by the RIAA or something to remove the files – even though it is a live show so that is absolutely inexplicable, but while he works that out, I took my copies of the files down as well. If he gets the all-clear, I can re-up them no problem. Thanks for being a faithful reader!
heather — December 27, 2006 @ 9:10 am
This sounds a lot like one of those pale, bespeckled singers that you recently mentioned fronting the Innocence Mission. Good, but kind of unsettling none the less.
Ben — December 27, 2006 @ 9:23 am
Oh boy! I don’t know where I first got Band of Horses from. I had a burned cd with almost that whole new album and some songs from my friends band. I just noticed the album for the first time. I just started listening to it a few weeks ago and fell in love. Until someone broke into my car and stole all that away with everything else.
these tracks don’t seem to want to download. Is it just me?
nick bahula is dead — December 27, 2006 @ 11:16 am
Thanks for the heads-up on their debut album, Heather.
I’m really liking their sound. Also feel there may be a hint of Afghan Whigs in their sound too – which is no bad thing!
groovyf — December 28, 2006 @ 7:21 am
Its not just you, Nick, I can’t get them to work either. Heather, could you fix/re-post these? Thanks a ton!
Paul — January 26, 2007 @ 10:59 am
any chance to get these re-posted? pretty please?
Jackie Treehorn — September 23, 2008 @ 7:37 pm
I second the last request. It would be great!
mrbrightside — November 11, 2008 @ 2:14 am