The Horrors Go Skying

Wow...The Horrors have come such a long way since their hair parting ways at the beginning of the century. Gone is the scenester posing, the hair product, plastered hair, and semi-gothic dress sense. It's been replaced by a creative, thriving band that's left the scene behind and gone on their own journey where music is key. As a result their latest album, Skying, is a swirly and moody record that's dramatic and darkly delicious and the best thing they've ever done.

Sounding something like the Psychedelic Furs gone shoegazing, much of Skying is an ethereal hazy affair whose songs are like wispy vapor trails from the heavens. Listening to this record it’s so incredibly obvious that The Horrors have matured as a band and by doing so matured into one amazing group of musicians. As if to prove the point, the songs here are mesmerizing and emotional, slightly downtrodden and depressed but gothicly beautiful. The band has wrapped their songs in a black shroud of distortion, ghostly vocals, and haunting melodies. It's these elements and great songs that lift this record from the graveyard, where The Horrors once dwelled, to the stage where songs like these belong.

Skying is a very good record by a band that continues to impress. These darklings are constantly becoming more and more complex musicians and it's reflected in each song here. They mix the dark with the light and come up with something worth listening to repeatedly. To think that The Horrors were once the butt of more jokes than Rodney Dangerfield seems incredible now. While they won me over on their last album, they've made me a fan with this one and I'm not afraid, or even ashamed, to say that. Take that Faris Rotter!

The Horrors Don't Know Primary Colours

It's amazing how time makes all the difference in the world with certain bands. A couple of years ago, The Horrors were over-hyped dreck that sounded bad and looked even worse. They were a cliche of themselves and for the most part were reviled my most of indiedom. So, what did they do? I guess they literally went back to the drawing board and reinvented themselves.

I know what your thinking, "Reinvented themselves? That's like the biggest red flag ever." This is true but, Primary Colours, is a pleasant surprise to say the least. Firstly, it's actually listenable and secondly, it's actually good. Rather than trying to be a second rate garage band like they used to be, The Horrors have wound up sounding something like early Psychedelic Furs, Joy Division, and The Raveonettes all at the same time. While the band's garage rock tendencies are still there, the band has wrapped them in a black shroud of distortion, ghostly vocals, and haunting melodies. It's these elements that lifts this record from the graveyard where The Horrors once dwelled to the stage where songs like thier's belong.

While Primary Colours might be leaning a bit more in the direction being gloomy then their debut album it's ok, because the songs on the album are strong enough where they have cross genre appeal. "Do You Remember," is a perfect example of this as the song is dripping with cascading guitar riffs that create a certain level of chaotic darkness while salvaging an extremely cool melody that's easy to latch on to. Much of Primary Colours is like this; a dreary delight that mixes 60's influences with 80's era depression.

They may have been reviled by just about everyone in the know and they may have had a lot to prove but The Horrors persevered. As someone who thought they were the funniest things NME had ever championed I can honestly say I am impressed by Primary Colours. It's a far more listenable affair that doesn't reek of hair product and trendiness. Instead, Primary Colours,is actually a darkly brilliant noise pop record that hides itself under a lot of eyeliner. They've won me over with this record and if they would decide to lose the excessive product and grim looks they might just win over the mainstream indie public as well.