A Lot on My Crate

In 2023, there was this band that rocked the indie scene. And that indie rock band was a whimsical group named, Feeble Little Horse. I was really into their second album that probably was the one that got them the most buzz and success in the underground. I became a fan when this album checked all the right boxes when it comes to just wanting to vibe out while being in this nonchalant, playful mood to fill up the time. That’s what their album Girl with Fish did, so this surprise third release had big shoes to fill. But boy, did this release take everyone by surprise. I feel like fans of the band would be into this still, but this record is even heavier and utilizes electronics. Also, not only do they feel more brief, but the album feels much catchier in my opinion. I’ll preface with this, I still think Girl with Fish is a better album as it was more distinct and cleaner, but this was such an intense, enjoyable, and even cute listen. That is the magic of Lydia Slocum’s voice in this assignment (accompanied by Sebastian Kinsler occasionally), her tone and inflection is sweet and nonchalant that can be used in many moods and pieces in their songwriting. They know how to make themselves feel bombastic and Betty Boop at the same time. They’re one of a kind and hearing their sound, you can see why they’re a big name these days.

“Doorway” lives rent free in my head as it is such a crazy opener with varying themes in this one track. You got the grunge, you got the calm before the storm with this radar sound effect, and then you got the most absolutely zaniest ending one can give us. I still think about the ending of “Doorway” in my dreams. “Poison” has this sick guitar feature, which was enough to win me over with how brief it was. “Rewind” gives us this sweet as honey hook and melody with a repeating, “It’s harder to rewind, than to see it at the same time.” Something about “Shady” makes me think of the “Milk and Cereal” by G. Love and Special Sauce with how the chord progression went, but Horse pumps the brakes in this one. They wrap their arms around you saying they’re off to cause some mischief! You feel like you trust them for some reason. “Dior” is a character portrait of someone who might be lost in their own sauce, while making sure others are not as cool as their own cool club. Slocum’s demure disposition works well here, as the song can be a tale for someone who chases too hard or they have lost their sense of self.

“Cradle” is probably the loveliest of the bunch, while it sounds like a sway back and forth with the catchy “the way you do that”. It sounds like a such a happy time that one doesn’t want to end. It references a house and a baby’s face. There are no worries in this song, as it just sounds like the good ole’ salad days. “Upside Down” is so catchy their “upside down” loop and this fuzzy, dreamy pop production makes it more mystical. We get this distant, emotional arpeggio in “Shopping” that complements with the low key verses. It’s the band’s way to let us look into the lens of how technology and branding can make us go over our heads. Then we get a big rocker of an ending of “DMT”. I absolutely love how the distorted electronics play into here as suddenly go into this explosion of sound and how she goes into screamo mode. It ends all of a sudden, but headbangers will appreciate this.

I didn’t see the point of “Paris” and “Guts”, as the former was so brief, I didn’t get a chance to digest. It sounds very much like an interlude of fantasy creatures, which is all in well ok. And then, I couldn’t vibe with “Guts” little rewind effect or so on whatever that loop is in the background. These songs seem to be too short and as much as I love “DMT”, it did end abruptly, which made me feel indifferent.

The album seems like a skipping stone across the pond, but like the act of skipping a stone, this was still an enjoyable listen. They know how to get their audience going and how to capitalize their style. Indieheads will love this, even though I wish it has more, having good tracks to vibe with from “bitknot” is still a blessing. So, if one has a long face, then give this album a listen! The horse is gentle, but it does have a mean kick to them. Yeah, I had to insert a horse shtick somewhere.

FAVORITE TRACKS: DOORWAY, POISON, SHADY, CRADLE, UPSIDE DOWN, SHOPPING, DMT

LEAST FAVORITE: PARIS

You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and their discography is also available for streaming.

https://feeblelittlehorse.bandcamp.com/album/bitknot