Fast becoming one of my favourite outfits, the inestimably cool and unlimitedly suave Horsegirl have just released another laid back fuzzy pop single ‘World of Pots and Pans’. Complete with a lyrical nod to The Jesus and Mary Chain, this band is releasing some of the most satisfyingly scuzzy pop material that positively shines with an attitude laced with a sullen insouciance (see my review of ‘Anti-glory’). Utterly cathartic rock’n’roll.
The trio have also been recently awarded the Grulke Prize for a developing new act at the recent SXSW event.
The accompanying video is simple and effective – there is a charm about the delivery as the band plays with words and objects on an overhead projector in the gloom. The band says of the song and video:
‘World of Pots and Pans’ is the first love song Horsegirl has ever written—or the closest thing to it. We wrote it in Penelope’s basement while preparing to leave for our first ever tour. The lyrics, inspired by the misinterpretation of a Television Personalities lyric, imagine a (possibly unrequited) romance unfolding through references to Tall Dwarfs, Belle & Sebastian, and The Pastels.
We made the lyric video in a couple hours. The three of us had a fully formed vision of what it should look like and were able to quickly execute the real-time “animation” in only two takes. It feels special to showcase our creative chemistry, and Nora was able to finally carry out her childhood dreams of making an OK Go (ish) type video.
Harmonised melodies coast over the wall of guitars, creating a beautiful tension between the sweet if not dispassionate vocals and the scything barbed-wire strings:
Horsegirl release their debut album through Matador Records on 3 June 2021 and you can pre-order here and through the link below.
Horsegirl are: Penelope Lowenstein (guitar, vocals), Nora Cheng (guitar, vocals), and Gigi Reece (drums).
Horsegirl will play their debut UK and European shows in June, including London shows at Paper Dress Vintage (matinee + evening) on June 19th and at Bermondsey Social Club on the 22nd, as well as dates in Manchester and Bristol. A full list of UK, European and North American dates can be found below.
Horsegirl Tour Dates:
Sun. May 29 – Allston, MA @ Boston Calling Festival
Sun. Jun. 5 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall (RECORD RELEASE SHOW) ^
Fri. Jun. 10 – Giessen, DE @ Stadt ohne Meer
Sun. Jun. 12 – Mannheim, DE @ Maifield Derby
Thu. Jun. 16 – Antwerp, BE @ Trix Bar
Fri. Jun. 17 – Paris, FR @ Pop Up Du Label
Sun. Jun. 19 – London, UK @ Paper Dress Vintage (EARLY SHOW) – SOLD OUT
Sun. Jun. 19 – London, UK @ Paper Dress Vintage (LATE SHOW) – SOLD OUT
Tue. Jun. 21 – Manchester, UK @ YES (Basement)
Wed. Jun. 22 – London, UK @ Bermondsey Social Club – SOLD OUT
Sun. Jun. 26 – Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade Bristol
Tue. Jun. 28 – Cologne, DE @ Bumann & Sohn
Wed. Jun. 29 – Berlin, DE @ Monarch
Fri. Jul. 1 – Denmark, DE @ Roskilde Festival 2022
Sat. Jul. 2 – Hamburg, DE @ Molotow Upstairs
Fri. Jul. 15 – Vancouver, BC @ Wise Hall *
Sat. Jul. 16 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos *
Sun. Jul. 17 – Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall *
Tue. Jul. 19 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
Thu. Jul. 21 – Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon *
Fri. Jul. 22 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo *
Sat. Jul. 23 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room *
Tue. Jul. 26 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line *
Wed. Jul. 27 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon *
Fri. Jul. 30 – Sat. Jul. 31 – Detroit, MI @ Mo Pop Festival
Sat. July 31 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza Music Festival
Tue. Aug. 2 – Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe *
Wed. Aug. 3 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop *
Fri. Aug. 5 – Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground *
Sat. Aug. 6 – Montreal, QC @ Petit Campus *
Wed. Aug. 10 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom *
^ w/ Lifeguard, Friko, Post Office Winter
- w/ Dummy
Feature Photograph: Cheryl Dunn
