Rene: Welcome to Earshifter. He's Sean Capstick and he's Rene Rouleau. 

Sean: And Sean, why are we here? We are here to debate, discuss the merits of the band of horses in a show called Earshifter, where we are going to baby trip each other up this time in terms of one who loves the band more, and who is reservations about the band.

Whoa. And along the way, we hope you learn a little bit about the Band of Horses and tune into more episodes of Earshifter, where we're gonna discuss, uh, bands that we love. And feel more people should love them as well. 

Rene: Yeah. 

Sean: Perfect. 

Rene: Yeah, so you're right. We are gonna talk about band of horses. Um, you know, it's funny 'cause this is the first band where we don't even know who introduced the band.

To each other. In other words, I know I discovered this band through a bike trickster video. And how did you learn about this band? 

Sean: Definitely McCaskill video. Danny. Danny, Danny McCaskill? Yes. 

Rene: Yeah. Okay. But I 

Sean: think we did it. Separately somehow. Well, I don't even remember how we got viral videos back then.

Right? Yeah. You know, I think, I'm sure that my kids showed me they must have stolen some beta max, uh, videos and were, were like, what do you got with those video v beta max things? And they showed me the the guy doing tricks. Right. And it was compelling. It was super compelling. I watched it. It was incredible.

I watched it on the subway coming over just to get me in the 

Rene: mood and it's still amazing what he can do. It still holds up. And they timed it beautifully too with the music, which made you pay attention to the music even more. 'cause that crescendo, that first crescendo part, he just busts out at that exact moment.

So it's time perfectly. 

Sean: And he's done a million other videos. He's done more. They're, they're, I kind of lost track of them. Yeah. But he's done lots of them. Yeah. And never had another song with that impact. 

Rene: Yeah, yeah, exactly. The 

Sean: first 

Rene: one. Yeah. Yeah. Um, so let's talk about that. So let's talk about Band of Horses, the man that we both love, but I think we do.

Okay. So they were formed in. 2004 in Seattle after the big breakup of Ben Bridwell, he's the main singer after the breakup of his previous band. And they were called Carissa's. Weird. Have you heard of them? I've never heard of them. They have currently 140,000 monthly listeners. Not horrible.

And I listen to them and they're really not bad. They're kind of a. Kind of a sparkle horse sort of vibe, kind of quiet. Okay. Almost mumbly, but with a bit of a richer sound. So really not a bad band. So the, the story goes, Ben had his own record label and he had a few bands under that record label at this point.

He wasn't in a band, but he had a record label, and this was the early s. This is, I think it, yeah, it must've been in the era Seattle. 

Sean: So the grunge scene is over. Yeah. He's got a record label. Like everybody had a record label in, uh, in Seattle. Yeah. Yeah. 

Rene: But he really didn't, he wasn't in his own band.

And the way he became a member of Kris's World is because, uh, the drummer left. I, I'm pretty sure it was the drummer, 'cause he said they had slow songs so I could handle the drumming, I think is, is kind of what he alluded to. So he became the drummer for Chris's world. They then toured and he toured with them and they eventually broke up.

But after the breakup he realized I kind of like this life and I think I should learn guitar maybe. So, so we actually used Chris' Chris's weirds, kind of rehearsal studio that was still there. And, uh, he'd go there and he'd just learn guitar and, and that's how he actually formed Band of Horses ultimately.

So kind of an interesting driver, kind of unique. And by the way, originally they were briefly known as horses. I think Band of Horses is much better. 

Sean: Well, 

Rene: horses 

Sean: is a good album by Patty Smith, but. That I would agree the record. 

Rene: A a, a a band name. Yeah. Horses is, band of Horses Feels better. Yeah.

So he really is the sole constant member of Band of Horses. I counted the number of members that have been in Band of horses in 20 years, within 20 years. 12 different members not including the band. He joined and broke up. Which one's that? When he was the drummer? Oh, the Chris says. No, no, not including that one.

No, this is band of horses. I have never So on Wiki. So is he hard to get along with? I don't know, man. I don't want to say either way. All I want to say is the Wiki page. I've never seen this in a band's wiki page. They actually had a bar chart or at the bottom that kind of showed you when the members came in and left, just kind of like, so you could wrap your head around.

These 12 members that had come and gone, some of them came back. Right. And to be fair, when I really dug in, I mean, there are three members that have been there with him since 2007, so that's not bad. So the band initially, uh, got attention from sub pop records after opening for any ideas. I think you're gonna like this 

Sean: sub pop.

Okay. Sub pop was a kind of over by the the mid two thousands close to it. Uh, so who did they hint have left? 

Rene: I'll give a hint. I'll give you a hint. So this guy was a professor at Miami Film School and he doesn't go by that. He goes by a band name rhymes with fron and dying. 

Sean: Hmm. Rhyming hits.

Don't help iron and wine. 

Rene: Remember iron and wine? 

Sean: Yeah. Iron and wine are amazing. Yeah. 

Rene: Yeah. So, and they were on sub pop? Uh, they were on sub pop at the at the time. At the time. Okay. So, and later, uh, in an interview, Ben said that he felt like iron and wine weren't forced to have a band of horses open for iron and wine when they were in Seattle.

So that's how band of horses kind of got recognized. And kind of like got some, some bump from sub Pop. And as a result they uh, released an EP called Tour ep. On Tour ep. There were five songs. But three of them we know well because they were on the first album. So Wicked Gill the Great Salt Lake, which is actually one of my favorites.

And the funeral, which is the one we were talking about mm-hmm. Upfront on this, uh, on this year podcast, 'cause that is probably their most famous song. Of all time. I think it still holds up. Okay, so 2005, that Tour EP was released. Oh, and by the way, the funeral on that EP was called A Billion Day Funeral.

That was [00:07:00] the original name of the song. Later they shortened it. So the song, the Funeral originally was about this, his aversion to social occasions and holidays. He kind of felt like. You know, Christmas is kind of forced togetherness. New Year's Eve is that pressure to have the party of all parties and, uh, he kind of felt like.

He compared that dread of that feeling towards those occasions to the dread that you feel when you're attending a funeral. So that's actually what it's about. So I think we should give a listen to this, the funeral that we've talked about for, I feel like 20% of this show already. Okay. Let's hear it. All right.[00:08:00] 

Intro: Ready for funeral

every occasion. 

Rene: Okay, so the one thing I do wanna say similar to our granddaddy episode is. Some of their songs have that slow build. And so I would urge listeners to actually listen to the whole song if they've never heard it before. Because again, [00:09:00] we can only play a short clip of the song and it doesn't really do it justice in terms of that slow build.

So that, that's the one comment I would make. 

Sean: It's definitely a loud, soft song in the best way that loud soft songs work. Yes. 

Rene: Yes, exactly. Okay, so, pitchfork Media called that song The 67th greatest song of the two thousands. Hmm. It's pretty good. And, and quite honestly, I love everything about that first album.

So the first album, everything all the time is the name of it. In 2006. And Sean, this is gonna shock you, but there's not a single song that I skip on that album. And that is a pretty big thing for Renee. That 

Sean: is a big thing. Yeah. Curation is high and uh, you are listening. So the fact that somebody else did it for you all from one the beginning to the end.

Yeah. That, that's band of horses you're doing Okay then. 

Rene: Okay. [00:10:00] So what Ben said of the album, he said, I thought before recording that I really wanted an ELO sounding. Record with strings and keyboards and synths. But then as we got closer to it, we wanted to take a more raw approach. So what does that remind you of?

Granddaddy, ELO. Right? He talked about ELO, so I thought that was interesting 'cause we're gonna get to where we're gonna get to. Um, a lot of these songs didn't really come from any lyric writing. Let alone any singing ability says Bri will. A lot of the ways the words were, are sung, were meant to hide or mask what's being said, but there are definitely words.

I wrote 'em down on paper and everything is what he said. So, 

Sean: and maybe we can stop there. Okay. So lyrically the band has not progressed since the first record. The. Music is upfront for [00:11:00] sure, but lyrically, so I did account funeral. There are less than 200 words. Total and there's only 120 unique words.

Okay, so like poetry, it's not Yeah, yeah. Blowing in the wind, there's 300 words and 200 unique words, and it's an A tells a big, big story. So lyrically it's obtuse, which is okay. Yes. You know, there's not a lot of lyrics, so you can put a lot of your own interpretation on it. Yeah. Yeah. And, and you know, the feeling of being ready for the funeral is something that is, doesn't have to be explained that much.

It's more visceral. Yeah. But it's interesting that he had that quote that he uses words, it's not using. Full sentences or ideas or conveying something in a traditional lyricist way. 

Rene: Yeah, and he does [00:12:00] talk about his struggle with writing lyrics and even his music. But I think, you know the more we do these, the more I see a lot of artists kind of second guessing themselves and, and struggling.

Does he talk about his positivity? Because 

Sean: the lyrics are not very positive either? 

Rene: No, no, no, no. He's very, he's actually said he's getting to a better place and he's writing. You know, we'll, we'll get there. But even the things are great album. The most recent one, you know, of course that was tongue in cheek, but at least it's a little bit more positive than, than some of the earlier work is, is is my thinking.

So lyrically I'm feeling like you're, like, he's just not one of the greats, is fair to say he's not gonna win a pool of surprise. Yeah, and he probably knows that, which is okay. Um, before recording their second album, which is called Cease to Begin, in 2007, uh, Ben decided to relocate the band from Seattle 'cause that's where they started, to his native South [00:13:00] Carolina.

Now this album gives them their first hit album by reaching number 35 on the Billboard 247th best album by Rolling Stone that year as well. So they're on a trajectory, which is looking pretty good. And then of course no one's gonna love you. Gave them their first European hit, single, uh, reaching number 22 in Denmark.

It's a weird thing Sean Scandinavia really gravitates to band of horses. Like even that, that tour ep, that little guy actually made some marginal progress in I think it was Sweden and. Probably Denmark, but like a couple of countries in Scandinavia, they're, they're depressed as well. Yeah, it's true.

They're depressed. It's depressed. They're depressed. Yeah, it's perfect. Yeah, it's perfect. They like the tango and, uh, it's country. It's country. It's literally country. Okay. So I think, uh, I think what we should do is actually listen too. No one's gonna love you [00:14:00] 

Intro: ever. Gonna love you more than I.

No one's gonna.

Sean: Okay, so I think that probably one of my favorite band of horses songs, because. Again, emotively. The lyrics are so nice. It's an upbeat song that maybe why is he saying it in a plaintiff kind [00:15:00] of high pitched, you know, maybe a loss that he's not saying it in a way that you know, you know. Nobody's gonna love you and that's great.

It may, you know, so, but it still is nice if you sit back and hum. It. It's a, it's a nice song. It's an uplifting song, and certainly the, the music behind it has a happy feel. 

Rene: Yeah. Very positive feel. And, and lyrically, at least on the surface, seems very romantic. Yes. On the other hand, when I looked at the lyrics a little bit deeper.

Could be interpreted as, no one's ever gonna love you as much as I do. And they've broken up and he's just like, you're never gonna get as good as me. Right. 

Sean: Or it's a country song and he's killed her. 

Rene: Oh no. 

Sean: Because that's country music. That's why country music. 

Rene: Yeah. That's why I'm playing them backwards.

It's always a happy ending. Okay. So I, I agree though. That song is, is really beautiful. For that sophomore [00:16:00] album, cease to begin, Ben Bridwell, uh, describe the sound as I guess the first record had some kind of country-ish, uh, leanings. I think there's maybe a little bit more of that. Feeling on this one a little more down home, not so much indie rock.

And I would kind of agree 'cause there's a couple of songs on there. I think it was even the general specific is kind of a crazy country song, but it, I really quite like it. I like country. I'm serious. Like, 

Sean: like I think all countries a great combination. Now this is more country. Yeah, it's 

Rene: a little bit more country.

And then I think there's one song. Oh yeah. So the one song I'm not crazy about on this album is called The Mary Song. I don't know if you remember it, but it is so country, it's so on the nose country that I almost felt he was doing it like tongue in cheek. Like, let's just do this full on country song.

'cause I, I'm not a big fan of it, but boy is it country you don't, you don't remember it. Maybe it's kind of slow and it's [00:17:00] just, so 

Sean: if there's two albums that. I can listen to it. I know the, the songs, this one and one that's coming up later. Okay. So I'm sure I like it. I like every song on this album. Do you?

Okay. And I could listen to this album in the background. I'm sure that was part of our and part of the, the Curse of CDs. You'd never know any, lyric anymore because, or any, uh, song Because you just put it on. Yeah. And it's in a mix. And at this point we had a CD player that actually would move the CDs.

So you didn't even have to touch the CDs. Right? Yeah, yeah. It was at this time you were very removed from music. It wasn't even on your screen. Yeah. So I have no idea what the songs are called on this album. Yeah, yeah. But I like it. Right? Yeah, yeah. You know, and we listened to it a lot. Okay. It was background.

Rene: Yeah. But good background, good background. So for me, this album is a solid second. Is there a ghost? The opening track? Amazing. And you know, funny is there a ghost is very similar in terms of [00:18:00] start to the funeral. You know, kinda has that slow build soft and then gets big. But that first album is my favorite album of all six, for sure.

This one's, I think a close second. Okay, so that brings us to the third album. Which I don't even remember. Infinite Arms is what it's called in 2010. Uh, this one's recorded in North Carolina, not South Carolina. And so far a guy by the name A Better Carolina. Don't be offended. The other Carolina. So, so far Phil El Phil Eck has produced all of their albums now in Infinite Arms.

Something happened where he had to go and so. Infinite Arms is the first album where they kind of self produce. But the first two were Phil Eck, and I'm like, who is this Phil Eck producer dude? And so I kind of dug in a little bit there, and it turns out Phil Eck is like, we're a fan of Phil Eck. [00:19:00] This guy has done, I mean, he's prolific as hell, so just for fun.

I just want you to take a stab, a wild stab at any artist that he may have produced, and I'll give you a clue. We will definitely be covering at least two of the artists that I have here in the future. 

Sean: So Northern us built a spill, correct? 

Rene: First. Wow. Look at that outta the gate. You're not, you didn't cheat.

You didn't look. Okay. Yeah. So he's produced, uh. There's nothing wrong with love. Perfect. From now on. Keep it like a secret. Ancient melodies of the future. 

Sean: Yeah. 

Rene: But he 

Sean: is also produced the solid. What the Yeah. We, we are, we may have to have two episodes on. That's right. Uh, built a spill at some time. Yeah, 

Rene: exactly.

Uh, but he is also produced 

Sean: for you for. Eager listeners. Yeah. Keep combined. Yes, 

Rene: indeed. Indeed. Uh, but Modest Mouse as well. Uh, another 

Sean: northern band. Yeah. 

Rene: Yeah. The Moon and Antarctica, which is my favorite modest mouse. Uh, the [00:20:00] shins shoots so narrow. Uh, mud Honey, touch me. I'm sick. Under a billion sons, but is that a song?

Touch Me. Sick. Touch Me. I'm Sick. The 

Sean: Best Mud Honey song. Yeah. 

Rene: Okay. Okay. The Dodos, uh, time. I was one of my, it is my favorite Dodos, uh, album. Band called The Walkman. Hmm. Haven't heard of those. Yeah, me neither. Yeah. But probably good. Probably pretty good. And then, uh, the Black Angels, who I actually saw live, uh, their Death Son album, which I think is the only album I really liked.

So Wow. Right, guy's. Impressive. Okay. So originally Infinite Arms was introduced as Night Rainbows when they were kind of touring, you know, how banzo like play new songs that aren't out yet. So he always introduced it as Night Rainbows, but it turned out. It was the Infinite Arms. We don't know why it's called Infinite Arms.

It was never covered. Here's the part that gets a little better. The band appeared on the BBC television series later with Jules Holland. Mm-hmm. Sean, can you tell us who Jules [00:21:00] Holland is? He is the singer from The 

Sean: Squeeze. 

Rene: Yes, he's the keyboard. Very cool. Very cool. And, and that show was iconic at the time?

I think it was. It was, I think all the kids watched it and they kind of broke. A lot of bands. Uh, so, uh, they played three songs, compliments factory and uh, Northwest Apartment. And following this appearance, the band's first two albums entered the UK albums chart for the first time. And Infinite Arms entered the UK chart at number 21, giving the Band of Horses their first top 100 UK chart.

And it debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200 as well. So. Weird to me because Infinite Arms is not my, one of my favorites. And you actually said, I don't remember anything about it, so No. So no, I, I 

Sean: do remember, I do, I do actually remember it. It's the, the next one that I couldn't remember at all.

This one's got the radar on it, right? I I, 

Rene: yes, it does. 

Sean: Yes it does. So, yeah, so I, oh, I love, it's okay. Yeah. I [00:22:00] like the radar. It's okay. And I, and, and the uh, I don't mind it. Yeah. So. Listening to it again, dropped out of general circulation. Yeah. Maybe, you know, the, the one of the songs comes up on a playlist and you're like, oh, you know, I like it.

I heard that song for a little while. Yeah. But yeah, so yes, I do remember, 

Rene: This one. Okay, so then, so they're gaining momentum. They tour Europe, north America, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. In 2010, they opened for my wife's favorite band, which is. 

Sean: Oh, I can't remember. 

Rene: Pearl Jam. Pearl Jam, that's right.

Pearl Jam. I was trying to, I was trying to think of Katie Perry with all these other bands she played very nice. Yeah, so they opened for Pearl Jam and they also opened for Snow Patrol in, in a, in another tour. So they're, they're definitely coming along. Infinite Arms is nominated for a Grammy award in the best alternative category.

It doesn't win but it's also featured in best albums of 2010 lists. Q Magazine, NPR Listeners List, filter Magazine. [00:23:00] It just kind of blows my mind that like we've talked about, yeah, Laredo, uh, placed number 28 on Rolling Stones top 50 albums of 2010, but like those two previous albums are so much better.

It's just a great example of timing, weirdness, probably that bike video, I think that's such a good point. That was 2009. So they're gaining attention and everyone's going, well, let's see their next album, and they just. Like it because it's there, but he's also a little bit happier on this. I mean, yeah.

Yeah. Okay. It's definitely better. The six studio albums, it'd probably be my fifth favorite. Yeah. And we've talked how you like depressing music too. Yes, we have talked about that. A little ad nauseum, but yes. Okay. Alright, so let's go to the next one, which we both. I can't remember. It's called Mirage Rock.

It has not a single. So you know what I looked at? I looked at, uh, listening. You know, how many people have listened to this? Has the lowest [00:24:00] listenings, the whole album has the lowest listenings outta all their albums. And quite honestly, I do not like a single song on this album. Like, not one, and sorry Ben, but we are fans.

But, and maybe Ben would even acknowledge this too, 'cause 'cause he kicked the band out. At this point, I am not, I'm not getting into that whole skirmish thing. I'm gonna just leave that one alone. But, uh, you know, Lois listens on Spotify and I'm kind of like going. This album is just so bland. And so what's fun about doing this podcast is it gives me a reason to dig in and find out what, what happened?

Why did this, why is this album so crap? Really? What is the differentiator? And the only thing I could find was, um, that the producer was a guy named Glen Johns, and it turns out this guy was the engineer on some. Rolling Stones albums, the Who, who's Next Led [00:25:00] Zeppelin albums. And I like all those bands, but I'm just thinking he's, maybe he brought in just old school and as a result it just kind of became middle of the road, sort of unremarkable, really.

Music. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good and it just, just washed over. And they weren't sub pop 

Sean: at this time? 

Rene: No, they're Columbia. And I think Polydore, they are switching record labels, so I didn't get into that too much. But they are, they're no longer with StepUp for sure. 

Sean: Yeah. So they've got different pressures, different expectations, 

Rene: and Yeah, maybe, and then they, they're on the heels of the Grammy.

No, not that that means anything, but maybe it does a little bit to an artist. Right. And so they probably just felt a lot of pressure. Right. So needless to say, this is the sixth. This is number six on my six, uh, studio albums. I think we can leave that one behind. I think we've trashed it enough and we can move on to the next album, which is not a studio album.

It's called Acoustic at the [00:26:00] Ryman. And it's the acoustic live album recorded at the Ryman in Nashville. And it was part of their acoustic tour of 13 cities, including 

Sean: Toronto. That that gave you goosebumps. Yes, it did. And I realized at that point that I'm never gonna love it the way that you do because you were just like glowing.

And I'm like. Yeah, I'm having fun. Like this is good. It's nice to hear these songs reinterpreted. Yeah. Uh, in a different manner maybe. He played a lot of Mirage Rock at that time and I got bored and you were still glowing from, uh, the other albums, but yeah, I remember seeing that show. And not being moved the same way you were.

Wow. And can 

Rene: I just say, I think I, I was like a, a substitute invite. 

Sean: You were a plus. You, you were, you were a last minute uh, sub. I don't know who couldn't go. Probably my wife. 

Rene: Yeah. And I didn't even like. I didn't even know about it or pay attention to or anything. So I was so glad that I was like, oh yeah, I'll go to that.

Actually, I remember being kind of flippant going, I got nothing to do. Sure. Let's go. [00:27:00] Uh, and I, yeah, I loved it. It blew me away. It blew me away. And then we also saw them. You totally blew, blown away. Yeah. Yeah. And then we also saw them with my wife. She came and your wife came um, in Toronto as well, but I don't remember which album that was on.

But, uh, anyway, so you and I have seen them twice. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Okay. So we're gonna go to the next album, which is in 2015. The album is called, why Are You Okay? And I, and this is their best album. My God. Like, I, it'd be number two for me, like still the first album is my favorite. But yeah, what I literally said, come back album like crazy.

Like Jesus Christ. This album is incredible. And who produced it? Sean? The guy from Granddaddy. Yeah. Jason. Jason Light. Yep. Um, so the album title itself came from, he has four daughters and it came from his young daughter hitting the phone. 'cause young, you know, young little kids just hit the phone randomly and the auto correct came out with why Are you [00:28:00] okay?

Yeah. So that's how the actually the album title came to be.

Sean: And why are the other ones? Because the album titles are, I find, are very compelling, right? The cease to begin? Yeah. The everything. All the time. Yeah. Alright. You know, why are you okay? Mirage Rock again, title, uh, but like, and the, the, the graphics are very similar, right?

They all of the, the, the CD covers. The album covers are very similar in terms of, you know, the, this I can't remember what Mirage Rock looks like, but the first three are very. Dreamy. Dreamy, earthy. Yeah. Like, have, you know, the, the green, the blue? Yeah. The, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. And then why are you Okay.

Has, do you remember that album cover Light Blue and they're on a beach? I think 

Rene: two people 

Sean: that are naked. Okay. And they're covering themselves up, and it's like they're really small in the distance and. Why are you okay? Like, it's just so, like, it's [00:29:00] like even the album covers interesting. 

Rene: Yeah, 

Speaker 4: yeah, 

Rene: yeah, yeah.

I can't, I can't speak to, uh, why he named the other ones. I do have the answer for this one. I do have the answer for the next one too. Mm-hmm. Um, but I, he, I just couldn't find answers to the other ones. So this is the one where he approached Jason Lidle to produce the album. But he, he described it more as like.

You know, Jason Lidle, he literally says, is one of our heroes. This is the what he actually says. Uh, so Ben's got something, right? Yeah. Yeah, a hundred percent. And he said he looked to Jason as, as more of a mentoring role because Jason comes from a musician, studio rat, singer, lyricist, skate skateboarder.

He didn't, he didn't say skateboarder, but, but, but that's kind of what he was looking for in terms of mentorship. And I think it's interesting that lyricist is in there, that he actually said that. Mm-hmm. To your point. And Jason's also a fan of the band, so he felt like bringing Jason in, he's a fan of the band, we're a fan of him.

This is [00:30:00] gonna go great. So he actually cites one song in particular in a drawer and he says, you know, that's a great example of where Jason came in and helped. 'cause I'd been working on that song for years. Trying to get that song right, all its moving parts. I just could never get 'em right. And then one day I just emailed Jason, kind of almost like a Hail Mary of an idea I had for it, and Jason kind of understood it and got it.

And then Lidle. And Jay cus So who suggested Jay maus? I think Lightle did that. That was the impression I got that Lightle did. Jay Cus listeners is dinosaur Jr. And, and the guitar God. And the guitar God. Okay. Yeah. And then Ben said at the very last second, Jason came in and saved the day his quote right on that song.

Sean: So. Up until now. Yeah. My thesis that every song is similar, right, is [00:31:00] loud, soft building, maybe Mirage Rocks really different. But you know, up until like these first three albums are very similar country good, right? Mm-hmm. Yeah. And then. In a drawer is completely different. Yeah. Yeah. And the lyrics are still kind of obtuse now he's using less words, but it's sung by somebody else or, or ba or co sung.

And now you can, you can put whatever you want in that drawer. Like what is he finding in the drawer? It's now he's using the space for more interesting ideas. 

Rene: Yeah. Yeah. And he did say that song was very different from all the other, they even have female singers on that song. So he said that really was a departure for them.

And, and I agree, like that song is. So different and so memorable. Crazy. So we're gonna hear that song. Why not? Let's listen to it right now.[00:32:00] 

Sean: What do you think Sean? I get, it's so different. I really like it If we weren't just music [00:33:00] critics and you know, just said what we don't like if we actually knew more about music, we could probably talk about how it was in different time signature and a different key that they normally knew. Yeah.

Used totally. It totally was. Uh, yeah. But yeah, it's a, it is a very nice song and the whole, all of the songs are good on that album, casual 

Rene: party for me. First of all, it's, it must be an echo or an homage to weed party from the first album. 

Sean: Casual Party's a different type of song. Like he's not, it's a, it's written from a different perspective.

He's describing a larger situation with more people. 

Rene: Yeah. 

Sean: And more complex d again, different, different sound, different beat, yeah, different topics. 

Rene: Yeah, and if we knew music, we could probably talk more about that. But I will say this, that casual party starts with a burst. It. There's no slow build it just.

Goes right into it, and the whole song is just very uplifting, great feeling, great running song, highly recommended. 

Intro: It's a, it's a complete farce. [00:34:00] Everything you do is a.

Rene: I got one more thing to say about this record, [00:35:00] dude. Okay. You're gonna, you're gonna like this kind listeners. Don't fast forward. Okay, so before we leave this album, there's one more thing I wanted to tell you. There was another famous producer that was on a part of this album, almost like a consultant.

And do you know who that producer is or do you want me to give you a hint? Okay. As long as it's not a rhyming hint. No, no rhyming hits. He produced the first Beastie Boys album. 

Sean: Rick Rubin was on this. No way. Rick 

Rene: Rubin really is a part of this and I'll kind of get into what, how he was a part of it, but 

Sean: Okay.

I'm glad we didn't just jump to the next album. See? Okay. I thought 

Rene: you'd love that man. Okay, so. Rick Rubin is a fan He called and a God and a God a hundred percent. That's, this is why I wanted to bring this up too, 'cause I knew you'd love it. Alright, so Rick Rubin's a fan and he actually called the bass player at the time, bill just to see what they were up to.

He asked them to come down and they said, well, we're working on [00:36:00] our next album. And he said, well, why don't you come down, play some stuff for me and we'll just chat about it. It. That's it. So Ben went down, played him some stuff, and they just talked and he kind, and he, Ben described it as he kinda nudged a few of the songs in the right direction.

And that's kind of what I followed and some things I didn't follow, but that, those I did follow. I think it was like three songs in total that he had an influence on. So that's the Rick Rubin story. Pretty good. That is pretty good. Okay, so now we'll go to the next album. So Ben called this. The sister album, or he said at Best Kissing Cousins album to Why Are You Okay?

And this is the sixth album, and the album is called Things Are Great. So he wanted the two albums to actually come closer in age as well in terms of like the space between them. But it wasn't that quick because they took some de detours along the way. He fired his band. Some stuff went on. Ben said he was [00:37:00] gonna call the album because of our lives as a response to Why are you Okay?

Because of our lives. Makes a little more sense For sure. And positive. 

Sean: And 

Rene: positive. 

Sean: Resilient 

Rene: and, 

Sean: and in a good head space. 

Rene: Yeah. Yeah. But they switched everything up in the album and then he didn't know what to call it. They actually had finished the album and then started over. And who was, who produced it before?

Hmm. So this is where it gets weird. So he, Penn said, what is essential about band of horses is a bit of slop in quotes. So he never really expanded on this, but I, I think he meant band of horses can be a bit messy. For example, he had to cut Jason Lidle as the producer. From this album and, and start over.

'cause he just felt like it, it just wasn't there. And he literally said the [00:38:00] outtakes then. I know, right? I mean, what was that other album? But, uh, and he literally said, he said that that felt absolutely horrible. 'cause Jason Lidle is my hero, but I just, it just wasn't, wasn't there like the last one. For whatever reason, he didn't get a wind into the details.

So the song crutch. Became the first number one song of all time. Like for them, their first number one song is Crutch. So they on the billboard charts. And so we was asked, you know, how do you feel about that? And he said, well, the song is deeply personal and kind of sad. Agreed.

This, this record I deliberately told the damn story. I wasn't afraid to be brutally honest. Now he never goes into what that means. But it turns out they actually just came out of a divorce. So I think that's a little bit what's going on in this album as well is, is he's just working that through. So let's give a listen, a crutch, and then we'll [00:39:00] actually talk more about this album.

Okay.

Okay, so that's, that's crutch. And it's weird because that song feels very bouncy and kind of uplifting actually. But lyrically, I think it's a little darker. But I would run to this song. It's very, and it [00:40:00] starts with a punch, kind of like a casual party as well. So again, for me, very solid album. I like so many of the songs on this one.

Basically the whole album except for Ice Night. We're having, again, just a little too country for me. But Sean, what about you? 

Sean: So it's, I think the first song, the Wording Signs. Yeah. And when a, again, I, I was listening to Why Are You Okay All, all the time? Like, and then this came out and you know, by now we were streaming.

Now it was easy, but it didn't catch. Hmm. But this song, I remember going back and listening to it. It is a pretty dark song. Warning signs. Yeah. 

Rene: Yeah. Do you wanna listen to that right now? Sure. Let's do that.[00:41:00] 

Intro: Small talk with the registered nurse not to cry in front of people at work. That's hard, hard, hard at times. You know,

days the end of April. 78. There was long, long, long, long time

in

you.

Sean: Okay, so this song. First song on the album. Right? And, you know, so it, it opens up with a pretty provocative line making small talk with a [00:42:00] registered nurse. And then it's conventional song in that he's telling a story. It's not, you know loud, loud, soft emotions feelings. So. To me, and I was listening to this, this is about like his mother and the problems that she had when he was growing up and how maybe that's affected him over the long term.

But if I was gonna stack rank all of the albums, it would be. The second and the fifth by far. Right. And then everything else is kind of like, I like the first one. Yeah. 'cause you made me listen to the Green album. Renee made me promise. So do it at least three times. I said you have to listen to it at least three times, and if you don't like it, then I'll.

I can't remember what you said you would do, but, and I didn't have to commit to anything. I just had to listen to it three times. Yeah. And yeah. And then I was like, thank you for bringing it back into the rotation. Right. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:43:00] Uh, but you know, like, so I think that his, he's matured as an artist in writing songs in different.

Topics and things like that, but still not a happy Yeah, like, you know, it's not goth, but like that's a pretty, you know, like that's not a country opening line. Usually the country line is, you know. You know, I saw the nurse after a fight, as opposed to you're sitting in a waiting room with the nurse. Why do you like this record so much?

Rene: Well, I mean, I, I like this record 'cause it is the sister album too. Why are you okay? And I can totally see that. And that's why I like it. I, I like, I like it equally. To why are you okay? But here's where it gets interesting is meta critic gave it a 79 out of a hundred, and Pitchfork gave it a 7.3 outta 10.

So all that to say critics liked it, and, but I think that does go back to where you are in your life at that time. [00:44:00] Maybe had you heard things are great first, and why are you okay second? For whatever reason, maybe that would've registered more, who knows, right. Hard to say. But I did love it and I did feel like very much it was a sister album in the, in the best sense of the word.

So the question is not, are they a near shifter band, but why are they an ear shifter band? 

Sean: So I think that, that they're, they're an ear shifter's band because they have inspired. You know, not that there, he's the first falsetto country artist, but he took that what he's got and did bake a pretty good run of it.

Rene: Okay. Yeah, that's a better answer than mine. Mine is. I just feel like, yes, they have 3 million monthly listeners, but I still run into people that are seemingly into music and they've never heard a band of horses and that kind of. To me that makes it a near shifter band in and of itself, because that is exactly why we're here, is to [00:45:00] introduce bands to people that maybe have never heard the band before.

And I know that's weird and shocking, but believe me, I've run into it more than two or three times where like you've never heard of band. Like they know all sorts of bands that you and I know. But they don't know who Band of Horses is, so that's why I think it's an airship for a band. So do you wanna give a hint for the next episode or you wanna keep it a secret?

Sean: So if we're gonna do bands with a million listeners, then I will do a band that. I can't believe has the other people like them because you have said that they were created just to make me happy. 

Rene: Yeah, I know which band that is. Okay, perfect. And I think they were, I really do. So yeah, we'll cover them next time.

Guys. Thanks so much. We hope you enjoyed this episode of Year Shifter. Tune in next time where we'll cover another band that deserves more. You can find Year Shifter on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Friend us or listen to our playlist on Spotify and visit air shifter.com for more information. Special thanks.

Go to our logo designer Stuart Thorsby, and our intro outro music by Joe Novak. You can find him as Bye. Bye. Badman, one word on SoundCloud and a big shout out to Joe for being our awesome sound engineer slash editor. Until next time.