Strange Range
Paper Garden, 2013
8/10
A Brooklyn outfit fronted by Marc Cantone, The City And Horses released this 2nd album in 2013, where Cantone’s influences of The Smiths, The Beatles and Lou Barlow are present as help from flute, synth, trumpet, cello and saxophone helped him cultivate a very unique spot in indie-rock during this time.
“Whip” starts the listen busy and buzzing with guitars before retreating to calm, expressive indie-rock as louder moments enter the cautious and adventurous opener, and “17” continues the unpredictable landscape with a quirky pop delivery you can’t help but adore.
Later on, the calm, romantic quality of the title track displays much diversity from the ensemble, while “Re-Inking” enters darker areas as dance-friendly, electro-pop enters the equation. “My Strange Ways”, one of the best tunes, then jangles with a folksy approach in the very eclectic environment that sure seems ahead of its time for 2013.
Near the end, “Slave” finds a dreamy place to reside with minimal instrumentation, and “Kawali Dance” exits the listen rhythmic and hypnotic, where experimental ideas are present and used excessively, thankfully.
The City And Horses have been fairly quiet the last couple of years, but let’s hope that more music is on the horizon, as Cantone and company breathe a lot of novel ideas into their curious brand of indie-rock that rarely stays in one place very long, except, of course, the forefront of your mind should you spend quality time with Strange Range.
Travels well with: Salim Nourallah- Somewhere South Of Sane; Hayden- Us Alone