★★★☆
Band Of Horses’ music has always been in the right place at the wrong time.
The place: cruising highways, staring down sunsets, dreaming of California. The time: here and now.
If Ben Bridwell and co. were writing songs like ‘No One’s Gonna Love You’, ‘The Funeral’ and even ‘Knock Knock’ (from the maligned Mirage Rock) a few decades ago, they’d be standard-setters of the genre. Being of the 21st century, however, has relegated them to dweeb territory – a group of gee-whiz stargazers with all the heart but none of the staying power.
Shacking up with uncool cats like Grandaddy’s Jason Lytle (here producing) and Dinosaur Jr.’s J Mascis (guesting on highlight ‘In A Drawer’) is bold enough unto itself, but Why Are You OK succeeds primarily on account of its acceptance of Band Of Horses’ strengths, and not budging from their dorky choirboy harmonies, nor their love of layered, sun-kissed guitar.
They’re not here to change the game – in fact, the only revolution Band Of Horses care about is the one at 33 1/3 per minute. Still, Why Are You OK will ensure that – at least for now – you’ll remember the horse with no name.
Why Are You OKbyBand Of Horsesis out now and available through Interscope/Universal.
