Bell Horses is a left-field pop outing from Xian Hawkins & Jenny Owen Youngs. The
8 songs that comprise their debut album work together to create a world of contrasts
both challenging & familiar. Arrangements blend acoustic instruments (guitars,
strings, piano, percussion) with synthetic textures and samples while vocals sit up
front in the mix, often doubling as instruments themselves. A subtle attention to
detail reveals more with each listen. This Loves Last Time is about the infinite and
the finite – things that cease to be but linger all the same.
The name Bell Horses is taken from a turn of the century song about horses
passing in the night, strung with bells so as not to collide. An apt analogy for the
working methods of this group whose members all live in different cities. Various
parts of the album were tracked in Brooklyn, Berlin & London with the majority of
the music being recorded, arranged & mixed by Xian Hawkins in a converted
Victorian Church in Western Massachusetts. This Loves Last Time succeeds as it
becomes more than the sum of the individuals involved – all of whom have projects
of their own.
X
ian Hawkins records as Sybarite - making distinct & lauded electronica for a
variety of labels, most notably 4AD, Temporary Residence & Ghostly
International. His music has been featured in film & television. Jenny Owen
Youngs is a singer songwriter who signed to Nettwerk Records in 2006 and
recently released her sophomore record, Transistor Failure, to critical acclaim.
Also on the album is Alexander Ericson (Alberta Cross, Stjarna) contributing vocals
to three of the tracks - along with Michael Lerner, drummer for NYC band The
Antlers (Frenchkiss), & classical string player Eve Boltax.
This Loves Last Time was mastered by Denis Blackham (Brian Eno, Cocteau Twins)
at Skye Mastering in Scotland. UK artist Rick Myers designed the sleeve - he has
done covers for the likes of Doves, Dinosaur Jr. & John Cale, among others.
Photographs were taken by California artist Noele Lusano.
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still life
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small hours
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headmess
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billowing
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the comb
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photograph
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the storm
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dust of us
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