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Single/Download Review
The Horses of Instruction Tree People EP self-released
Article written by
Ged M - Nov 4, 2014
To be sure, there are “tree people” in the Horses of Instruction: James Agnew (drums, vocals), John Waring (guitar, vocals) and Martin Hall (bass). They’re a guitar-y post-punk band, unless they’re playing synths, which they had to do when John Waring broke his guitar-playing fingers and had to resort to stabbing a keyboard. So ‘Indiana Jonesing’ (about “trying to be more interesting than you actually are”) is like Led Zeppelin in their heavy folk phase, but only if Zep had embraced synths and slowed down to play them. The Horses have their guitar hero moments – ‘The Pinewood House’ has a big old engine throbbing under the bonnet – but the most satisfying songs bookend the EP. ‘Tree People’ is bright and lively Postcard-era post-punk with a booming chorus while ‘Trouble At The Garden Centre’ is insanely addictive (and who couldn’t love a band who rhyme “garden centre” with “foul temper”). Its mental title and scattergun rhythms comes across like early Elvis Costello meets the Feelies but it also conceals a warning about raking over the past. A cleverly crafted 15 minutes of throwaway but strangely profound pop.