A year ago, Horse Feathers were nominated for a Plug award in the category of best Americana album. Despite losing the day to their equine brethren Band of Horses, the nomination still stood as a testament to the abilities of a band whose momentum has been building consistently since 2004.
The roots-y perpetual motion of Horse Feathers’ songs has thus far seen them through an ever-rising tide of critical accolades, intimate club performances and, most recently, a berth on the roster of revered Northwestern indie label Kill Rock Stars.
“Our last record was nominated for Americana album of the year through the Plug awards,” said principal Horse Feather Justin Ringle. “Then [Kill Rock Stars founder] Slim Moon sent us a message saying he liked our music, and we started a bit of a discussion. Then we played New York in June of 2007, and then we came to New York again in October and played there again, and that’s when they decided to do our next record for us.”
Though KRS has been home to a head-scratchingly varied stable of artists in the past, their bands have always found common ground in the undeniable strength of their songwriting. Horse Feathers show no indications of changing this pattern. They fit right in.
Started as Ringle’s solo project in 2004, Horse Feathers have turned into an intricate and squeaky clean folk dynamo, capable of lulling audiences into complacency with coasting melodies found among complex arrangements. These arrangements are primarily the work of local string wunderkind Peter Broderick, who was inspired to search out Ringle after running across two recordings, the latter of which was produced in a friend’s basement.
The two began a collaborative partnership, which has yielded an impressive library of effortless string-driven tunes. Ringle’s hushed lyricism has found its perfect counterpart in the instinctual intricacy of Broderick’s string arrangements-and the squeaky clean folk that has sprung forth from the pair is well deserving of the attention it has received.
Recently, this partnership has been forced to undergo some adaptation, as Broderick’s multi-instrumentalist talents have perpetually been in demand. He recently began a tour engagement with the band Efterlang in their native Denmark.
“[Broderick] is living in Denmark and he’s not going to be back in town until October, when our record comes out,” said Ringle, “In the meantime … Lisa [Molinaro, violinist] from Talkdemonic is going to sit in and play his parts for us. And so, I’m going to have sort of a rotating cast in different configurations, probably until he gets back and we go on tour again.”
The forms Horse Feathers takes in Broderick’s absence will all bear the mark of his arrangements, regardless of who interprets them, as Ringle and his cohorts begin to road test tunes from Horse Feathers’ upcoming album. Though writing and recording the album have proven time-consuming processes, due in no small part to the geographic issues at hand, the record is near completion. Ringle is excited about the results.
“It’s a little bit different than our last record [Words are Dead],” Ringle said. “It’s a little more orchestrated maybe? … Peter’s sister, Heather Broderick, sings and plays cello and does some smaller instruments and stuff a lot on this record. [Words are Dead] was mostly violin and guitar, and this latest record is mostly violin, guitar and cello.”
Horse Feathers’ yet unnamed KRS debut is sure to be one of the most talked about releases of the upcoming year, as expectations run high for Portland’s latest prodigal sons. With the rich talent pool Ringle has drawn from, the results of Horse Feathers’ upcoming release should not disappoint. In the coming year, Horse Feathers’ claim to the title of the nation’s best Americana act will be hard to dispute.
Horse Feathers
“KRS *hearts* PDX” showcase
Tonight at the Holocene, 8 p.m.
FREE, 21-plus