The Horrors | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Beginning as a big-haired, black-clad garage punk outfit and soon morphing into something more experimental, the Horrors featured singer Faris Badwan, bassist Tom Furse, guitarist Joshua Hayward, drummer Joe Spurgeon, and keyboardist Rhys Webb. The Horrors formed in the summer of 2005 and quickly gained notoriety around London for their look, sound, and brief but frantic live shows. Loog soon signed them, and the Horrors released their official debut single, "Sheena Is a Parasite/Jack the Ripper," in spring 2006. That summer the Horrors released their second single, Death at the Chapel. They also reissued "Sheena Is a Parasite" as a limited-edition DVD single. The songs startling video was directed by Chris Cunningham and featured actress Samantha Morton as Sheena. Late that summer, the band signed to Stolen Transmission in the U.S. and released a self-titled EP that fall. They also issued the Count in Fives single in the U.K. around that time. The Gloves single arrived early in 2007, heralding the release of the Horrors full-length debut, Strange House, which arrived in the U.K. that March and in the U.S. in May. In 2008, Webb and Furse formed the analog synth project Spider & the Flies, and released the album Something Clockwork This Way Comes. For 2009s Primary Colours, the band worked with Cunningham and Portisheads Geoff Barrow as co-producers, opting for a very different sound that mixed shoegaze, post-punk, and goth; the album was released by XL that spring and earned several critical raves, including NMEs Album of the Year. In between albums, Badwan teamed with Canadian opera singer Rachel Zeffira for the hazy pop project Cats Eyes, which released its self-titled debut in early 2011. The Horrors self-produced their follow-up, 2011s Skying, which featured a lighter yet still atmospheric sound that drew comparisons to My Bloody Valentine and the Psychedelic Furs. In 2012, they released the remix companion album Higher and embarked on an extensive tour. In 2013, they began recording new material with producer Craig Silvey. Early the following year, the single "I See You" reflected the more expansive direction of their fourth album, Luminous, which arrived in May 2014. The Horrors began work on their next full-length with Paul Epworth at Londons Church Studios in 2015, and forged a darker, rawer yet still danceable sound that borrowed from 80s post-punk, synth-pop, and 90s dance. The result was V, which arrived in September 2017. Heather Phares | ||
 | Album: 1 of 8 Title: The Horrors Released: 2006-10-24 Tracks: 5 Duration: 12:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Death at the Chapel (01:52) 2 Crawdaddy Simone (03:15) 3 Sheena Is a Parasite (01:44) 4 Jack the Ripper (02:33) 5 Excellent Choice (03:06) |
 | Album: 2 of 8 Title: Strange House Released: 2007-03-05 Tracks: 12 Duration: 40:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Jack the Ripper (03:00) 2 Count in Fives (03:13) 3 Draw Japan (03:23) 4 Gloves (02:50) 5 Excellent Choice (02:53) 6 Little Victories (02:39) 7 She Is the New Thing (03:21) 8 Sheena Is a Parasite (01:42) 9 Thunderclaps (03:06) 10 Gil Sleeping (04:50) 11 A Train Roars (06:54) 12 Death at the Chapel (02:19) |
| Strange House : Allmusic album Review : On their singles and EPs, the Horrors proved theyd done their post-punk and freakbeat homework. With their debut album, Strange House, they push their sound forward, distill it to its rawest essence, and give it a few funhouse mirror twists and turns for good measure. Almost half of the songs on the album already appeared on previous Horrors releases, but the ever-so-slightly cleaner production here gives more definition to their black-on-black sound. The band kicks off Strange House by revisiting their cover of Screaming Lord Sutchs "Jack the Ripper," which begins at a zombie-slow pace, then suddenly speeds up halfway through, transforming into a hurtling roller coaster of a song that makes a great introduction to Strange Houses mix of campy humor, energy, and menace. With its dive-bombing noise barely held together by Faris Badwans shouting and the faintest hint of a melody, "Sheena Is a Parasite" is still the Horrors best and most radical song, although several other tracks here rival its black-hearted thrills. Once again, Spider Webbs vicious keyboards are the bands not-so-secret weapon, especially on the fantastic, strutting "She Is the New Thing," which blurs the line between girls and trends, flings and boredom, with macabre flair. On Strange Houses wildest tracks, the Horrors channel their idol Joe Meeks love of wild sounds. "Thunderclaps" grafts galloping rhythms, twangy guitars, and chanted backing vocals together, Frankenstein-style, while "Little Victories" brandishes noisy onslaughts and turns them off just as quickly. The very end of the album gets even weirder and more deconstructed: "Gil Sleeping"s woozy organs and jazzy drumming and "A Train Roars" ominous, loping rhythms show that the Horrors are committed to pushing the boundaries of their sound, even if these experiments arent quite as immediate as their more song-based work. The Horrors are unabashedly arty and stylish, but theyre a great example of the kind of art-school band that lurks in the shadows of British rock (and of which there have been too few in the 2000s). If you like what the Horrors do, then Strange House is an album that can never be loud enough. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 8 Title: Primary Colours Released: 2009-05-04 Tracks: 10 Duration: 45:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Mirrors Image (04:50) 2 Three Decades (02:49) 3 Who Can Say (03:41) 4 Do You Remember (03:28) 5 New Ice Age (04:25) 6 Scarlet Fields (04:42) 7 I Only Think of You (07:06) 8 I Cant Control Myself (03:27) 9 Primary Colours (03:01) 10 Sea Within a Sea (07:58) |
| Primary Colours : Allmusic album Review : A four-on-the-floor beat with a wash of synths isnt exactly the expected way for a Horrors album to begin, but thats exactly how "Mirrors Image" kicks off Primary Colours, which is such a big departure from the bands debut, Strange House, that its fitting its on a different label. Though Strange Houses final tracks suggested that the band was looking for ways to expand on its resurrection of freakbeat and garage rock, very little suggested that its next album would be the triple point where goth, post-punk, and shoegaze met. This time out, Faris Badwan sings more than he screams, Spider Webbs keyboards sparkle rather than stab, and the guitars bend and blur instead of slamming out power chords (Primary Colours out-of-focus cover photo even upholds the rule that shoegaze-inspired albums have to have hazy artwork to match the sounds within). Even their attitude is completely different: rather than dismissing an ex by snarling "She was the new thing," Badwan sighs, "I know youre better off this way." Then again, the Horrors always seemed artier and more ambitious than a lot of garage rock-inspired bands, from their cartoon-goth look to collaborating with visionary director Chris Cunningham. Now, Cunningham acts as one of Primary Colours co-producers, along with Portisheads Geoff Barrow; having masters of sophisticated spookiness like these in their corner helps the Horrors make such a drastic change to their sound convincing. While Strange Houses sound was fun and distinctive -- and that campy glee is occasionally missed here -- it might have also been limiting, something that cant be said of the bands experiments with these songs. The albums epic lead single, "Sea Within a Sea," is also its most stunning track, traveling through a motorik beat, taut keyboards, and massive guitar drones that suggest whale cries before it opens into a sparkling, arpeggiated coda. Several other songs are nearly as exciting, even -- or maybe especially -- when they keep some of the pop structures from the Horrors previous incarnation. The excellent "Three Decades" sounds a little like a song from Strange House being played underwater, with busy drums the only constant as everything else billows and blows around them. "Who Can Say" pays homage to the bands enduring Joe Meek fetish with "Telstar"-like synth tones, and to their fondness for 60s pop in general with a spoken word bridge that puts the lyrics from Jay & the Americans "She Cried" to a Phil Spector-inspired boom-boom-boom-crash! beat. This mix of 60s meets 90s sounds fresher than the moments where the Horrors try to re-create the shoegaze sound more faithfully, as on the title track and "Do You Remember," both of which sound, for better or worse, like the work of one of the many forgotten bands that popped up after Loveless was released. Their forays into post-punk (or maybe post-post-punk) are also mixed: "I Only Think of You" doesnt quite live up to its seven-minute length, but "Scarlet Fields," which sounds like Kevin Shields guesting on an Interpol song, is one of the albums highlights. The Horrors fare better when they bare their teeth on the violent, hypnotic "New Ice Age" and "I Cant Control Myself," a piece of strung-out dream blues that gives Spiritualized a run for their money. As bold and listenable as it is, Primary Colours is occasionally scattered, giving the impression that the band is trying on different sounds for size -- although the fact that most of it works so well is actually more surprising than how different it is from their earlier work. At its best, it shows that the Horrors can do far more than what anyone expected from them. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 8 Title: Skying Released: 2011-07-11 Tracks: 10 Duration: 53:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Changing the Rain (04:31) 2 You Said (04:46) 3 I Can See Through You (04:17) 4 Endless Blue (05:10) 5 Dive In (04:51) 6 Still Life (05:21) 7 Wild Eyed (04:04) 8 Moving Further Away (08:34) 9 Monica Gems (04:28) 10 Oceans Burning (07:50) |
| Skying : Allmusic album Review : Skying boasts a song called “Moving Further Away,” and that’s exactly what the Horrors do on their third album. Neither a return to Strange Houses goth-punk nor a simple continuation of Primary Colours acclaimed Krautrock/shoegaze fusion, this time the band sets the dials of its way-back machine for the mid- and late ‘80s, sampling post-punk luminaries such as Echo & the Bunnymen, the Psychedelic Furs, and Simple Minds as well as the era’s baggy trend. Yet somehow the Horrors chameleon act seems more cohesive and convincing -- or perhaps it’s just less shocking to hear them give their music another complete makeover. The main remnant of Primary Colours is that album’s atmospheric yet detailed production, which the Horrors embellish further with dense layers of synth, guitars, and vocals. Skyings centerpiece and lead single, “Still Life,” defines its approach, with sparkly mid-‘80s keyboards and brass that only strengthen the feeling that Jim Kerr sang this song over the credits of some long-lost John Hughes movie. Though “Still Life” isn’t as striking a salvo as Primary Colours “Sea Within a Sea,” it’s just as striking in its own way, and even if nothing here quite matches their previous flashes of brilliance, Skying reflects the Horrors growing abilities. Not only do the bandmembers stretch the muscles they developed on Primary Colours with workouts like the aforementioned “Moving Further Away” and “Oceans Burning,” both of which expand on “Sea Within a Sea”’s motorik rhythms and suite-like movements, they also turn in some downright poppy moments like the towering “I Can See Through You” and “Endless Blue.” While the Horrors main skill still seems to be embodying whatever styles catch their fancies as completely as they can, they put more of their own stamp on these sounds, as “Dive In”’s melodramatic take on baggy’s usually fun-loving grooves and the dub influence hovering around “Wild Eyed” attest. Interestingly, Skyings most overtly rock song, “Monica Gems,” is far tamer than anything on Strange House and even a good chunk of Primary Colours, underscoring just how far they’ve ventured with each album. Regardless of where they end up next, the Horrors have already traveled much further than most listeners would have imagined. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 8 Title: FACT Mix 270: The Horrors Released: 2011-08-01 Tracks: 1 Duration: 1:18:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 FACT Mix 270: The Horrors (1:18:43) |
 | Album: 6 of 8 Title: Higher Released: 2012-12-04 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:30:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Can See Through You (Blanck Mass remix) (11:07) 2 Monica Gems (Daniel Avery remix) (05:58) 3 Still Life (Connan Mockasin remix) (04:05) 4 You Said (Peaking Lights dub U mix) (04:12) 5 Still Life (Still Living Still Giving Cherrystones remix) (06:38) 6 Moving Further Away (Andrew Weatherall remix) (08:26) 7 Comes in Waves (Seahawks Skying Suite) (12:47) 8 Moving Further Away (Andy Blake World Unknown mix) (11:27) 9 Dive In (The Pressure Ridges) (05:08) 10 You Said (JTC remix) (06:49) 11 Wild Eyed (Andrew Weatherall remix) (07:13) 12 Moving Into Blue (Seahawks Skying Suite) (06:26) |
 | Album: 7 of 8 Title: Luminous Released: 2014-04-30 Tracks: 10 Duration: 51:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Chasing Shadows (06:49) 2 First Day of Spring (05:11) 3 So Now You Know (05:02) 4 In and Out of Sight (05:03) 5 Jealous Sun (04:10) 6 Falling Star (03:43) 7 I See You (07:32) 8 Change Your Mind (05:07) 9 Mine and Yours (03:31) 10 Sleepwalk (05:26) |
| Luminous : Allmusic album Review : As good as the Horrors third album Skying was, it sometimes felt like the band expanded on the risks they took on Primary Colours in ways that felt reliable instead of daring. On Luminous, they trade their previous albums daydream-y excursions for something with a little more grit and drive. "I See You," the lead single from the groups fourth album, suggested that the Horrors had found a way to inject Skyings Echo and the Bunnymen and Simple Minds homages with more urgency; the way the song builds toward its massive coda -- and keeps lifting from there -- makes it a standout as well as a worthy heir to the bands definitive epic, "Sea Within a Sea." This urgency extends to the albums hookier songwriting: "So Now You Know" and "Jealous Sun" prove that the Horrors can balance epic sounds with memorable melodies. Luminous also makes more, and better, use of Rhys Webbs keyboards, which give added heft to "Mine and Yours" sweeping dream pop and an extra sparkle to "Falling Star." Despite the heavily layered guitars and synths that dominate the album, the rhythm section drives many of the best moments. "In and Out of Sight" weaves some subtle punk-funk moves into its lush atmosphere, making it a surprisingly danceable standout. Likewise, "First Day of Spring" gives the drums and bass more of a workout than theyve had since the Primary Colours days. Conversely, the Horrors give Luminous more scope with "Change Your Mind," a pretty ballad that ranks among the bands most intimate songs and feels particularly refreshing after so many elaborate tracks. While the changes the band makes to its music post-Primary Colours are more subtle, Luminous proves the Horrors still have a sense of adventure; they sound comfortable, but not too comfortable to try new things. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 8 Title: V Released: 2017-09-22 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:01:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Hologram (06:04) 2 Press Enter to Exit (05:55) 3 Machine (05:16) 4 Ghost (05:37) 5 Point of No Reply (04:39) 6 Weighed Down (06:31) 7 Gathering (05:16) 8 World Below (03:20) 9 Its a Good Life (04:52) 10 Something to Remember Me By (06:40) 11 Fire Escape (04:27) 12 Water Drop (03:16) |
| V : Allmusic album Review : After self-producing 2014s Luminous, the Horrors worked with Paul Epworth, a producer renowned for his big sound, on their follow-up V. While the bands fifth album sounds expectedly stadium-sized, bringing another pair of ears into the fold seems to have pushed the Horrors to make the biggest changes to their music since Primary Colours. This time, along with synth pop and shoegaze, they make other sounds from the 80s and early 90s -- baggy, rave, industrial -- their playthings, most strikingly on the opener "Hologram," which sounds like a trippier take on Tubeway Army and sets the tone for Vs edgier sounds and outlook. The band reflects on altered states of reality, as well as things that arent quite real, on songs such as "Press Enter to Exit," where swirling beats and guitars match the bands musings on the looping nature of time, and the industrial-tinged "Machine," one of their noisiest and nastiest songs since Strange House. While duality and imitation are unsurprising lyrical territory for a band whose sound has changed so much over the years, each incarnation of the Horrors has felt genuine. V is no exception: As the album spans "World Below"s fusion of shoegaze and industrial, "Something to Remember Me By"s bittersweet widescreen synth pop, the trip-hop-tinged "Ghost," and the Suede-like balladry of "Its a Good Life," the variety of sounds the band explores feels particularly engaging, especially when compared to the way Skying and Luminous presented their music as an ethereal blur. Not everything on V works -- "Weighed Down" and "Gathering" lack the focus of the albums highlights -- but the songs that do are some of the Horrors most exciting yet. | ||