Kazue Review
by Francis Arres
Good Horsey's Kazue, the band's debut and only release, is a mid-'90s treasure shared by a few who never forgot it. A stigma that followed many bands in the mid-'90s was the inevitable comparison to Pavement and the use of "jangly guitars." The term "jangly guitars" is fairly applied here, but Good Horsey pushes a step further. The trio is comprised of Justice Schoenfarber, Mark Szabo (previously of Infernal Devices and currently of Capozzi Park), and Max Lee, each on a wide variety of instruments (including electric guitars, bass, drums, organ, ukulele, violin, xylophone, tapes, pie pan, party favors, and scrap metal) in addition to vocals. Good Horsey offers its pop sensibilities with surprises waiting at every corner. Guitar parts ebb and flow hauntingly, then take a noisy turn. Basslines build melodies that follow and add to the vocal parts. The drums stay the course on the main parts and help navigate the chaos. The presentation and the lyrics and titles are mysterious, causing the listener to hang on each word. A tune like "But She Knew" makes the listener wonder if this is a spy story or a tale about the successes and failures of the head of a family. The frustration of the characters peaks with the screeching noises offered by the instruments complementing the lyrics. "All My Accessories Are a Reflection of My Perky Inner Spirit," one of three instrumentals on the record, is non-distorted rock with one surprise that delves into remedial math. The end of the song takes the listener back to the straight-ahead pop that comprises most of the record. "Burn Up the Sun" is the perfect book end to "Like the Cute One"'s beginning. The lyric line is a mantra that has you humming and singing after the epic ending concludes. A couple of tunes on the records may stray into background music, a feature that debuts tend to exhibit due to length. Weeding through these tunes is definitely worth it to get to the gems of Good Horsey's Kazue.
Tracklist
1. Like The Cute One
2. How Oswald Bastable Ruined My Life
3. Ascending The Plateau Divine
4. Settle Down
5. Barely Walking
6. But She Knew
7. All My Accessories Are A Reflection Of My Perky Inner Spirit
8. Summer Replacement
9. Anna (Wash Your Hands)
10. Rainy
11. Delighted
12a Burn Up The Sun
12b [silence]
12c [Untitled]
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