#changing horses

Lundi matin brumeux.

“Sleepers, Awake!,” The Incredible String Band. Changing Horses. Elektra/WEA: 1969.

Changing horses in the middle of a stream Gets you wet and sometimes cold Changing faces in the middle of a dream Gets you old, oh, gets you old Gets you old, gets you old, gets you old

Changing Horses are a British based indie-folk duo, Richard Birtill (vocals and guitars) and Francesca Cullen (vocals, violins, mandolin and melodeon), they take their influences from everyone from The Incredible String Band to The Fall to create their unique and intoxicating sound. To date the duo have been picking up plaudits from the likes of both Bob Harris and Steve Lamacq who have given the track, Cut All Strings a great deal of airplay after it was featured on a HBO documentary. Last year the band also racked up a number of festival performances at the likes of Kendal Calling, Solfest and Crawley folk festival among others, whilst the past few months has seen the band tread the boards with the likes of Jeffrey Lewis, Ade Edmondson and Adam Green to namecheck but a few. The Nashville Sessions is a six-track mini album and serves as a sensational recorded introduction to the band capturing their stunning take on stripped down indie and rousing folk whilst weaving contagious melodies and heartfelt harmonies into their already bewitching sound. Changing Horses open their mini album with the aforementioned Cut All Strings, a stunning induction to the band's infectious use of plucked strings, sawing violins and heartfelt playful melodies. The track opens with a singular guitar before building with mandolin, violin, drums and Richard's delightful indie drawl, before Francesca joins him for a pretty harmony drenched chorus that instantly strikes home. From such impressive beginnings the band continue to impress with the incredible Let's Go Dancing, a track that begins with a humble strummed guitar and tapped out beat, before Richard let's loose and showcases his full vocal range (also hitting a full falsetto in places) as Changing Horses deliver a hum-a-long pop ridden classic. The band then proceed to surprise and captivate with a fragile little number in the shape of One Million Screaming Angels, where once again they pepper their sound with Francesca's light airy harmonies, almost In direct contrast, yet no less essential is the gloriously energetic rush of I Don't Need It, a brilliant indie anthem with a side order of hands in the air, clap along riffs and sing out loud hooks. And just when you don't think the mini-album could get any better, the band finish off with the wonderfully tongue in cheek, yet darkly macabre tale of intent, Til Death Do Us Part, a stripped back, aching affair that brings to mind fellow dramatic duo and firm Rhythm & Booze favourite Bitter Ruin (and that's high praise indeed). The Nashville Sessions has everything you could possible want from an album catchy hook, tasty harmonies, bare bone melodies and a little murderous intent, what more could you want? Rhythm & Booze Rating 10 www.changinghorsesmusic.com

Changing Horses are British Indie-Folk duo Richard Birtill (vocals and guitar) and Francesca Cullen (vocals, violin, mandolin and melodeon). Stylistically taking influence from the psychedelic likes of The Incredible String Band, and the experimental art-punk of The Fall, theirs is a patchwork of off-kilter folk that has drawn in the plaudits from numerous sources. After holing up in a Nashville studio with session musician / producer Chris Donohue (Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris) the track ‘Cut All Strings’  featured on an HBO documentary and went on to pick up multiple plays on both the Steve Lamacq and Bob Harris BBC radio shows. Last year’s festival season also saw the band grace stages at Kendal Calling, Solfest, Brampton, Crawley Folk Festival and SO festival. It’s on the live circuit the Changing Horses’ reputation has been built. The last few months have seen them perform as main support to the likes of  Jeffrey Lewis, Pat Sansone (Wilco), Ade Edmondson and Adam Green. Captured here on The Nashville Sessions however, is a band vying for the unconventional, yet still maintaining core melodies. Flitting between the wistful (Cut All Strings), the fragile (One Million Screaming Angels) and the macabre (‘Till Death), when things do take a more popular twist, Birtill’s wrought vocals still punctuate Cullen’s neat string play. In turn, I Don’t Need It’s discordant opening phrasing soon makes way for a wave of anthemic guitars. Deeply personal songwriting, tongue-in-cheek moments, macabre themes and innovative string playing make up Changing Horses’ The Nashville Sessions; a strong debut from a band that lives to draw the listener into their own lovesick universe.    

Changing Horses are a British based indie-folk duo, Richard Birtill (vocals and guitars) and Francesca Cullen (vocals, violins, mandolin and melodeon), they take their influences from everyone from The Incredible String Band to The Fall to create their unique and intoxicating sound. To date the duo have been picking up plaudits from the likes of both Bob Harris and Steve Lamacq who have given the track, Cut All Strings a great deal of airplay after it was featured on a HBO documentary. Last year the band also racked up a number of festival performances at the likes of Kendal Calling, Solfest and Crawley folk festival among others, whilst the past few months has seen the band tread the boards with the likes of Jeffrey Lewis, Ade Edmondson and Adam Green to namecheck but a few. The Nashville Sessions is a six-track mini album and serves as a sensational recorded introduction to the band capturing their stunning take on stripped down indie and rousing folk whilst weaving contagious melodies and heartfelt harmonies into their already bewitching sound. Changing Horses open their mini album with the aforementioned Cut All Strings, a stunning induction to the band's infectious use of plucked strings, sawing violins and heartfelt playful melodies. The track opens with a singular guitar before building with mandolin, violin, drums and Richard's delightful indie drawl, before Francesca joins him for a pretty harmony drenched chorus that instantly strikes home. From such impressive beginnings the band continue to impress with the incredible Let's Go Dancing, a track that begins with a humble strummed guitar and tapped out beat, before Richard let's loose and showcases his full vocal range (also hitting a full falsetto in places) as Changing Horses deliver a hum-a-long pop ridden classic. The band then proceed to surprise and captivate with a fragile little number in the shape of One Million Screaming Angels, where once again they pepper their sound with Francesca's light airy harmonies, almost In direct contrast, yet no less essential is the gloriously energetic rush of I Don't Need It, a brilliant indie anthem with a side order of hands in the air, clap along riffs and sing out loud hooks. And just when you don't think the mini-album could get any better, the band finish off with the wonderfully tongue in cheek, yet darkly macabre tale of intent, Til Death Do Us Part, a stripped back, aching affair that brings to mind fellow dramatic duo and firm Rhythm & Booze favourite Bitter Ruin (and that's high praise indeed). The Nashville Sessions has everything you could possible want from an album catchy hook, tasty harmonies, bare bone melodies and a little murderous intent, what more could you want? Rhythm & Booze Rating 10 www.changinghorsesmusic.com