SFR Picks: Horseplay

If the guy sounds a little weird, it might be because he is, but we say this in a good way; not that we think Tolkien fans are automatically weird, but … yeah. It's kind of like how when we describe the rock-ish four-piece's newest effort, Interventions (out on Brooklyn imprint Northern Spy), as weird, it's a good thing. Horse Lords comes along as a sort of evolution of sorts to the sounds of mathy bands like Battles but with harsher edges a la XBXRX or Flying Luttenbachers.

Oh sure, they've got the traditional guitar/bass/drums setup, but they've got a bit too much going on when it comes to time signatures, polyrhythms and electronics-infused experimentalism to be called post-punk, and this certainly isn't some noodly progged-out jazz-fusion shit-show—it's listenable and bizarre all at once, with a decidedly improvisational bent and enough garage-like enjoyable roughness around the edges to be novel (and still musical) in its noisier noise rock moments. This setup can obviously make for a high-energy live show, and Horse Lords hints at the promise of one of those life-changing experiences for which music seems to be known. Bernstein describes their onstage antics as "high-energy" and "an outgrowth of what we do on the album," which means a certain level of improv can and should be expected, though any local fans (or new converts) can also get pumped on their ability to reproduce the sounds of their recorded material. It'd almost be hard to believe they can get it right live, given the complexity and layered songwriting, but it sure sounds like they know what they're doing.

"It's an ecstatic affair, and we can put people into a trance-like state," Bernstein points out. Sold. Now we've just gotta get over there and find out how. (Alex De Vore)

Horse Lords
8 pm Thursday, May 26. $5.
Radical Abacus,
1226 Calle del Commercio

In with the New

That in-with-the-new vibe shines in the local art scene lately, so the opening of a new contemporary gallery makes a lot of sense. Frank Rose, curator and director at form&concept, says the goal is "showcasing really wonderful local artists that are using a variety of mediums that aren't well represented in Santa Fe." Made in the Desert will be the first exhibit in the space, and we can expect to see works in mediums from ceramic to neon by artists who are doing some big-pond, current things, like painting the Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Rose says, "I think it will be a really exciting show." (Maria Egolf-Romero)

Made in the Desert:
5 pm Friday, May 27. Free. form&concept,
435 S Guadalupe St.,
982-8111

Gospel Groovy

When someone compares your vocals to Janis Joplin's, you say thank you, but Danielia Cotton, a New Jersey-born blues artist, doesn't want to be compared to anyone. Well, except for maybe her jazz-singing mother, who inspired her career. "My music is the story of my life," Cotton says. The vocalist got her start singing in a gospel group at church but listened to rocky stuff like Judas Priest at home. She says live performance gives her an opportunity to commune with her audience. "My hope is that my stories are some of the audiences' stories," she says, "and together we bond and give a little bit to each other to walk away with." (MER)

Danielia Cotton:
7 pm Saturday, May 28. Free.
Railyard Plaza, Market and Alcadesa streets,
414-8544

Locked and Loaded

The month is coming to an end, and the way we see it, that means you probably deserve a treat. And yeah, you could booze it up anyplace around town, but good music on a Tuesday isn’t always easy to come by. As such, heed our words and do these things we say: Pop in on country band The Gunsels at Evangelo’s. Head honcho Greg Butera has a real Hank Williams thing going on and leads some of the finest instrumentalists in town. “We have the top country jazz players in Santa Fe, with room for dancing,” Butera says. “We also have free jambalaya.” Zam! (ADV)

The Gunsels:
8 pm Tuesday, May 31. $5.
Evangelo's,
200 W San Francisco St.

Santa Fe Reporter