BRANDO
The Headless Horseman is a Preacher (Smokeylung)
Reviewed by Jason Thornberry

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This idiosyncratic band from Bloomington, Indiana (not to be confused with Ruben Garza's sound effects collaboration of the same name) have quite a bit going for them, as the Recordhead (Guided By Voices, Tobin Sprout) label have taken notice, and are releasing their next EP.

Called "rot-rock-pop" by their current label, I'm having a difficult time classifying these eighteen songs. The Headless Horseman just got reissued in France, so perhaps they can come up with a nickname for it. Murky Melodies was as close as I came.

This is a record that will creep up on you, with whole choruses and chord progressions getting trapped in your subconscious, only to fall out without warning while you're having dinner with your parents, and attempting to be normal (humming "The Fight Club Song" riff for no reason makes them think I'm strange).

There was some definite rewind action here: "Overtime," the weird, Bowie-esque "When In Rome," "The Seed," and "Theories of Division." Lucky thing it's a compact disc, or else I'd need another copy soon.

(This album can be purchased at the Smokeylung website.)

© 2001 - Jason Thornberry