Dead Horses’ debut EP, Dead Horse I, is just under fourteen minutes in length, but boy does it leave you breathless. The band formed in 2019 when frontman Kevin Lennon (vocals/bass) returned to London from Brighton and hooked up with long time bandmates (Rumour Mill/Kids From K Hole) Duncan Clark (drums) and Josh Kemp (guitar). They all have a mutual interest in garage rock and punk, and it shows on this record. Let’s go through it, track by track.
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Night
The opener, Night, instantly grabs you with scuzzy, twangy guitars and a frenetic vocal. My toes were immediately tapping, and I just wanted to jump around. At a snappy one minute and twenty-eight seconds, it leaves you wanting more and was definitely over way too soon.
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Secrets
Next track, Secrets, has a rock ‘n’ roll swagger to it, combined with drum beats and Shadows-esque guitars (more of that later).
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Headstone
Headstone has an Apache-style riff (see previous The Shadows reference!) to start it off, and after the obligatory “1, 2, 3, 4”, it launches into a wild ride. The Cramps influence is most evident on this track, and that is no bad thing. Full of energy and bluster, the bluesy but raw guitars complement the full-on rock vocals.
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Feral woman
Is that frogs croaking and insects buzzing at the start of Feral Woman?? A wild swaggering song, which played live, would absolutely get the crowd moving.
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Creepers
The final track is double the length of any of the other songs on this EP. Dominated by drums, Creeper pulls us along by the scruff of our necks, seeing it out with a final flurry of dirty garage rock energy.
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Dead Horse had already gained some traction with their debut single, Flesh Mountain, and had been invited to play several gigs around their hometown of London until COVID-19 put paid to those plans. However, they will pick the reins right up again when it is safe to do so, and I, for one, will be right at the front.
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Did you enjoy Dead Horse I? Cool! Now check out Rebecca Aston’s interview with Dead Horse. It’s a fascinating listen. Give it a spin below!
