Band of Horses

  • Charleston, SC
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  • Rock
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  • 2004
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About Band of Horses

Way back in 2010 I opened my mouth to say that Infinite Arms felt to me like it was the first Band of Horses record. I was trying to imply that I finally had the band I'd always dreamt of, that the album was a celebratory debut of this unit. Or was I joking? That's the thing: I've finally become comfortable enough in this band that sometimes I don't even know when I'm joking.

To me, Band of Horses has always been a study in contradictions. Not just high / low or dark / light. I'm talking absolute piss-taking jokes that no one will ever get vs. serious as a heart-attack paranoia or wallowing sadness.

Where does that leave us to go now? If Infinite Arms was our beloved pet that we possibly spoiled rotten and stuffed full of too many "treats," then Mirage Rock would be his surprise little brother left on our doorstep. Maybe a bit rougher around the edges, but the same wily, feral bloodline.

Mirage Rock was more fun and easier to make than any record I've ever played on. For much of that, I can't give enough credit to Creighton Barrett, Ryan Monroe, Bill Reynolds and Tyler Ramsey. In the five or so years that this line-up has been writing, recording and solidifying as a live powerhouse and second family, we've all learned how crucial collaboration is to our formula, and that no one person's idea is more important than another's.

Then there's the guy who created the environment that enabled us to have the most fun ever had making a Band of Horses record: Glyn Johns. As fate would have it, Glyn was finishing up--or had just finished, I really don't know--an album for one of our manager's other clients, heard some of our primal demos for this record, and before we knew it he was part of the process: at the controls, on the tape machine, and in the producer's chair. It was a natural fit: Given how much Glyn's fingerprints were all over the parents' record collections we grew up on, it's not hard to imagine how Glyn influenced so much of not only our tastes and musical voices and personalities, but Rock n Roll as we know it: The Stones, The Beatles, The Who, The Small Faces, The Clash, Clapton... Glyn is part of the fabric of this music and it's all been part of us since childhood.

So of course we wanted to bring some Rock n Roll to Glyn Johns. If not just to prove that we could record an album with everyone playing at the same time in the same room with minimal overdubs, then to just to see if we could make the old man boogie a bit and get into his wheelhouse. What we ended up with in the end is an album that visits many of the textures that I feel we work best with--and also the opportunity to challenge ourselves with a few new ones. The larger sound of the arena-baiting "Knock Knock" and the sloppy dirge of "Feud" may remind the listener of an earlier Horses. The straight-forward honesty of "How to Live" and "Everything's Gonna Be Undone" may conjure a longtime listener's favorite Horses concert memory. And the sincere "Slow Cruel Hands of Time" hopefully pulls every one of you into a story in which you're the main character.

And as with all great experiences, Mirage Rock left us with some questions too: Is "Dumpster World" a joke? Is "Heartbreak On The 101" the saddest song we've ever recorded? Is it even meant to be sad?

Really, I'm asking you. I can't even tell what number album this is for Band of Horses.

Godspeed,

Ben Bridwell

(Ben Bridwell is lead singer and guitarist of Band of Horses, which he founded in 2004 and whose discography includes the albums Everything All The Time, Cease To Begin, 2010's Grammy-nominated Infinite Arms and the new Mirage Rock. Bridwell resides in his native South Carolina with his family and enjoys weekly trivia nights when his band is off the road, which is not too often these days.)
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Music

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  • Knock Knock
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    Video
    Knock Knock
  • Knock Knock (Live At Jackson Hole)
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    Video
    Knock Knock (Live At Jackson Hole)
  • Knock Knock (Live in Jackson Hole, WY)
    band-of-horses
    Video
    Knock Knock (Live in Jackson Hole, WY)
  • Dilly
    band-of-horses
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    Dilly
  • Factory (Live at Hollywood Forever Cemetery)
    band-of-horses
    Video
    Factory (Live at Hollywood Forever Cemetery)
  • Older (Live at Hollywood Forever Cemetery)
    band-of-horses
    Video
    Older (Live at Hollywood Forever Cemetery)
  • Laredo (Live at Hollywood Forever Cemetery)
    band-of-horses
    Video
    Laredo (Live at Hollywood Forever Cemetery)
  • Infinite Arms (Live at Hollywood Forever Cemetery)
    band-of-horses
    Video
    Infinite Arms (Live at Hollywood Forever Cemetery)
  • No One's Gonna Love You
    band-of-horses
    Video
    No One's Gonna Love You
  • Is There A Ghost
    band-of-horses
    Video
    Is There A Ghost

Interviews & Exclusives

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  • Subterranean: Band of Horses
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    Subterranean: Band of Horses
  • VH1 News: Bands Rock Out and Dress Up at 2010 ACL Music Festival
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    VH1 News: Bands Rock Out and Dress Up at 2010 ACL Music Festival

Photos

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  • Band of Horses
    Christopher Wilson
  • Band of Horses
    Band of Horses
    Band of Horses
    David Belisle
  • Band of Horses
    Courtesy of Sub Pop Records
  • Band of Horses

News

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  • Band of Horses
    'Star Trek Into Darkness' Spoiler Special: Burning Questions Answered
    MTV News
    May 20, 2013
    Co-writer Damon Lindelof exclusively addresses the mysteries surrounding the blockbuster.
    Read More
  • Band of Horses
    Band Of Horses Eyeing New Label For Third Album | Billboard.com
    www.billboard.com
    at a career-best No. 35 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 179,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The new album features ...
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  • Band of Horses
    'Eclipse' Soundtrack Includes Band Of Horses, Sia, Cee-Lo
    MTV News
    announced artists, we get a whole lot of indie (Florence and the Machine, Metric, Sia and Band of Horses ... 'Eclipse' Soundtrack Includes Band Of Hor...
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  • Band of Horses
    Listen to a New Band of Horses Song, "Slow Cruel Hands of Time"
    Paste
    Band of Horses are set to release a new album, Mirage Rock, on Sept. 18 via Columbia Records. In August, we were treated to the album's first single, ...
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  • Band of Horses
    Listen to Band of Horses’ Mirage Rock
    Paste
    In anticipation of the Sept. 18 release of their fourth studio album, Band of Horses is offering an exclusive stream of Mirage Rock via Columbia Recor...
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  • Band of Horses
    Band of Horses Team with Jason Lytle for Townes Van Zandt Cover, Tour
    Paste
    After both releasing new albums this fall, Band of Horses and Jason Lytle are preparing to embark on a short tour to conclude 2012. In celebration of ...
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  • Band of Horses
    New Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta Launches May 4-5 With Lumineers, Band of Horses
    Paste
    We're always pleased to deliver the news that a new festival has launched in our hometown of Atlanta, especially with a lineup like this. The inaugura...
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  • Band of Horses
    Band of Horses Frontman Working on New Album
    www.rollingstone.com
    Ben Bridwell from Band of Horses JSN Photography/WireImage Band of Horses frontman Ben Bridwell admits he isn't exactly a take-it-easy kind of guy. "L...
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  • Band of Horses
    Band of Horses Frontman Working on New Album
    music.yahoo.com
    Related ContentView Photo Band of Horses Frontman Working on New Album Band of Horses frontman Ben Bridwell admits he isn't exactly a take-it-easy kin...
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  • Band of Horses
    Band of Horses frontman, from homeless to tour
    music.yahoo.com
    Related ContentView Photo FILE - This April 27, 2011 file photo shows members of the Band of Horses, from left, ... NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A few wee...
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  • Band of Horses
    Willie Nelson, Band of Horses, The Head and the Heart, Dawes and Trombone Shorty Confirmed for Zac Brown Band's Charleston Southern Ground Music Festival
    www.jambands.com
    Willie Nelson, Band of Horses, The Head and the Heart, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Dawes and Kacey Musgraves will join Zac Brown Band at the Cha...
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Tour Dates

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  • May 22 Wednesday
    Barcelona, Spain Parc del Fòrum
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  • Jun 12 Wednesday
    Bergen, Norway Unknown venue
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  • Jun 12 Wednesday
    Bergen, Norway Ole Bull Scene
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  • Jun 13 Thursday
    Sigtuna, Sweden Unknown venue
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  • Jun 14 Friday
    Oslo, Norway Frognerbadet
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  • Jun 14 Friday
    Aarhus, Denmark Ådalen
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  • Jun 27 Thursday
    St. Gallen, Switzerland Unknown venue
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  • Jun 28 Friday
    Évreux, France Hippodrome De Navarre
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  • Jun 29 Saturday
    Luxembourg, Luxembourg Rock A Field
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  • Jul 1 Monday
    Paris, France Cité de la Musique
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  • Jul 1 Monday
    Paris, France Cité de la Musique
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  • Jul 3 Wednesday
    Munich, Germany Rathausplatz Dachau
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  • Jul 4 Thursday
    Werchter, Belgium Unknown venue
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  • Jul 9 Tuesday
    Ramonville St Agne, France Le Bikini
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  • Jul 10 Wednesday
    La Rochelle, France La Sirene
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  • Jul 12 Friday
    London, UK Somerset House
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  • Jul 13 Saturday
    Lisbon, Portugal Passeio Marítimo De Algés
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  • Jul 31 Wednesday
    Toronto, ON, Canada Downsview Park
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  • Aug 2 Friday
    Chicago, IL, US Grant Park
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  • Aug 8 Thursday
    Squamish, BC, Canada Squamish Valley Music Festival - Loggers Sports Grounds
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  • Aug 9 Friday
    San Francisco, CA, US Golden Gate Park
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  • Aug 10 Saturday
    Squamish, BC, Canada Logger Sports Grounds
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  • Aug 10 Saturday
    Squamish, BC, Canada Squamish Valley Music Festival - Loggers Sports Grounds
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  • Aug 15 Thursday
    Powys, UK Unknown venue
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  • Aug 16 Friday
    Biddinghuizen, Netherlands Evenemententerrein Walibi World
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  • Aug 16 Friday
    Biddinghuizen, Netherlands Lowlands
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  • Aug 17 Saturday
    Biddinghuizen, Netherlands Lowlands
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  • Aug 18 Sunday
    Liverpool, UK Echo Arena
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  • Aug 18 Sunday
    Biddinghuizen, Netherlands Lowlands
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  • Oct 19 Saturday
    Charleston, SC, US Blackbaud Stadium
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Discography

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  • Mirage Rock (2012)
    Band of Horses
    Mirage Rock (2012)
    Columbia
  • Infinite Arms (2010)
    Band of Horses
    Infinite Arms (2010)
    Fat Possum
  • Cease to Begin (2007)
    Band of Horses
    Cease to Begin (2007)
    Sub Pop
  • Everything All the Time (2006)
    Band of Horses
    Everything All the Time (2006)
    Sub Pop
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