Glue Horses

Glue Horses sound like driving down the open road, or perhaps walking next to it. The sun burns yr skin, there are beads of sweat along yr brow, you've got shivers, but yr not sure if its heat-stroke, excitement, or a hang-over from last night. They are affiliated with legendary Portland busking outfit All The Apparatus, preaching the gospel on streetcorners and alleyways since 2010, but Glue Horses are their own beast.

I submit, for yr consideration, a live recording made in the basement of Goat's Head Manor, back in October, when i was new to this city. The sound of the Bremen McKinney's accordion, the thump of the suitcase percussion, Will DeLance's warm worn vocals and soulful guitar, perfectly reflect the feeling of coming off the road, strewing belongings everywhere, life being held together with twine and a prayer - its scary as hell, but at least yr living.

Glue Horses are one of the musical cornerstones of Goat's Head Manor, i often walk in the front door to the strains of their upbeat gypsy jazz punk. One of my roommates, Jonah Lee, has taken over the drumming duties, and his precise, driving beats are the perfect pulse for this modern Romany fairy tale. They've also added a new vocalist, Madi Goldsmith, who further fills out the sound with perfect, feminine harmonies.

As i've listened back to this recording, converting the mp3s and such, i get the sense of standing at the crossroads, looking back and reflecting on the past, and getting excited about the future. Here at Goat's Head Manor, we are constantly surrounded by stunning musicians - this place is a cathedral of sound, and this group of friends that have adopted my hobo ass are constantly inspiring and provoking one another towards excellence. We're all finding our place in the world, finding the right musical family but remaining a collective, a unity, a whole. We stand around the beet-stained chopping block playing rhythm games, laughing and crying, but maybe its just the onions, talking about everything. Hilarious and deadly serious, and always heartfelt - i feel like i am in the primordial soup of creation, and we are inventing the future, we are re-defining the present. This recording also marks the first of an endless onslaught of recordings from Goat's Head, made in the basement where i sleep at night, my dreams filled with the ghosts of countless house-shows and jam sessions, my molecules singing with musicmusicMUSIC!

This recording is merely a stop-gap solution for the real deal, Glue Horses live and in person, sweaty raw and naked. This Saturday, they're playing an awesome show with like minded klezmer punk dance band Chevrona, who sound like an orthodox Russian wedding band after huffing ether out of a brown paper bag for two-and-a-half hours. Saturday night is going to go off like a powder keg, and Glue Horses have been practicing like lunatics for weeks, and are bound to be tight as a jack-rabbit. As an added bonus, Alex Geer from fellow Goat's Head favorites Damn Divas,  will be holding down the groove on the bass guitar for the festivities, and if Alex is involved, you just know its gonna be hot!

Glue Horses in Oct. - live @ Goat's Head Manor

Crowning The Eagle: A Celebration of Polish Heritage @ McMenamin's White Eagle

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