PULLED APART BY HORSES: "THE HAZE" - ALBUM REVIEW
- Mar 17, 2017
- 4 min read
Honestly where does the time go? Last time I blinked I was raising a toast on New Year’s eve and now here we are, middle of March, with spring looming over the horizon like a delicate sunset and I’m no wiser, smarter, richer or better looking than I was last year. Strong progress! Despite my apparent shortcomings, the world of music has been somewhat drifting down a pathway of immeasurable prosperity. With great bands popping up all over the place and albums the many, one can’t help but wonder whether we are witnessing the resilient and defiant resurgence of ‘guitar’ music? If today is anything to go by then that prophecy certainly has some truth to it. No, we’re not talking about St Patricks Day, although it is a great excuse to get rat-arsed at the pub and belt out some classic air guitar moves. Today is the day that Leeds noise rockers Pulled Apart By Horses released their fourth studio album “The Haze”.
We’re gunna’ dive head first into this puppy; no time for dilly dallying around! The Haze follows on from the bands previous three studio albums, self-titled debut release “Pulled Apart By Horses” back in 2010, “Tough Love” in 2012 and most recent “Blood” in 2014. This is the bands longest break from music to date having taken three years away from the studio and you can certainly hear the fresh/ vibrant forward thinking on “The Haze”. This new approach sees them delve into a realm of punky assurance, bluesy riffing and, to some degree, more mature structuring. “The Haze” sounds like it was written by a band who know EXACTLY what they’re doing and with the experience and back catalogue PABH has in their closet that’s no surprise. The album’s first three single releases came sporadically across the past few months giving fans a teasing taste of what was to come. “The Big What If” came first creeping in with its tormenting prowess before crashing into a wall and exploding everywhere in shire rock and roll power riffing. Then came “The Haze” with its Black Sabbath-esque chugging and shortly after the staple rock club banger “Hotel Motivation”, with these three songs all melting on your tounge the moreish mindset inevitably started to settle in and suddenly that March release date was looking further and further away by the day. It wriggled its way here though and now we’ve heard the full collection it’s fairly safe to say the albums an absolute belter!
"The Haze is a delightful mixing pot of bluesy rhythm, piercing lead guitar, punky aggression and pure rock and roll backbone."
Bursting with variation, “The Haze” is a delightful mixing pot of bluesy rhythm, piercing lead guitar, punky aggression and pure rock and roll backbone. The presence of NEW drummer Tommy Davidson is one of the pivotal keys to this albums affluence. The percussion offers a dynamic that, you could argue, the band have been lacking on previous albums. All fingers re pointing in the right direction; the band recruited a new member and subsequently released their best album to date, it’s onwards and upwards from here for PABH. Throughout the entirety of “The Haze” PABH dare not stop for breath once and we imagine this will be the case over the next few years as they tour relentlessly, play a packed out festival season and think about getting back in the studio following the momentum of their latest release.
Our three standout picks on “The Haze” are the perfectly named “Prince of Meats”, “Lamping” and “Flash Lads”. Prince of Meats is dingy, snarly, tainted whirlpool of heavy stoner rock that would likely make Josh Homme turn his head for a second look whilst walking through a festival shopping for hair combs and skull rings. “Lamping” enters with a spooky soundboard of bird calls and forest breeze before subtly stumbling into an outstanding bluesy riff that eventually gets swallowed hole when the jaws of fuzz come a’ knocking. Wack this in the middle of The White Stripes ‘Get Behind Me Satan’ and I don’t think many people would really batter an eyelid. It offers a taste of Mr White both White Stripes and Raconteurs, lap it up it’s facking delicious. Now we’re gunna flashback to mid/early 90’s and pull a hair from the mane of a Mr Kurt Cobain. On your way back to the present day take a pit stop somewhere between 2001 -2003 to acquire some DNA from the mighty Strokes; throw this into your dodgy back alley lab test tube and heat it over a Bunsen burner and there you have it……. “Flash Lads”. This track oozes grunge but it’s got some vivacious adrenaline behind it rather than that heavy, stodgy slogging you’re used to hearing on traditional grunge tracks. This one has a sharp bite, make sure you turn up full volume before listening. Be warned there’s a chance it’ll make your ears bleed!
To put it plain and simply you’d be a fool not to buy this album, so don’t be a twat get moving! Pulled Apart By Horses will be heading out on tour this month promoting their latest child so get yourself a ticket, dust off the old neck muscles and get down for a good fucking mosh. Feel free to push me over if you see me in the pit at SCALA!
We caught up with the band in London for an INTERVIEW to speak about the release of "The Haze" and divulge all the juicy details surrounding it's creation. You can check that out HERE!
Get your tickets for the headline UK tour HERE!
LISTEN TO: The Haze, Flash Lads, Lamping, Prince Of Meats, Hotel Motivation
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