Girl with Fish
Girl with Fish is the second full-length studio album by American indie rock band Feeble Little Horse, released by Saddle Creek Records on June 9, 2023. It has received positive reviews from critics.[3][4]
| Girl with Fish | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 9, 2023 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 26:02 | |||
| Language | English | |||
| Label | Saddle Creek | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Feeble Little Horse chronology | ||||
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Reception edit
Editors at AnyDecentMusic? rated this album a 7.5 out of 10, based on seven reviews.[3] Girl with Fish received positive reviews from critics noted at review aggregator Metacritic. It has a weighted average score of 82 out of 100, based on nine reviews.[4]
In Alternative Press, Sadie Bell praised the album, writing that it was "one of the most delightfully delirious indie albums of the year".[5] Will Yarbrough, in a review for The Line of Best Fit gave the album a score of 8 out of 10, praising Lydia Slocum's lyrics and summing up, "with an album this good, feeble little horse are bound for the winner's circle".[2] Ethan Beck of No Ripcord gave Girl with Fish a 9 out of 10, writing that the band "knows exactly when and how to spike their songs with twee textures, disgusted lyrics, dreamy love songs, and noisy freakouts" and considers them "one of the biggest bands working in indie rock right now".[1] In Paste, Samantha Sullivan rated the album an 8.2 out of 10, and characterized Girl with Fish as "a fearless album that blends delicate acoustics and seismic shoegaze".[6] On June 19, the magazine did a ranking of the best albums of the year to date, placing this at third for being the "recording project of curious young experimentalists" and exhorting readers that "it’s time to embrace the fun in scratchy pop".[7] Pitchfork gave the album the "Best New Music" distinction, and in a review of the album, Quinn Moreland rated it an 8.2 out of 10, praising it as a "short yet richly textured album full of fuzzy melodic hooks and beguiling left turns" that "goes for the sprint without ever feeling rushed or overstuffed".[8] Slant Magazine's Charles Lyons-Burt characterized the album as "an economical calling card and the sound of a band coming into their own" and rated it 3.5 out of 5 stars.[9] Stereogum proclaimed Girl with Fish the "Album of the Week" and reviewer James Rettig wrote that "Slocum shines clear through the band’s jumble", with music that "threads the needle between carefully composed and gleefully chaotic; through the unexpected sonic whips of their mangled rock songs, there’s an emotional through-line that’s impossible to ignore".[10] In a June round-up of the best albums of 2023, the publication placed this at fifth, with Rettig writing that it "separates [Feeble Little Horse] from the pack, establishing them as a band that can turn muddy and indistinct experiments into real songs, with piled-on hooks and sardonic lyrics delivered by Lydia Slocum, their not-so-secret weapon".[11]
Writing for Exclaim!, Amanda Thacker gave this album an 8 out of 10, stating that on this release the band ascends "to a whole new level of relentless unpredictability—one that's impossible to turn away from".[12] NME's Mia Hughes rated this album 3 out of 5 stars, writing that "the band marry touches of noise rock and DIY-minded pop, and the different sensibilities clash in interesting ways", but also stating that Slcoum's absurdist lyrics "perhaps keeps these songs from being as memorable as they could be, it does occasionally work, shaping the album into a really nice cut of slacker-noise".[13] In The Skinny, Tony Inglis gave Girl with Fish 4 out of 5 stars for having "dry witted, capricious fuzz-pop", particularly praising Slocum's lyrics and vocals.[14]
In June 2023, Alternative Press published an unranked list of the top 25 albums of the year to date and included this release, calling it "ushers in a new era of shoegaze that is unpredictable, playful, and light".[15] In a mid-year review, Rolling Stone India included this release in their best albums of 2023.[16] Editors at Paste chose this for the 27th best album of 2023.[17] Editors at Stereogum ranked this album 39th best of 2023.[18] Editors at Pitchfork Media included this in their list of the 37 best rock albums of 2023.[19] Critics at Rolling Stone included this among the 40 best indie rock albums of 2023.[20]
Track listing edit
All songs written by Jake Kelley, Seb Kinsler, Lydia Slocum, and Ryan Wlachonski.
- "Freak" – 1:48
- "Tin Man" – 2:11
- "Steamroller" – 3:25
- "Heaven" – 1:55
- "Paces" – 2:45
- "Sweet" – 2:35
- "Slide" – 2:28
- "Healing" – 1:38
- "Pocket" – 2:40
- "Station" – 2:24
- "Heavy Water" – 2:17
Personnel edit
Feeble Little Horse
- Jake Kelley – drums, vocals on "Tin Man", recording, mixing
- Seb Kinsler – bass guitar, keyboards and synthesizer on all tracks except "Freak", guitar, vocals on "Sweet", recording, mixing, production
- Lydia Slocum – vocals, keyboards and synthesizer on "Pocket", recording, mixing
- Ryan Walchonski – guitar on "Steamroller", "Heaven", "Paces", "Sweet", "Slide", "Healing", "Station", and "Heavy Water"; keyboards and synthesizer on "Tin Man", "Heaven", "Slide", and "Healing"; vocals on "Slide"; recording; mixing; production
Additional personnel
- Heba Kadry – mastering
- Connor Peters – bass guitar on "Paces"
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b Beck, Ethan (June 9, 2023). "Feeble Little Horse: Girl With Fish". Music Reviews. No Ripcord. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Yarbrough, Will (June 6, 2023). "Feeble Little Horse's Girl with Fish paints an endearing portrait of playing in a band". Albums. The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ a b "Girl With Fish by Feeble Little Horse". AnyDecentMusic?. n.d. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ a b "Girl With Fish by Feeble Little Horse". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. n.d. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ Bell, Sadie (June 8, 2023). "Inside the world of feeble little horse and their faithful Equestrian fandom". Alternative Press. ISSN 1065-1667. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ Sullivan, Samantha (June 13, 2023). "feeble little horse Defy the Sophomore Slump on Girl With Fish". Music > Reviews > Feeble Little Horse. Paste. ISSN 1540-3106. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ Chodzin, Devin (June 19, 2023). "The 25 Best Albums of 2023 (So Far)". Music > Lists > Best Albums. Paste. ISSN 1540-3106. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
- ^ Moreland, Quinn (June 15, 2023). "Feeble Little Horse: Girl With Fish". Albums. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ Lyons-Burt, Charles (June 3, 2023). "Feeble Little Horse Girl with Fish Review: Amorphous Musical Mayhem". Music. Slant Magazine. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ Rettig, James (June 6, 2023). "Feeble Little Horse 'Girl With Fish' Review". Album of the Week. Stereogum. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ Rettig, James (June 6, 2023). "The 50 Best Albums Of 2023 So Far". Album List. Stereogum. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
- ^ Thacker, Amanda (June 6, 2023). "feeble little horse Are Relentlessly Unpredictable on the Charismatic 'Girl with Fish'". Album Reviews. Exclaim!. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ Hughes, Mia (June 6, 2023). "Feeble Little Horse – 'Girl With Fish' review: Pittsburgh rockers get experimental". Reviews > Album Reviews. NME. ISSN 0028-6362. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ Inglis, Tony (June 7, 2023). "Feeble Little Horse – Girl With Fish". Arts & Entertainment / Music / Reviews / Albums. The Skinny. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ "25 best albums of 2023 so far". Alternative Press. June 23, 2023. ISSN 1065-1667. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
- ^ "The Best Albums of 2023 So Far". News & Updates. Rolling Stone India. August 6, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
- ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2023". Music > Features > Best Albums. Paste. November 27, 2023. ISSN 1540-3106. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
- ^ "The 50 Best Albums Of 2023". 2023 in Review. Stereogum. December 5, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ "The 37 Best Rock Albums of 2023". Lists & Guides. Pitchfork Media. December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
- ^ "The 40 Best Indie-Rock Albums of 2023". Music > Music Lists. Rolling Stone. December 21, 2023. ISSN 0035-791X. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
External links edit
- Girl with Fish at Discogs (list of releases)
- Girl with Fish at MusicBrainz (list of releases)
- Review by Beats Per Minute