ALBUM REVIEW: Brown Horse – ‘Reservoir’

As my personal first review of 2024, I’m already looking back (all too soon) to the past year to bring up a question: has country music ever felt more celebrated? Maybe it’s from the saloon bar whiskey-slingin’ bro country recalling laid back fun times, or indie hipsters’ newfound appreciation for country’s confessional nature, that has propelled it into the spotlight again. Maybe the legacy of Old Town Road is finally, and rightfully, surfacing. It’s probably a combination. But one thing’s for sure: the UK’s not quite showcased the country love of our transatlantic cousins.

For all the tens of millions of Stateside listeners that indulge Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton or the new blood of Zach Bryan—all worthy of their accolades in a constantly-reinvented sound—us Brits aren’t quite so famed for it. That seems strange when the nation’s folk tradition impishly infiltrates all manner of overtly ‘British’ music. For one, that Noah and the Whale song, for all its tweeness, still collabed with the grossly overlooked Laura Marling, and you could argue folk’s homespun narrative lyricism is evident in Whatever People Say I Am…and its countless imitators. Richard Dawson’s music could’ve been made in the 19th century or even the 9th. But the country style itself has been hard to come by here. Until now, where we have Norwich’s Brown Horse.

That’s less surprising, as East Anglia continues to put itself onto the map. Starting out as a folk quartet in 2018 (again, never a few degrees away from the roots of country), Brown Horse’s current six members teamed up only last year to refine their individually penned tunes. While dabbling originally in old time country standards, with Reservoir, the stylistic swings of acoustic strums, fiddles and ‘70s keys straddle the midground between Harvest and the critical darling sounds of bands like Wednesday, and it’s something that seems wholly self-referential.

Opener Stealing Horses, a slow-tempo ballad that builds with biting guitar overdubs, celebrates an ol’ Appalachian country tradition handing its harmonica to the next generation of capable hands. The persona talks of an admiration for Jimmy Rodgers when their listener “weren’t even born”, instructing them to “steal my horse to ride”. On the more morose Paul Gilley, they celebrate the late eponymous country star that passed a young age by drowning. These tracks, and the amalgam of country styles that follow, make the case for the genre’s original heart and soul never going out of fashion.

Stealing Horses marks a perfect introduction to pastoral scene setting, albeit being a little on the nose with the farmyard metaphor and showcasing an idiosyncratic vocal that’s an acquired taste. Partly like an Adrienne Lenker snivel, it takes some getting used to (and, please forgive me, evokes the Gogolala Jubilee Jugband from a hilarious Muppets sketch), with its most unintelligible moments braying over the title track. Repeated listens reward though, especially as Reservoir is a moody blend of fiddles and slide guitars that perfectly mimics the sound of whiling a day away.

With an armoury of six talented heads chipping in to the songwriting process, layered vocals and noodling jam-band moments mark the album’s highest peaks. Bloodstain, not just boasting the best hook, is the closest Brown Horse dabble with the distorted, gritty alt-country that’s claiming album top spots. Walking basslines, crispy solos and keyboard tinkling sound loose and clinical at the same time, and it takes the ‘if you want a riff heavier, play it slower’ mantra of hardcore and metal into an all-new context. It’s great. Likewise, the keys of Shoot Back sound excellent, and drive into upbeat pastures that are in full bloom on Silver Bullet.

Sunfisher is another perfect advert for the group’s synchronicity, granting breathing room for each instrumental to truly shine. And with closer Called Away instead sounding far more intimate and pared down, the troupe adeptly add colour when needed, and hold back when not, all testament to their hive mind chemistry. Considering its four-day recording session, Reservoir’s playing is assured, meaningful and the right level of improvisational to make for a breezy release in a UK country scene that is severely lacking. In ten years time we may well be thanking Brown Horse for lighting the kindling of a whole new wave of alt-country. Here’s to a welcome folky future.

For fans of: Uncle Tupelo, Songs: Ohia, Big Thief

‘Reservoir’ by Brown Horse is released on 19th January on Loose Music.

Words by Elliot Burr