by
Horse Lords
- Record Label: RVNG Intl.
- Release Date: Jun 12, 2026
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Jun 23, 2026The band’s overall approach feels less frantic and needling, more expansive and sinuous [than 2022's Comradely Objects]. The addition of further guest musicians Madison Greenstone on bass clarinet and Weston Olencki on trombone to the core quartet of Max Eilbacher (bass), Andrew Bernstein (sax), Owen Gardner (guitar), and Sam Haberman (drums) only makes the album’s sound palette even richer.
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Jun 16, 2026Individual fragments lose their original function while simultaneously becoming recurring motifs. As a result, the record achieves a remarkable coherence. It is not a concept album in any conventional sense, yet it unfolds like a single narrative whose chapters continually circle back to the same question.
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Jun 16, 2026If there's a math equation at the centre of it all, this one continually produces highly unpredictable and unusually captivating results. [Jul 2026, p.28]
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Jun 16, 2026Horse Lords' music is both demanding and rewarding, and the group continues to innovate while remaining hopeful and celebrating life.
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Jun 16, 2026Demand to Be Taken to Heaven Alive! makes one or two schematic tweaks to the chassis they’ve built, resulting in a smoother, more welcoming ride than usual.
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Jun 18, 2026There is a beautifully down-to-earth aspect to this record, and Horse Lords seem keenly aware of and confident in their signature sound while still finding ways to keep it fresh and unique.
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The WireJun 16, 2026It's the first time that singing has appeared on a Horse Lords recording. But while shape note singing requires no electricity, Saylor and Guo's voices have been so liberally dipped in AutoTune that the words are indistinguishable. [Jul 2026, p.49]