Tobacco City :: “Horses”
Cover Art: E Parrott
Returning from the rudimentary range where the holographic horses roam free under an ancient blanket of stars neighbored by spiritual stretches of biblical debris across the endless expansion of space, Chicago-based alt-country outfit Tobacco City follows up their acclaimed full-length debut “Tobacco City, USA” with yet another incredible collection of songs entitled “Horses.” Released on the brilliant Oklahoma-based label Scissor Tail Records, run by Dylan Golden Aycock, that brought you titles such as Joseph Allred’s “Fire and Earth, Rosali’s groundbreaking sophomore album “Trouble Anyway,” and the triumphant return of ‘Wind City’ legends Souled American, and their critical classics “Notes Campfire,” and “Frozen,” it is without a doubt that Tobacco City are in outstanding company as they bring their second, sonic child to the world at large. An electrifying effort that explores the rich and bountiful nature previously laid down by some of country music’s most enigmatic and expressive entries over the decades, Tobacco City captures the true essence of the 1970s tonal twang that ultimately separated the great genre from the rock n’ roll takeover in a way that still reigns true to the times. While a wide range of pulsating psychedelia pours in and out of the band’s cosmic country core, the music remains unfazed by the temptations to sway in and out of focus. Instead, it sets its sonic sights on the more poetic strides it takes to write a good country song.
“We made this record with all people we love very much and people we trust deeply.”
Photo: Hannah Bailey
From the depths of singing salvation lurks this unbelievable passage from a geeked-out galaxy filled with holy harmonies and lavish lyrics, while simultaneously combining the dynamical drawl of the South with the Midwest. Fundamentally familiar with the vocal velocity of some of the most celebrated figures who built the blueprint, bandmates and partners Lexi Goddard and Chris Coleslaw take the tenacious torch to a whole new level with “Horses,” quickly introducing an all-star cast of musicians such as Oliver Beardsley, Matthew J. Rolins, Jen Powers (Powers/Rolin Duo), Nick Broste, Andy "Red" PK, and others on a jiving journey through a lush landscape decorated with radiating rhinestones and bold backdrops. With tracks such as “Bougainvillea,” “Blue Deja Vu,” “Fruit From The Vine,” and the conceptually rich “Horses 1-3,” the band profoundly ponders the ideas of youth, languages of love, historical harmony, and faithful friendships in the most kinetically kindred way possible. Where “Tobacco City, USA” left off, the band’s newest effort eagerly carries a sensational sound across the album’s 12 tracks of conceptual delight, ranging anywhere from the howling ghost of Graham Parsons and the cunning Conway Twitty to the sophisticated seduction of Emmylou Harris. Goddard and Coleslaw’s cosmic chemistry is one for the ages as they gaze into the endless rivers of ceremony and liquid luck, plucking from its medicinal mouth a body of work that sincerely reflects what ultimately makes this band so diverse and dedicated to their intimate impact on society as a whole.
Photo: Hannah Bailey
