Not an equine ensemble but five men from Seattle, Band of Horses recently released their fifth album of wide-screen Americana. For all its rugged charms, Why Are You OK is unlikely to see the band transform critical acclaim into sudden commercial success, although they are popular enough to sell out two nights at the 2,000-capacity Shepherd’s Bush Empire.
Plaid of shirt and big of beard, they began with the anthemic indie-rock of Is There a Ghost. The song contained all the usual Band of Horses touchstones: heart-on-sleeve lyrics, meaty guitars and trembling vocals. “Hey, we’re just playing some songs,” said frontman Ben Bridwell, somewhat superfluously, on one of his few attempts at between-song chat. Thankfully, he’s more articulate during songs. The Great Salt Lake was as majestic as its watery namesake, Casual Party was a more muscular take on Fleet Foxes’ harmony-filled folk-rock and Laredo was lovelorn country-rock of the highest calibre.
During such moments, Band of Horses were a group galloping towards greatness. Yet too often they were content to chug, the subtlety of Bridwell’s lyrics lost amid a sea of guitars. The loudest cheer was reserved for the quietest song: a stripped-back rendition of No One’s Gonna Love You.
It was a reminder that while Band of Horses came to rock, it’s the thoroughbred ballads they do best.
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