The Horses's Ha play several mini tours in support of new album Of The Cathmawr Yards
The Horse's Ha will be playing the first of several mini-tours this summer in support of their genre-bending debut album, Of The Cathmawr Yards, out now on Hidden Agenda. Featuring stellar performers from Chicago's rock and jazz communities; Freakwater and Eleventh Dream Day's Janet Beveridge Bean (vocals, melodica and mandola), The Zincs' James Elkington (vocals and acoustic guitar) and jazz rhythm section Nick Macri (double bass) and Charles Rumback (drums), The Horse's Ha blend an all-acoustic instrumentation with sweetly harmonizing vocals that belie the group's darkly haunting songs. The New York dates will see the band as a five-piece as they'll joined by lauded cellist, Fred Lonberg-Holm.
The Horse's Ha recorded a cover of Slapp Happy's "Slow Moon's Rose" when they were in the studio for Of The Cathmawr Yards. This track was not released on the album, but is available now as a free mp3. Check it out here! http://www.parasol.com/downloads/The_Horses_Ha__Slow_Moons_Rose.mp3
The Horse's Ha Tour Dates:
Fri. July 3 -- Chicago, IL @ Schuba's w/ Castanets - Record Release Show
Mon. July 27 -- Pittsburgh, PA @ Thunderbird Cafe
Tue. July 28 -- Arlington, VA @ IOTA
Wed. July 29 -- Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's w/ Illinois, The Builder and The Butcher
Thu. July 30 -- Brooklyn, NY @ Bruar Falls w/ Hospitality
Fri. July 31 -- Brooklyn, NY @ The Bell House w/ The Mekons
Sat. Aug. 1 -- New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge w/ The Mekons
Sun. Aug. 2 -- Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern
Sat. Sep. 19 -- Champaign, IL @ Pygmalion Festival
Listen to/download two tracks off of The Horse's Ha album here:
http://www.parasol.com/downloads/The_Horses_Ha__Asleep_In_A_Waterfall.mp3
http://www.parasol.com/downloads/The_Horses_Ha__The_Piss_Choir.mp3
A hi res jpeg of The Horse's Ha is available for download here: http://pitchperfectpr.com/images/hires/HHbyJamesElkington.jpg.
“The Horse’s Ha’s debut album, Of The Cathmawr Yards, blends Elkington and Bean’s voices and sensibilities together seamlessly on a set of songs that relies heavily on intricate acoustic guitar plucking, dreamy violin, and a gently melancholy air. . . on songs like ‘Liberation’ and ‘The Piss Choir,’ the percussion taps away madly while Elkington and Bean harmonize like a ’60s sunshine-pop group dosed on downers. The effect is unique and striking, like a bumpy ride through a moonlit country night.” – Noel Murray, The Onion’s A.V. Club (A-)
"The songs are moody and cryptic, full of death and moonlight. And with Elkington's deep, resonant voice intertwined with Bean's high, thin one, and his acoustic finger-picking interlaced with Lonberg- Holm's sinuous cello, their mystery is enchanting. It's an eerie and nuanced album, with echoes of Smog, the Mark Lanegan / Isobel Campbell collaborations, and British folk legends Pentangle and John Martyn." -- Steve Klinge, Philadelphia Inquirer
“This is a very weird album, and an ultimately compelling one. . . Horse's Ha, which is really Freakwater's Janet Bean and the Zincs' Jim Elkington with a postmodern jazz trio behind them, sure sounds British, a bit like Pentangle on cough syrup. Elkington's songs have purposefully literary lyrics which on more than a few occasions wander off into a kind of slightly darker version of Donovan-land, but it's the pacing here that draws the ear, with Elkington and Bean's well-defined, tense and sultry vocal harmonies working over languidly flowing rhythms . . .” – Steve Leggett, All Music (4 Stars)