#23: Cease to Begin

Cease to Begin

Band of Horses

2007

Sub Pop Records

Peak position on the charts:

#149 - UK Albums Chart

#35 - US Billboard 200

Band of Horses, originally known simply as Horses in their early days, are Seattle-based band formed in 2004 by Ben Bridwell after the break-up of his previous band, Carissa's Wierd. The group initially received attention while opening for Iron & Wine, who at the time was signed to the Seattle-based label Sub Pop; the record label recognised the value Band of Horses held, and just like that, they were in. Their debut album, Everything All the Time, was recorded the following year, and released in 2006.

They swayed relatively little of the public eye, as Everything All the Time was unsuccessful on the charts (#199 on the UK Albums Chart, while not charting in the US).

Over the course of the next year, the band began recording their second album, touring extensively throughout the US and Europe to promote it, and relocated to South Carolina (Bridwell's home state). Their second studio album, Cease to Begin, was released in October of 2009 by Sub Pop, and was much more successful than its predecessor.

Cease to Begin features a very down-to-earth, alternative blues sort of vibe. With reverb-heavy guitars and vocals, the album gives you a feeling of loss and longing, of slowly drifting to nowhere. Occasional slide guitars, mellow synth lines, and a banjo or two, the music effectively evokes what Bridwell's soft, reminiscing voice is singing. His vocals also have a tinge of twang in them, country-style, which frankly just sounds so right over the bluesy backdrop. Song titles such as "Is There A Ghost", "No One's Gonna Love You", "Cigarettes, Wedding Bands", "Window Blues"... well they certainly give you a taste of what mood he was in when writing the songs, doesn't it?

With a sound blend comparable to a mix of The Shins, Iron & Wine, and Bright Eyes, Cease to Begin's sorrowful sound contributes nicely to the "Seattle Sound" that Sup Pop has created over the years: a passive, doldrumic, quasi-folk-rock-ish sound that you'd come to expect from a Starbuck's Coffee eatery. Yeah, that sound.

It's a sound I've become quite accustomed to. And not because of the sentimental value of sitting at a Starbuck's or anything, sipping down a Vanilla Frappuccino in a cozy armchair doing the crossword puzzle of the local newspaper. I don't know what that's like at all...

But seriously, give these guys a listen. Even if you aren't an alterna-blues kind of person, we all have those days where you just feel... apart from everything. And Band of Horses lets you know that you're not the only one.

Below is a link to "Window Blues", the folk/country-est of the songs, but my personal favourite. It's the slowest of the songs (besides maybe "Marry Song", but I'd say not), so don't condemn the record as a whole based off this song. Look up "Is There a Ghost" or "No One's Gonna Love You" as well... or I can just link to one of those too, save you the trouble. I'll do that.

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Recommended Tracks:

Is There a Ghost (3.00)

No One's Gonna Love You (3.37)

Detlef Schrempf (4.29)

Window Blues (4.01)

*kind of a corny video for Window Blues, but that's the best I could find.