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PitchPerfect - Indie Music Album Reviews
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10/10 - Rating
By Dino DiMuro
“Tombstone Territory” [is like] classical, prog rock and jazz went to a coffee shop for an extended conversation. Oh yeah: it’s also quite lovely! Though everyone shines, guitarist G Rockwell and mandolin player Jacob Jolliff blast through seemingly impossible runs without pausing for breath. At five minutes the pace slows a bit to showcase strings and bass, which is a changeup that works beautifully. “Dotted Line” features one of the main guys on lead vocals and is a surprising detour into Americana or country folk rock, making it one of the more accessible tracks here. That the boys can stack harmony vocals as well as they play their instruments is almost overkill! Believe it or not, there’s MUCH more here than I’ve been able to describe, and nothing rates anywhere south of a ten. I’m floored by these guys and I know you will be too!”
DECEMBER 27, 2024
AmericanaUK
Tim Martin:
“A new year arrives with a batch of albums that stretch the Bluegrass genre to its limits. But it’s a style that has always thrived on experimentation… with High Horse offering 7-minute songs and a full suite. Bluegrass is evolving, which is good to see. To stay fresh and current you can’t rely on the tropes of old.
High Horse call themselves a “progressive-acoustic boy band.” Their unique combination of instruments “featuring cello as a utility infielder, at once filling in as the second “fiddle” role, then joining the rhythm section to add extra oomph,” gives them a very textured sound. ‘Tombstone Territory’ has quotes from ‘Summertime’ and other swinging jazz elements but also bursts of more typically bluegrass picking across its seven minutes. The Fiddle solo is closer to Jean Luc Ponty than Byron Berline. An album which builds on the Bluegrass legacy without disrespecting it.”
JANUARY 14, 2025
BluegrassToday
John Lawless:
“The ensemble format is a bit novel for the greater bluegrass world, though becoming more common, made up of Carson McHaney on fiddle, Karl Henry on cello, G Rockwell on guitar, and Noah Harrington on bass. Noted alt-grass mandolinist Jacob Jolliff produced the record, and appears as guest mandolinist on several tracks.
Their sound is a bit like what Jolliff has recorded with his group, and similar to what you may have heard from groups like Mr Sun or Hawktail. They show tremendous promise in this first recording, employing the same sort of complex harmony as these other artists, and which they all surely studied in college.”
DECEMBER 4, 2024
South Dakota Public Broadcasting
On today's show...
Progressive-acoustic string band High Horse steps into SDPB's Leo P. Flynn Gallery in Sioux Falls. Fiddler Carson McHaney, cellist Karl Henry, guitarist G Rockwell, and bassist Noah Harrington join us. We talk about their South Dakota roots and connections and learn how they came together as a band. They also play a few songs from their upcoming debut album. High Horse is playing at the Sioux River Folk Festival at Newton Hills State Park this weekend. And tickets are available now for their Aug. 13 performance at DaDa Gastropub in Sioux Falls. Learn more about the show.
AUGUST 5 2024
The Bluegrass Situation
On today's show...
In Their Words: “After coming off tour with the Jacob Jolliff Band, I had all this inspiration that I wanted to bring to a High Horse instrumental composition. The basic elements of ‘Tombstone’ come from some of the ideas in Jolliff’s music and influence from Grant Gordy/Mr. Sun recordings. And, from a practice of sending around a melodic part that I learned in an earlier Persian Music Ensemble at NEC to the band. Not only was this an academic sort of exploration for me, but it was also a great opportunity to show off some of the special skills everyone in the band has as instrumentalists. Some of my favorite solos on the record happen on this recording and it has some of our best band cohesion! After performing the piece for one of its first times in Hancock, New Hampshire we were still looking for a title when we happened upon a short dirt road named Tombstone Territory. Given the spooky vibe of the tune, that seemed to fit just perfectly!” – G Rockwell, composer, guitarist
OCTOBER 11, 2024
GratefulWeb.com
HIGH HORSE GALLOPS AHEAD WITH DEBUT ALBUM AND NEW MUSIC VIDEO
”High Horse is thrilled to announce the release of their debut full-length album on December 6th, 2024, under Adhyâropa Records. This ambitious project is produced by and features the world-renowned mandolinist Jacob Jolliff, known for his work with Yonder Mountain String Band and his own Jacob Jolliff Band. The album is engineered and mixed by sound wizard Dave Sinko, celebrated for his work with Punch Brothers and Béla Fleck, and mastered by the esteemed David Glasser.”
OCTOBER 16, 2024
GratefulWeb.com
“In addition to announcing their album, High Horse has released a music video for the track “Discern,” which will be featured on the upcoming album. The video is available on their official YouTube channel, along with other captivating live performance videos. An unreleased video of the traditional song “Been All Around This World” is also set to debut soon, further showcasing the band’s dynamic range and musical prowess.”
-GratefulWeb.com
MAY 2, 2024