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Horses In The Sky
EMAILPRINTby Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 15 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 9 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Constellation
Release Date: 05 April 2005
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Indie, Rock
Summary
This wordy Canadian post-rock outfit (formerly known by similar variations of their current name), here with a fourth album, shares members with the equally wordy and Canadian but more instrumental Godspeed You! Black Emperor.
Also By This Artist: 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons
Also On Metacritic
MUSIC: GYBE: Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven GYBE: Yanqui U.X.O.
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Tiny Mix Tapes
Essentially, Horses in the Sky adopts a host of varying song mechanics and a wider array of lyrical themes, a broadened pallet that either suggest a band in transition, or a newfound confidence in songwriting.
Read Full Review >Dusted Magazine
Horses... is Silver Mount Zion’s most musically satisfying disc to date because, while the well-worn formulae are present, sonic variance and compositional modification has brought a welcome diversity to an increasingly wearisome aesthetic.
Read Full Review >Playlouder
This record is, the odd awful phrase here or there aside, rather marvellous.
Read Full Review >The Wire
Touching and beautiful. [#256, p.63]
cokemachineglow
This is easily the most stripped-down album of their catalogue since their first one, and, not coincidentally, the best.
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
This album is weighted heavily with [Efrim] Menuck's quavering, strident vocals; a fact some listeners might reasonably regard as an obstacle. Thankfully, however, his bandmates frequently come to his aid both instrumentally and vocally.
Read Full Review >Lost At Sea
Whereas previous efforts spawned a shrouded sadness that sought engagement by keeping a distance, this work squares its shoulders at once, fervent in its desire to have its audience lend an ear for at least a moment.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
Silver Mt Zion make music of extremes; very simple, inordinately miserable, utterly emotionally invasive, performed with such total, galvanising conviction that it's terrifying at times.
Read Full Review >Mojo
Their most primitive, intimate and vocally oriented [album] yet. [May 2005, p.108]
Junkmedia
As grounds for our own wandering imaginations and protesting voices, Horses' six songs are not as fertile as what's come before them.
Read Full Review >Uncut
Haunting lamentations that owe as much to the Jewish Klezmer and US folk traditions as to Slint. [May 2005, p.110]
Almost Cool
The first album from the group that feels downright tedious to me in places, as well as the first one that feels like they're spinning their wheels a bit.
Read Full Review >Stylus Magazine
If this is your first experience of the band, you might still find it fresh, but personally I’m beginning to feel radicalism fatigue.
Read Full Review >Delusions of Adequacy
Horses in the Sky has some melodic, attractive moments, though these are drowned by yelps and off-key vocals that grate and stain the whole work.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 8.7 (out of 10) based on 9 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Lola L. gave it a10:
Amazingly sad, i.e. amazing.
Wayne B gave it a9:
Arguably the finest release thus far in 2005.
Al M gave it a10:
A silver mt zion manifest the soundtrack to our daily lives....and in this world of pain and suffering and unknown security, their latest album punctuate our routine as we struggle thorugh the daily grind that is the rat race. Pure sonic love, but not for the faint hearted or those contemplating ending their lives...DONT DO IT!
Matt T gave it an8:
This has got to be one of the most honest albums I've heard in a very long time. I would have given it 8.5 stars if I could have. It definitely drifts farther away from that super-serious, dark, somber, gybe-ish tone present in "He has left us..." and (to a lesser extent) "This is our punk rock...". The production is good, but don't expect the production style used in gybe or previous smz records. The main difference here is the personal feel to the recording of each song. You almost get the feeling you're sitting outside with the band, participating in the recording of the record. The album has moments ranging from dreary to incredibly hopeful. A lot of people will complain about Efrim's vocals, but I for one am not about to. Simply because I can identify with Efrim's voice. Some of us just aren't built to sing like Thom Yorke or Jimmy Gnecco, or Maynard or and number of more well-known vocalists. I can appreciate that Efrim is singing the way he wants, honestly and loudly. And besides, it's not the same kind of contrived "bad" sound as Bright Eyes. It's just how he sounds.
john k gave it a9:
9, just for the very ending of the last song alone. and track 2 is also incredable, and some of the groups best work. overall, a great release. and i personally dont see the complaints on efrims style/ singing voice. perhaps youve never heard people like tom waits or bob dylan sing. just stop complaining and listen.
Jared R gave it an8:
TSMZMOATLLB has another success. The majority of complaints I have seen about "Horses in the Sky" ask for less vocals, more instrumentls. But that is just hair splitting. It's good, not "Born Into Trouble as the Sparks Fly Upward" good, but better than 95% of the competition.
