Band : Pulled Apart By Horses
Album title : Pulled Apart By Horses
Label : Transgressive Records
Distributor : Cooperative Music - V2
Release date : 28/06/2010
Release : CD

This Leeds (UK) based Alternative Rock/ Power Pop act was formed in early 2008 by singer/ guitarist Tom Hudson (ex-Mother Vulpine), guitarist James Brown (ex-It Takes Bridges), singer/ bassist Robert Lee (ex-Monster Killed By Laser) and drummer Lee Vincent (ex-Concentration Champ) after the demise of their respective former bands, playing their first gig at Leeds' The Packhorse pub (above which they also rehearsed) on February 18 of the same year (with attendees invited over by text message).

The band started getting good press after their appearance at Manfest 2008, getting a reputation for their somewhat frantic live performances in which bandmembers have been known to get injured (during their headline performance at the packed NastyFest IX, some of 'em even had to be sent off to hospital). The year continued in successes, playing shows at the Latitudefestivaland at the Leeds Festival 2008 (giving the band exposure to larger crowds), and releasing their debut single Meat Balloon (b-side “Super Hang-On”) via Big Scary Monsters Recording Company in October (the success about that one being that it debuted at #18 in the UK Singles chart). But 2009 would become even a bigger year for PABH. In January they released their sophomore single I Punched A Lion In The Throat (b-side “The Crapsons”), and also made it available for download via their website. Soon after that the band released their 5-track EP Tour Traxx. In April the band saw their first release through Transgressive Records put out on the streets with the strictly limited 12-inch vinyl release of Live At Leeds (with packaging and artwork similar to The Who's classic release). On stage, the band played at Download, supported Future Of The Left on their UK tour in May, and supported 'em again in Europe during September. Later in the year PABH supported Biffy Clyro on their 2009 UK tour. Further releases in 2009 include a split single with Holy State and the weirdly titled DTTR 4x12” Vol 1 (I have no details available for these two.

In 2010 the live successes continued, seeing the band support Glassjaw at Manchester Academy in January, supporting Blood Red Shoes on their March European tour, did a last-minute announced support to Foals on April 8, accompanied The Bronx later the same month in the UK, supported Biffy Clyro a second time at the June 31 iTunes Festival, and played at the Hevy Music Festival on August 7 of last.
Somewhere in between all of that, the band actually found time to also record a full-length's album worth of material. Well, full-length...with 11 songs it's only just under 33 minutes long. As a prelude to the album's release, Transgressive already released the High Five, Swan Dive, Nose Dive single as download and 7-inch vinyl (b-side the non-album track “Somersault”), and in September the fans can get themselves the back To The Fuck Yeah 7-inch (also available as download, and again with a non-album track, titled “Universal Talk Box”). And although I'm all for giving the freak fans who buy singles a bonus with non-album tracks or alternate versions, I also feel it's cheating the listener somewhat when your full-length is only a couple of minutes beyond the half-hour barrier!

But, you know, in this case things may well be better off the way they are. Although I'm sure fans of the band's frantic music (which can be described as a “...combination of heavy riff based guitar work infused with Disco licks and pounding drum rhythms...” - from the band's page at Wikipedia – on top of which you get the most vicious snarls by the lead singer, a backing singer occasionally threading away into a cleaner vocal bit) could do with a longer album, I'm sure a first listening session will prove to be of heavy demand of even the more seasoned and/or open-minded listeners. Check it out for yourselves by listening to the songs posted at myspace.com/pulledapartbyhorses (all songs there also appear – in another version? - on the abum). If what you hear there lures you, you might try to find more audio at the band's own website (www.) pulledapartbyhorses.com (complete album posted for audio & several videos posted). One songs falls somewhat out of range of the PABH “normality”, and that's album closer “Den Horn”, with a length of 7:27 the album's longest track thanks to the large instrumental part of the track. One minute into the track the music falls into a repetitive mode with what sounds like a down-tuning on the guitar for a very Stoner-ish continuation! Well, you can check it out for yourself now, can't you!

At any rate, the only reason why I let out a somewhat negative comment before, is because I really love this kind of stuff, and especially the way PABH brings it. Hence, I've got myself another addition to my year-lists on my hands! Darn...that's three in a row, you know?!

98/100

Tony.