By Sophie Isbister, Contributor
4/5
Mirage Rock, the fourth album from sometimes-rock, sometimes-alt country group Band of Horses, hits shelves on September 18, and the album opens with a bang. Actually, it opens with a “WOOHOOO!” on unabashedly rock n’ roll opening track “Knock Knock.”
Despite it feeling like a bit of a mixed bag, I really enjoyed the album. There’s a bit of twang (with lyrics like “Guess what? I’ve lost my job. It’s just my luck” on second track “How To Live”), a bit of crooning (most notable on track 10, “Long Vows,” where Ben Bridwell’s vocals are so reminiscent of Neil Young that I actually thought for a moment I was listening to the wrong album), and a hefty helping of solid lyricism (especially on the clean-sounding ode to freedom, “Electric Music”). Then you have tracks like “Dumpster World,” which has you thinking it’s a country ballad until it completely switches directions 30 seconds in.
Mirage Rock has something for everyone, provided everyone likes either rock or alt country. And isn’t that how it should be? I know I’ll be playing “Heartbreak 101” on repeat as I cry into my red wine tonight.
