The Horrors: Skying

The Horrors
Skying
XL Recordings [2011]









Fire Note Says: The Horrors complete their modern shoegaze transition on third long player Skying!

Album Review:
On 2009's Primary Colours, The Horrors shifted into a shoegaze mode that made some scratch their heads, as their earlier garage goth rock already had made them a band to watch. The upside to the story was that The Horrors made a really good shoegaze record and it almost seemed to come naturally. Fast forward to 2011 and with the release of their new album Skying, the transformation is complete. The record is a sprawling 53 minute synth heavy rock record that incorporates plenty of mid-song transitions that really grab the listeners attention. On "Endless Blue" this takes place in the form of a riveting guitar attack that comes at you out of nowhere after its pleasant spacey horn filled intro and really makes this song an album highlight. The Horrors are also not afraid to stretch their songs, as the over eight minute "Moving Further Away" goes into spacey wilderness sounds before the song builds back up with a strong and memorable guitar. Skying benefits from the rising confidence in singer Faris Badwan, as he is in full command here like how "I Can See Through You" could easily be mistaken for a Psychedelic Furs track with his perfect Richard Butler impression or how he paces the first single "Still Life" and lets the music just surround and embrace his impressive croon. Overall, Skying is a very retro sounding UK record in every good sense of the comparison. With its consistent infusion of catchy mid number transitions, a continued presence of their earlier rock beginnings and a soaring production and vocal, The Horrors take this style into the present decade and have easily made one of the best records in the shoegaze category for the year!

Key Tracks: "Endless Blue", "Moving Further Away", "Still Life"

Bands With Similar Fire:
The Psychedelic Furs
Pulp
Echo & The Bunnymen

The Horrors: Primary Colours [Fire Note Review 5/26/09]
The Horrors: Strange House [Fire Note Review 5/10/07]
The Horrors: The Horrors EP [Fire Note Review 11/14/06]

The Horrors Website
The Horrors Facebook
XL Recordings

-Reviewed by Christopher Anthony