Horsey: “Debonair” (Album Review)

 Genres: Art Rock, Jazz Rock

Debonair is the first studio album by London band Horsey. They are well known for their affiliation and collaborations with fellow London artist, King Krule. Debonair is marked by a skillful mix of jazz and rock instrumentation, which is unfortunately weighed down by lackluster lyrics.

There is a pure force of energy behind the composition on each of the songs on Debonair. The amount of passion that the music is infused with definitely caught my ear from the first listen. The vocals of Jacob Read, also known as Jerkcurb, and Theo McCabe bring so much to the table. The manic shifts between furious yelling and melodic singing such as on Arms and Legs, is the type of variety that makes Debonair a compelling listen. This is an album that knows how to hold your attention and not let go from start to finish. 

The focal point of this album is definitely the instrumentation. The intensity on some of these songs is a slowly crafted aspect. On Everybody’s Tongue, the space between notes is utilized to the fullest, with notes from a soft piano leading up to the increasing tempo of the percussion and guitars. It allows the listener to get to the peak of the roller coaster before getting propelled rapidly. The way that timing is used to create grandiose, or even more relaxed songs like Wharf (ii), helps each song become so captivating. Another important part of the instrumentation is the purposeful use of each instrument. Lagoon starts off with a somber piano, but then develops by adding or removing instruments when the song calls for it. Adaptability in music is important for preventing boredom and stagnation. These dynamic songs make for great repeated listens, as they hold a lot of weight to them.

Sadly Debonair shows its Achilles’ heel through the often mediocre songwriting. The value of the abstract and surrealist lyricism is often lost, as at times, the lyrics cross the line from being hard to decipher to being nonsensical. Even nonsensical lyrics have their own value, but throughout the album there are verses that just feel more empty than they should be. Underground is a song that showed promise from the mellow and atmospheric composition, but was too shallow narratively to be a great song. The buildup to the written climax starts as a mystery, but the payoff is lacking. The big answer to “Why?” feels underwhelming. The narrator’s “baby” doesn’t cook, clean, or partake in any other verbs because he’s dead. Underground is one of the more direct songs on the album, but loses a certain quality by becoming too basic. 

The potential impact that weird and abstract lyrics have, at times, showcased throughout the album. King Krule displays this excellently on Seahorse. The haunting imagery of a “rib cage xylophone” and the continuous repetitions of “another seahorse grows inside” helps paint a grim picture of urban life. Outside of the box lyrics can lead to outside of the box thinking and contemplation, but only if done correctly.

Although, I consider the songwriting to be the weakest part of the album, it is only detrimental by being so mediocre, instead of being genuinely poor. However mediocrity is mediocrity, which is proved true by the high quality of the instrumentation. There is a lot of charm to Debonair, but it is held back from truly shining.

 

 

Favorite Tracks: Seahorse, Lagoon, Sippy Cup, Arms and Legs, Wharf (ii)

 

Least Favorites: Underground, 1070

Enjoyment: low 8

Critically: low 7

Arbitrary Number: 7.3