The Toledo music scene has a rich tradition of supporting organic, up–and–coming acts through live venues. You can also find local bands through the social media grapevine, a rich place to find area talent.
I recently came across Welcome to the Ranch, a five song EP from the band
Horse Lover, released on Spotify in September, 2023. The melodic hook and driving rhythm of the lead track, ‘Up In Smoke’, is ear catching. Requesting a sit-down interview for this article, I was privy to a practice session which featured the band ripping through a setlist which included several songs carrying the ethereal melodies of the band’s three guitar lineup.
Interesting sonically
“Part of what makes us interesting sonically is how full our sound is,” said guitarist Sam Gold, “Having three guitars opens up a lot of possibilities. It’s like having a multitude of paint brushes for a picture: you can experiment with layering sounds in a really fun way.”
“It gives the songwriting a blended texture and a real energy,” adds guitarist Cameron Morissey, “That energy forces us to work as an ensemble so we don’t step over each other.”
“We try to challenge each other to fit into the middle of what the other two are playing,” said Jake Cassidy, the band’s third guitarist. “It’s opened everyone up creatively and the songs have really benefited — becoming more emotive and expressive.”
That sonic architecture, played on Fender guitars through Mesa–Boogie amps, blends together evenly, backed by a rhythm section of bassist Alex Dapkus and hard–hitting Luke Armstrong on the drums.
“My job is to listen,” said Armstrong, “When we’re writing, I don’t play anything until the band has the structure down. I do that for two reasons – one is to figure out how I can fit in, and the other, more importantly, is to listen as if I were the audience. This allows me to make suggestions concerning the issues in the writing process.”
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That writing process has led to a slew of new material the band is releasing at their own pace, with a conscious decision to release the songs individually, instead of as a cohesive album or EP.
“It’s kind of hearkening back to when songs were released as singles,” said Morissey. “It’s something fun to tool around with; kind of ‘messing with the algorithm’ of the streaming service. One song leads to a recommendation for the rest of what’s available.”
Gaining a steady following
The merit of a solid band is how they bring it when it comes to playing live. So far, Horse Lover has gained a steady following after delivering a series of performances over the last 18 months where they’ve been praised as being better than their recordings; always a plus for a young band.
“What makes it worth it is the look on each of our faces when we experience that momentum as we progress through this journey,” said Armstrong. Dapkus adds,“Especially with the new material. It’s been an adventure and we finally know the direction we want to take with the new music. Lyrically, especially, as we’re exploring the tropes of any band our age: life, love and facing adversity. And as much fun as we’ve had recording, playing live is where we get to explore. That’s the real laboratory.”
Horse Lover still has a thick list of unreleased songs, so keep an ear out (you can find the band on Spotify and Facebook for updates). Upcoming, the band is booked to open for national act Moon Walker at Frankies on May 9th.
