Wednesday 12 August 2015

Welsh Wednesday #49

#49: Scooter by Race Horses

This is one of the most upbeat, fun and downright silly tracks I've posted on this blog to date. Hailing from Aberystwyth (and originally known as Radio Luxembourg), Race Horses produced some splendid songs in their all-too-brief tenure on the Welsh music scene. Early material was sung largely in Welsh, but most of their recorded material was in English.

Their debut album 'Goodbye Falkenberg' emerged in 2010 and is a fine example of a band who knew and appreciated the art of clever uplifting music. Scooter perhaps illustrates this better than any other track, right down to its barbershop-style vocals. Sadly its follow-up - 2012's 'Furniture' - just didn't have the same impact, even though you might argue that musically it's more accomplished. It's also more generic and less intriguing than its predecessor.

Race Horses split around about the time of that second album's release, but the band's members continue to be active. Gwion Llewellyn is a member of Yr Ods and Gulp, and also plays live with Villagers. Alun Gaffey is one half of Iwcs & Gaff, while Meilyr Jones has collaborated with Gryff Rhys' Neon Neon project, Euros Childs (the pair recorded an album as Cousins), and Scouse psych-folk outfit Stealing Sheep.





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