Wunderhorse

One Liner:  Top tier rock and roll out of Cornwall

Wikipedia Genre: Indie rock, Americana, psych rock

Home: Cornwall, England

Poster Position: Level 4 (20) 
Weekend One Only.
Saturday.

Thoughts:  I can't decide whether this is an awesome band name or a terrible band name.  Straddles the line and gives me reasons to call it either way.  Sounds like he came up with it on a lark: "There's this old TV show from the 50s or 60s called Champion the Wonder Horse... I started using the name as a joke and it was one of those things that stuck."  If you are feeling nostalgic or want to dive into what made him come up with the name, here is an episode of that ancient show!

It is really too bad that we don't have shows like that anymore - or even access to them through our streaming services.  Why can't I show my kids Lassie or Flipper or Mr. Ed?  I watched the hell out of those shows when I was little!  But, back to why we are here, the music itself is great - I really enjoy it.  

Jacob Slater started the band as a solo project during the pandemic, after having fronted a band called the Dead Pretties for a few years in London.  He was living in Cornwall, writing music while working odd jobs and doing some surfing instruction.  Which sounds really weird.  Is there actual surfing to be done in Cornwall, England?  Huh.  Apparently so!  Cornwall is the area that pokes out into the Atlantic Ocean at the bottom of the island, and it looks like they get some legit waves.  Learn something new every day!  He also landed a role acting in a miniseries about the Sex Pistols called Pistol!  

The tunes themselves are rock and roll for sure, with a little blues and psych and garage tossed in.  Kind of a relaxed rock and roll, but not sleepy, more like the kind of relaxation you get when you're just a cool mofo.  One album - 2022's Cub - and all but one of their top tracks on Spotify comes from that disc.  "Leader of the Pack" is the top streamer with 4.3 million.

Catchy little riffage.  The dudes behind him look like he recruited them from the local high school battle of the bands.  It is weird to hear him singing with harmony, and yet none of the other dudes have a mic.  Which seems like it will be difficult to recreate in a live environment...  But whatever, that tune makes me want to bob my head and groove.  "Mantis" somehow brings to mind both the Beach Boys and The Pixies.  "Butterflies" makes me think of the more R.E.M.-like Radiohead songs.  "Teal" is the second-most streamed, with 2.3 million.

Builds up a little bit, and I like it.  Reminds me of the Strokes (and not just because he says "this is it" in the lyrics).  It just feels rare these days to get your hands on some real deal, unapologetic rock and roll action without any drum machines or synths or some rapper cameo.  I like it.  I'd absolutely go check this out.