♪ Where’s the Spring?

♪ ♪ Like a light is to dark, there’s an end to this thing.

♪ ♪ That end in mind, there’s the truth... ♪♪ I'm Glenn Richards, and this is WUFT Amplified, showcasing some amazing artists for your listening and viewing pleasure.

On this episode, we're gonna meet a band that's a long way from home.

All the way from the Pacific Northwest, Horse Feathers is here.

With Justin Ringle on guitar and vocals, Nate Crockett on violin and vocals, and Halli Anderson on violin and vocals.

With their song “Starving Robins,” here’s Horse Feathers, on WUFT Amplified.

♪ It's there in the woods ♪ ♪ And as I child I could ♪ ♪ See down where the deer ate dying grass ♪ ♪ And hear when the starving robins asked: ♪ ♪ “Where's the Spring?” ♪ ♪ Met with the mightiest change in the breeze ♪ ♪ That wind in mind, ♪ ♪ There’s the truth, beyond by the crick ♪ ♪ is the memory of youth ♪ ♪ Right out of the blue, ♪ ♪ A frost came to abuse ♪ ♪ Down where the deer ate dying grass ♪ ♪ Near where the starving robins asked: ♪ ♪ “Where's the Spring?” ♪ ♪ Met with the mightiest change in the breeze ♪ ♪ That wind in mind, ♪ ♪ There’s the truth, beyond by the crick ♪ ♪ lies the memory of youth.

♪ ♪ Where’s the Spring?

♪ ♪ Like a light is to dark, there’s an end to this thing ♪ ♪ That end in mind, ♪ ♪ There’s the truth, ♪ ♪ beyond by the crick lies the memory of youth ♪♪ Alright.

This next number is called “Belly of June.” ♪ It's noon in the belly of June ♪ ♪ Let's wager with bodies, the night's coming soon ♪ ♪ Come like a lover to me ♪ ♪ Let's lay in the dark, meet the birds and the bees ♪ ♪ A scene at the past county fair ♪ ♪ Swore to his face, "There's no rib that we share!"

♪ ♪ Please, won't you leave her alone ♪ ♪ She's telling you boy, you don't know when to go ♪ ♪ She's had enough.

She sadly sung, ♪ ♪ "We're no longer young, we're lazy and lithe" ♪ ♪ "Age makes us dumb" ♪ ♪ "Don't call on me, paltering and pale" ♪ ♪ "Sin on your mind, dirt under your nails" ♪ ♪ Well, he holds to a vow just because ♪ ♪ Lamenting a love, never was ♪ ♪ It's a thing that's never tested or tried ♪ ♪ In a June that up and bloomed and quickly died ♪ ♪ It's noon in the belly of June ♪ ♪ Let's wager with bodies, the night's coming soon ♪ ♪ Come like a lover to me ♪ ♪ Let's lay in the dark, meet the birds and the bees ♪ ♪ Between the two and under the sun ♪ ♪ It's a war that's always fought, never is won ♪ ♪ Between the two, under the light ♪ ♪ At last, she's never convinced and won't stay the night ♪♪ Thank you.

That's “Belly of June” from Horse Feathers on WUFT Amplified.

“Starving Robins,” ahead of that.

Both from their Thistled Spring album released in 20— uh, 2010?

- I think?

Yeah.

- That’s right.

Alright.

Uh.

So, like I said at the top of the show, a band that's a long way from home.

Uh, Astoria, Oregon is where you guys are based now.

Um.

Thanks for coming.

Of course.

Thanks for having us.

So, take us through, uh, the iterations of, of Horse Feathers.

You guys have kind of gone through some different lineup changes.

How did this latest lineup come to be?

Well, first, I don't know if we have enough time, um, to go through the, uh— Well, um, I started off playing, uh, totally by myself and, uh, wrote most of the first record by myself.

And then I met first collaborator named Peter Broderick, and I did one record with him, with just me and him as a duo.

And then I did the next record, with his sister playing cello.

Um, they subsequently moved to Europe and, um, put me in touch with Nathan Crockett, who— they all shared the same violin teacher, or string teacher, who was Nate's mom.

So he, uh, he kind of stepped into the role.

And then we, uh, had many different members.

Nate and I have kind of been the core of the group for, um, since Thistled Spring, 2010.

And, um, we've had several different cellists, and banjo players, and multi-instrumentalists, and drummers and, um.

And so, it's kind of been on an album by album basis, but now that we've settled into Astoria, we play with a core group of, of us, which is, you know, myself and, and Nate.

And then Halli, um, my wife, she plays in another band called River Whyless.

And then we share some members also in the band, um, from, um, the band Blind Pilot.

Um.

A bass player, um, Luke Ydstie, and Katie Claybourne from— um, plays banjo.

Uh, they're from Blind Pilots.

So anyways, long, expansive map of, um, players and collaborators over the years.

Right.

What's the inspiration for the sound?

I mean, why the strings?

I mean, why not?

But.

Uh, right.

Um.

Well, um, some of it I— You know, I started writing this stuff by myself, and when I was kind of dreaming of accompaniment for it, I— it was kind of a serendipitous thing.

I met somebody that played many instruments, and it just kind of so happened that violin lent itself to the music I was writing.

And so, it's been like— it became a building block process from there.

At first, I didn't ever think it would be purely a string-focused band.

It just kind of evolved that way.

And then, you know, we've gone different routes where we've also played with, um, we played with more of a full rhythm section for a few records, where, um, that was more of a highlight of the music.

But, it's, um— it always kind of returns to this.

And, we play most often this way, um, with the strings.

Well, it really evokes a mood of feeling that I think, uh, that, that suits the songs.

I mean, for sure.

Anything you wanna tell us about this next one?

We're gonna go to the 20— 2008 album that was reissued in ‘22, House With No Home .

Right, um.

This next tune is, um, it's on that record.

It's the main single from that record.

It’s called “Curs in the Weeds.” Alright.

Here's Horse Feathers with “Curs in the Weeds,” on WUFT Amplified.

♪ Lover of things ♪ ♪ Won't you agree ♪ ♪ How the winter could bring ♪ ♪ The darkest spring?

♪ ♪ With hell on your face ♪ ♪ Dirt on the walls ♪ ♪ In the back of the place ♪ ♪ You grew and complained ♪ ♪ Father of three ♪ ♪ Won't you believe ♪ ♪ That the ones in between ♪ ♪ The ones that are blamed ♪ ♪ Of fickle faith ♪ ♪ Cynics that seethe ♪ ♪ How their children are cursed ♪ ♪ Cursed to believe ♪ ♪ Like marrow without bone ♪ ♪ To live in a house with no home ♪ ♪ Where the son is the darkest seed ♪ ♪ He crawls with the curs in the weeds ♪ ♪ Where had you been son?

♪ ♪ Not in the street, not in the yard ♪ ♪ Only once, I'll call off the dogs, if you call off your guard ♪ ♪ Where had you gone?

♪ ♪ Where had you been?

♪ ♪ Where had you been son?

♪ ♪ Not in the street, not in the yard ♪ ♪ Only once, I'll call off the dogs, if you call off your guard ♪ ♪ Where had you been son?

♪ ♪ Not in the street, not in the yard ♪ ♪ Only once, I'll call off the dogs, if you call off your guard ♪♪ This is a number off the same record.

It’s called “Heathen’s Kiss.” ♪ L yin' on the floor and through your teeth ♪ ♪ Tell me where you've gone, speak softly ♪ ♪ Crawlin' from the dark up to your feet ♪ ♪ Tell me where you've gone, speak gently ♪ ♪ Crawlin' from the dark up to your feet ♪ ♪ Tell me where you've gone, speak softly ♪ ♪ Tell me where you've gone, and what you've done ♪ ♪ A fever keeps on comin', I want none ♪ ♪ And are you true to me?

♪ ♪ And are these vows we make obscene?

♪ ♪ And are you true to me?

♪ ♪ And are these vows we make obscene?

♪ ♪ And heathens kiss softly ♪ ♪ From their mouthes there's nothing ♪ ♪ They cruelly come gently ♪ ♪ With violent lips smashing ♪ ♪ And heathens kiss softly ♪ ♪ From their mouthes there's nothing ♪ ♪ They cruelly come gently ♪ ♪ With violent lips smashing ♪ ♪ And heathens kiss softly ♪♪ That's “Heathen’s Kiss” from Horse Feathers on WUFT Amplified.

“Curs in the Weeds,” ahead of that.

Both from their 2008 album, reissued in 2022, House with No Home.

Uh, Nate Crockett there on the, on the saw.

As you, as you saw.

I saw the saw, and I was wondering when we'd see the saw, uh, and hear it.

Um.

Uh.

Plus, uh, Halli Anderson on, uh, violin and, uh, Justin Ringle on vocals and guitar.

That was some really beautiful stuff.

And, um, you know, I was just thinking, a keyboard could do that, but it wouldn't be the same, you know?

It's just something more real or authentic about just having a, an acoustic instrument, like a violin or saw.

For sure.

Yeah.

I, um, yeah.

There's something about, uh, just the actual— just all of the, the wood and, and actual, you know, humans playing it and the lack of electronics that you can't totally recreate.

Um.

It's even— Even with the little bit of, um, like, flaws in the performances and things like that that make it infinitely more human, I think adds something.

What you talkin’ ‘bout flaws?

-It was mine.

-I will say, -Mine.

My flaws.

-I will say, not all saws are cut the same We've, we've lost the saw or forgotten it on tour many times.

And, uh, when you go to a hardware store to replace the saw, you can get a new one and it plays.

But, uh, -not as well.

-Yeah, it's, it's about twice the pitch.

-Yeah.

Those little short ones.

-And, uh, they will cut you.

-Yeah, yeah.

-They will cut you.

-Is there... -There is danger involved.

Yeah.

...a particular brand that you favor?

Uh, the ones that I use is the Blacklock musical saws.

Oh, it's a musical saw?

And it's a thinner gauge metal, easier to bend, and they come in longer lengths.

So, this one in particular is a baritone saw.

So, yeah.

I did not know this.

-This is new information to me.

-There’s a whole saw world out there.

-Yeah.

-Wow.

Deep in Reddit.

Cool.

Um.

So, where is the best place for people to, uh, find out more about Horse Feathers and keep up with, you know, uh, touring plans, and releases and things.

Uh, anywhere on social media.

Um.

Uh, we have a website: HorseFeathersTheBand.com Um.

And then, also, of course, Instagram, Facebook, that kind of things.

Also, um, our label, Kill Rock Stars, um, and their website, KillRockStars.com, would be all good places to look for what we're up to.

Cool.

Yeah, uh, really interesting label.

I, I read that you grew up listening to music from the Pacific Northwest, and labels like Kill Rock Stars and Sub Pop and stuff, and— Definitely.

Yeah.

So is that something you sought out, to get signed by them?

Or how’d that— Well, I mean, yeah.

As a kid in the northwest, I mean, it's always just kind of a dream.

Like, Kill Rock Stars and Sub Pop were kind of like that, you know, like, platitude and level that would seem amazing, um, to be involved with that.

But, um, it was actually kind of an odd fit because they were, like, generally kind of more of a punk label for a long time.

And, um, just kind of landed on their radar.

And they, you know, sought, sought us out.

Um.

Been working with them for a long time.

That's great.

I, you know— I've always been of the mind that punk is an attitude, not necessarily a guitar tuning, but.

Yeah.

Yeah, I mean, it, um.

You know, they, they kind of conveyed that to me when they first started working together; that they thought that there was something a little bit, you know, a little bit more outsider, which at the time I didn't really take as a compliment, but I was totally willing to accept it.

Um.

But, um.

But yeah, I'm, I'm proud to have worked with them for so long.

I, I really do believe in a lot of their efforts, um, uh, to kind of promote different music from, you know, across a wide spectrum of different artists.

Um.

And so, yeah, it's actually been a pleasure to work with them for the years.

Yeah, well, your first album for them was one of their best selling debuts, I think.

Yeah.

Yeah, the first record, um, it was, uh, in 2008.

House With No Home is the first one, and— And now it's kind of come full circle because, um, my, my first record, called Words Are Dead, came out in 2006 on a more local label, and now they're gonna be able to rerelease that.

So, our entire catalog will actually exist with Kill Rock Stars in the future, and, um, it's, uh, it's gonna be pretty nice.

Cool.

Well, we've got time for one more.

Uh, this one's from your 2012 album, Cynic's New Year .

Um.

Is seasons a, a theme for you?

Like, you had, uh Thistled Spring and Cynic's New Year .

-Picking up some sort of thread.

-Right.

Um.

I would say Thistled Spring , thematically, was definitely more grounded in a seasonal concept.

Um.

Cynic's New Year , ju— not, not as conceptually driven, in that sense, by season, but, um.

I've always been attracted to that, um, in music, and it's not commercially the greatest thing.

It's like, a lot of people don't break out Thistled Spring to start off their fall, but, um— But I think it, it, uh, it made, it just made a lot of sense when I wrote those songs at the time.

And I, I did really respond to that idea.

Aright.

Well, from their 2012 album, Cynic's New Year , this is Horse Feathers with “A Heart Arcane,” on WUFT Amplified.

♪ There was the thinnest wind dying away ♪ ♪ It's so cold inside you go ♪ ♪ It's where you mean to stay, night and day ♪ ♪ It won't leave or wane ♪ ♪ Everyday was born the same ♪ ♪ You’re starving for sure ♪ ♪ You’re searching for words ♪ ♪ The last thing you heard: ♪ ♪ You're turning a page ♪ ♪ Telling you now, ♪ ♪ You're dying of young age ♪ ♪ It was a year so wild not a month was the same ♪ ♪ It's where your friends all foul your name ♪ ♪ While you would drag your feet ♪ ♪ You're inclined to do the same ♪ ♪ Can you believe what they done?

♪ ♪ Gave you half of what's left, which was none ♪ ♪ You’re starving for sure ♪ ♪ You’re searching for words ♪ ♪ The last thing you heard: ♪ ♪ You're turning a page ♪ ♪ Telling you now, ♪ ♪ You're dying of young age ♪ ♪ And time don't change ♪ ♪ With a heart arcane ♪ ♪ Everyday was born the same ♪ ♪ Despite what I do, ♪ ♪ Every ending begins ♪ ♪ The start of something new ♪♪ That's “A Heart Arcane” from Horse Feathers, on WUFT Amplified.

Learn more about WUFT Amplified and check out past episodes at WUFT.org/Amplified.

I'm Glenn Richards.

Big thank you to Horse Feathers for being here.

Thank you for watching, and we'll see you next time.

♪ Where had you been son?

♪ ♪ Not in the street, not in the yard ♪♪