Billy, the emerging Chicago trio Horsegirl’s most recent track, is an absolute triumph. Their music eludes easy genre description and like any band that expands the boundaries of contemporary music is challenging to describe. They harken back to 90’s era indie rock mainstays, Yo La Tengo chief among them(particularly on the track Sea Life Sandwich Boy), yet feel entirely fresh and expressive of a new generation of musicians. They meld noisey guitar lines with catchy swirling melodies in a manner that feels both poignant and technically impressive. The vocal melody and counter melody on “Billy” is simply sublime. The emotional reaction it generates is so unique it caught me off guard on first listen. Numerous are the songs that make one melancholy or nostalgic; however, Horsegirl seems to have discovered something not even on the elemental songwriting chart as if finding a new color to paint with. More impressive yet is the fact that the band is so young— formed while they were still in high school and having only recently graduated. A recent signing with Matador Records should hopefully give them the resources to expand their audience. With only four tracks currently released my appetite for a full length album is simply insatiable. Stream Horsegirl here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2FDvUb4YgyUPpmnm1ILPra?si=rQNkp0juT9CMpqWpjey4yQ
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