An Horse

Not Really Scared (2008)

Brian Shultz

For the easiest reference point regarding the awkwardly pronounced An Horse, one needn't look further than who they just completed a tour with: Tegan and Sara. Those fans should flock easy to the wrought indie pop delivered by the Brisbane, Australian duo on their all-too-short five-song EP, Not Really Scared.

Vocalist/guitarist Kate Cooper (of Iron On) and drummer Damon Cox are the sole makeup, An Horse formerly being Cooper's solo outlet, but it's enough; An Horse's songs have plenty of emotion and aplomb between the two of them. Cooper's voice obviously dominates things, but Cox occasionally harmonizes with a feminine touch that reinforces comparisons to other female-fronted acts like T&S and Eisley. "Postcards" has an ill dynamic in its transition to the chorus, while more subtle tactics are applied in a song like "Warm Hands," with Cox shuffling along on the drums, clicks of tambourine and Cooper softly admitting, "I got so scared / That you might be a better me than me."

There's just this really sweet and earnest charm about An Horse that's hard to deny. Whether they'll ever compose something as heartstring-tugging and addicting as The Con is up for debate, but Not Really Scared sure makes for a realistic idea of it happening.

STREAM (four-fifths of the EP)
Postcards
Company
Warm Hands
Camp Out