I’m often a bit uneasy when it comes to “supergroups.” I mean, what does that really mean? As far as I can tell, it’s a bit like the musical equivalent of the All-Star game. Yet, the bar can be a bit low at times (I’m looking at you, Tinted Windows). And so, I initially approached Tired Pony – a new group featuring Peter Buck (R.E.M.), Gary Lightbody (Snow Patrol), Richard Colburn (Belle and Sebastian), and a cast of guests that includes M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel (She & Him) and Tom Smith (Editors) – with a bit of hesitation. Thankfully, after seeing the performance video over on their website (which appears to have been shot in my old basement), I can finally set aside my doubts…
In an interview with BBC’s 6Music, Lightbody describes the forthcoming album – The Place We Ran From – as a “twisted love letter to the States.” Of its country-tinged construction, he adds: “I can’t get away with writing pure country music because I haven’t lived that life, but I love it so much that I always wanted to try my hand at it.” On its themes: “It’s inspired by my love of Wilco, Calexico, Lambchop, Palace, Smog – these bands that look at the darkness in America.”
The album is out July 12th on Fiction. (Available for pre-order in the U.K. on Amazon.)
Follow me to find some useful links, and hear a bit of Lightbody performing a Tired Pony track acoustic.
Here’s a nice, eight-minute introduction to the band from their YouTube site:
And here’s that performance clip:
If you’re looking for more about the band, you should check their website or visit them on myspace and twitter.