Georgia's Horse – Weather Codes

There's an overwhelming air of traditional Americana in the opening moments of the second Georgia's Horse LP: Apple's combination of dirty guitar licks, chain-gang percussion and sorrowful vocals all seem to be built around the intention of taking listeners into the deep Southwest. Whether it's over the ethereal wave of Westlake or the funereal disco-beat of Thistlebomb, lead singer-songwriter Teresa Maldonado's captivating croon is the constant.

 

Each song oozes with tortured loneliness; some movements are moving and creatively pieced together (Ginger, Strep Throat), but there are uninspired moments which exploit common genre tropes. The repetitive, piano-driven Fancy is too cartoony and cliché, and both parts of the title track are plodding and predictable. These are small missteps which don't detract from the crushing moodiness of the more intricately layered tracks; for the most-part, Weather Codes brings a startling sense of wonder to a genre which is often oversimplified by younger, hipper acts. [Ross Watson]