by Giliann Karon (@whoreby_parker)
Feeble Little Horse’s tight friendship is palpable through the Zoom screen. Over the past few months, they’ve opened for Sidney Gish and Snail Mail, as well as toured with cult-favorite Philly shoegaze band They Are Gutting A Body Of Water. It’s been a dizzying year for the Pittsburgh quartet, but they rely on each other to ease any nerves.
This latest record contains all the glitches and flecks from Hayday, albeit far more self-assured. Rather than dissolving into the fuzz, singer Lydia Slocum’s deadpan delivery requires the listener’s full attention. From the riffs to the lyrics to the overdubs of their own conversations, every choice reflects their close-knit relationships and surprise journey past DIY.
Each song, except “Steamroller,” clocks in at under three minutes. The band prefers shorter songs, but each member has their own reasoning. Guitarist and producer Sebastian Kinsler explains his aversion to jam breaks and preference for self-production that allows him to omit any “bullshit.” Guitarist Ryan Walchonski cites the collective short attention span. Despite their separate reasonings, they’re all on the same wavelength.
The band’s greatest strength lies in their collaboration, which would be impossible without such profound trust and loyalty. When asked what keeps them grounded on tour, drummer Jake Kelley simply said “Ryan.” They’re not interested in chasing trends or appealing to the masses. If you’re lucky enough to stumble upon them, it’s great if you like what you hear, but if you don’t, they’re not bending over backward to please anyone but themselves.
photo credit: Micah E Wood
Giliann Karon: For a while, you were doing everything in-house, from merch to mixing. How are you carrying those experiences and ethics from Pittsburgh DIY as you reach more mainstream success?
Ryan Walchonski: From the beginning, we had to trust each other and learn how to do things. Relying on each other is still just as important as it was in the beginning. How can you tell other people what you want if you don't know what you want yourself?
GK: Totally makes sense. What’s the first DIY show you ever attended?
Jake Kelley: My first show was my freshman year. Only knew Ryan at the time. It was some sort of benefit at a house. I saw this band called Water Trash. It made me want to start playing shows at houses because I had never done that before.
Ryan: For me and Sebastian, the first house show we went to was the one we played at. I was never in the know enough to go to a house show prior.
Lydia Slocum: I think that show at the Rothko was my first. Now that I think about it, maybe it wasn’t. I've been to venues in Pittsburgh, which is where I grew up. I went to Mr. Roboto, Mr. Smalls, and even the Mattress Factory had shows. I remember seeing String Machine at the Mattress Factory when I was 17. It was mostly smaller bands and I’d see the same people each time.
The Rothko was the first time it was run by people my age and you weren’t really supposed to be there because it wasn’t official. That was a very nerve-wracking experience because it was so cool. It was like, “This is cool. I wish I could just sit back, feel cool, and enjoy this.” But I actually had to prove to everyone that I'm cool by performing. I just remember being really nervous and talking to people too much, because I didn't know what to do with myself.
GK: You’ve expressed in the past that you’re not making TikToks or leaning into social media trends. And thank god! It’s given us a million versions of the same type of artist whose career will die as soon as the trends change. How do you ensure you’re using social media to reach a broader audience without sacrificing your authenticity?
Jake: I’m an Instagram junkie. I love going on there, but it’s the only social media we have. I think it’s what we’re most comfortable posting what we want when we want on there.
Ryan: Instagram is the best platform for actual music community and finding local shows. We approach it as a joke a lot of times and don’t take it too seriously.
GK: How do you balance using these platforms to communicate with your listeners and share information about your shows without subjecting yourself to the opinions of strangers?
Sebastian Kinsler: I feel fully subjected. Do you guys feel that way too?
Lydia: That’s what I was gonna say. I don’t think there’s a way to avoid it. You can never control who's looking at you, what they're thinking, and what they're saying to other people. I’m completely off Instagram right now. Like Jake, I was totally addicted. I had eight or nine accounts.
I wish the world had no social media. I wish we didn't have to have any. I don't think we even do have to have it, but it's kind of nice. I don't think that we're exempt from judgment just because we're not on TikTok.
Jake: It’s just going back to the mindset of not taking Instagram too seriously. If we're just posting the things that make us laugh or happy, it really doesn't matter what other people think. Same with the music, too.
GK: That’s a great attitude to have. Some artists will go in a completely different direction on your second album, but you didn’t. Girl With Fish has all the same textures, quirks, and deadpan delivery as Hayday. Can you tell me about the process behind establishing your sound, especially since you weren’t always writing in person?
Sebastian: It was a good mix of in-person and voice memos. There are usually two of us in a room together, just not always the same two. Things sound the same because it’s all us from start to finish.
Ryan: I think as long as we have Sebastian mixing it, it's going to have a certain sound and we all love it. If you're a band and you get someone different to mix your new album, it's gonna sound different. We’re a Sebastian-mixed band, which really solidifies what we’re going for.
GK: Your lyrics are super candid and biting. Everyone who listens will find at least one line that resonates with them. Do you think you could’ve reached your audience with more maximalist instruments and jam breaks?
Ryan: We like to package our songs between 1:45 and 2:30. When we play live, we like to do a little bit more with the song. I think at the core, like, our songs are little bite-size nuggets. It's quick, some people may not like that they're short, but we have a short attention span.
Sebastian: One of the awesome things about making your own songs is you that don't need to put in any bullshit that you don't like. I don't like jam breaks and long periods without singing. Let's just sing and then end it. As early as the first EP, we never introduced instruments one at a time. It was always everything at once. The main guitar, the riff, and the vocals were all together, which I think is less boring.
Ryan: Sebastian, at one point you said it’s helpful to think, “Does this part add anything to the song? And if the answer’s no, it doesn’t need to be there.”
GK: What keeps you grounded when you’re on the road?
Sebastian: Mostly Ryan.
Jake: Each other. When we’re out there, that’s all we have. We’ve only been away for seven days at a time, but this upcoming tour is the first time we’re going to be away from home for longer than that. As long as we keep the camaraderie as alive and well as possible, I think we’ll be okay.
Ryan: We eat a lot of pizza, too. That helps.
GK: What song are you most excited to play live?
Ryan: We’ve played a few already as we wrote them, but we may try “Pocket” because Sebastian figured out the mystery guitars, which may be a surprise to some people on this call.
Jake: When did you figure this out?
Sebastian: Yesterday when Ryan and I were texting. The story behind the song is that I recorded all the guitars by myself in my childhood bedroom after I got my wisdom teeth out. I was on oxy so I didn't remember how to play any of the chords or what the tunings were. So it's a big deal to figure them out again.
GK: Impressive! Last question, what new releases are you most excited about besides your own?
Jake: Silver Car Crash from Pittsburgh is about to release an album. The singles were really good.
Ryan: It just passed, but I like the new Water from Your Eyes album.
Sebastian: The Joyer album is gonna be so good. Jake, Lydia, and I just saw them and they played almost all new songs and they were all awesome.
Jake: All the songs will probably have louder guitars and drums, which is why I like their live set more. Their past albums were a bit more sad and stripped down, so it’ll be cool to see them do a little more.