Vinyl of the Week - 27 September, 2021

Horses, Patti Smith

This week’s album really lives up to the often-overused label of being ahead of its time. Patti Smith broke onto the scene in a big way with the release of her debut album, Horses. It was 1975, New York, and punk rock was right at its peak. Horses is very obviously seated in the simple chord progressions and drive of punk but there are many influences just under the surface with hints of jazz, reggae, folk and rock. The result is a tremendously diverse experience that pioneered a new sound. Full of complex themes and a poet’s lyrics, the album became iconic and almost 50 years later, the legacy lives on. The album’s cover is iconic in its own right, the image of Patti with jacket slung over shoulder taken by friend and acclaimed photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. When asked in an interview about the origin of the album’s name, Patti said “After the full-on times of the late 60’s and early 70’s, society needed to pull back on the reins a bit to regroup our thoughts. Then once we have done that its time to unleash the Horses again and see where we go”. Something I find very relatable right now. Definitely ahead of its time - DS