Logan Farmer - “Horsehair” ft. Mary Lattimore
Colorado songwriter Logan Farmer’s songs seem to each have little lives of their own, but his latest, “Horsehair,” really feels like peering into a world of his own making - one where a precise, haunting narrative shines a light on traumatic experiences and how memory shapes them. We’re excited to premiere the track today on Look At My Records!
Farmer’s guitar playing is distinct in its intricacy and his lyricism, more than ever on “Horsehair,” is incredibly affecting. His wispy fingerpicking, which guides the pace of the song, creates an aura of reflection, as his introspective lyrical meditations get quite specific, and seem to draw on very real feelings of fear. In the titular second verse, Farmer identifies a man in a “horsehair gown,” imparting advice to only “shake his hand unless he makes you,” and closes the song with instructions for a specific scenario: “if I ask you then, ‘did you hear those bells?’ just lift your chin and nod until you can say “yes…”
Mary Lattimore’s gorgeous contributions on harp serve as sonic connecting fibers across “Horsehair.” Though they also overlay nicely with Farmer’s words, her flickering harp playing really stands out when it’s filling the spaces between Farner’s sentences, almost as if she’s gently stringing us along to the next part of the story.
Farmer shared the following about “Horsehair”:
I’ve been writing music for over half my life, but lyrically, I’d say that Horsehair is one of the best things I’ve ever written, at least insofar as clarity is concerned. It’s the song that I’ve been trying — but struggling — to write for years. A quiet meditation on memory, trauma, and the creation of art in the face of global crises. Despite little impressionistic details here and there, the piece is also much more personal than most of the stuff I write, so what an absolute honor it was to have one of my favorite living composers — Mary Lattimore — contribute harp. Seriously, a dream come true.
Farmer also shared a lyric video for the track, which captures some desolate nighttime settings. Watch it below.
“Horsehair” will appear on Farmer’s forthcoming album, A Mold For The Bell, which is out on October 14th via Western Vinyl. You can pre-order the album on vinyl via Bandcamp. Farmer’s music is also available on all streaming platforms. Follow him on Instagram.
