Horsebreaker Star
Studio album by
Grant McLennan
Released1994
Recorded1994
StudioJohn Keane Studios, Athens, Georgia
GenreAlternative rock
Length95:27
LabelConcubine Records, Beggars Banquet
ProducerJohn Keane
Grant McLennan chronology
Fireboy
(1992)		 Horsebreaker Star
(1994)		 In Your Bright Ray
(1997)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Chicago Tribune[2]
Christgau's Consumer GuideA−[3]
The Guardian[4]
The Philadelphia Inquirer[5]
Rolling Stone[6]

Horsebreaker Star is the third solo album by Grant McLennan, a member of The Go-Betweens. McLennan recorded the album in Athens, Georgia with American musicians. It was also the only ever double album associated with the Go-Betweens. In a 1995 interview[7] he said the album had been "a lot of work".

"I wanted it to be the kind of record that could be played by anyone, but not too obvious. You know, the London Symphony Orchestra doesn't have to do the ballads, Johnny Cash doesn't have to do the country songs. I don't like to be that predictable. I like surprises," he said.

McLennan toured the US, Europe and Australia in 1995 to promote the album, playing with musicians including Anna Burley and Dave Folley from The Killjoys, and Phil Kakulas from Blackeyed Susans. His American performances received highly favourable reviews from The New York Times and Rolling Stone, which called McLennan "one of the world's great songwriters".[7]

This was the first of his solo albums credited to "Grant", rather than "G.W." as on the previous two.

The single-disc American release stripped off six songs — "Late Afternoon in Early August" and "Ballad of Easy Rider" from the first disc and "Do Your Own Thing" through "Head Over Heels" from the second — while adding on "Lighting Fires" from Fireboy. Neither version sold well.

Track listing

All tracks written by Grant McLennan, except where noted.

Disc one
  1. "Simone & Perry" – 4:09
  2. "Ice in Heaven" – 4:22
  3. "What Went Wrong" – 8:11
  4. "Race Day Rag" – 2:03
  5. "Don't You Cry For Me No More" – 3:06
  6. "Put You Down" – 4:46
  7. "Late Afternoon in Early August" – 2:47
  8. "Coming Up For Air" – 3:43
  9. "Ballad of Easy Rider" (Roger McGuinn) – 3:48
  10. "Open Invitation" – 4:53
  11. "Open My Eyes" – 3:22
  12. "From My Lips" – 2:31
Disc two
  1. "Dropping You" – 3:16
  2. "Hot Water" – 3:47
  3. "Keep My Word" – 3:28
  4. "Do Your Own Thing" – 2:58
  5. "That's That" – 3:23
  6. "If I Was a Girl" – 6:01
  7. "Head Over Heels" – 2:47
  8. "Girl in a Beret" – 4:31
  9. "All Her Songs" – 4:12
  10. "No Peace in the Palace" – 4:15
  11. "I'll Call You Wild" – 4:41
  12. "Horsebreaker Star" – 4:13

Personnel

  • Grant McLennan – guitars, vibes, vocals
  • John Keane – guitars, banjo, keyboards, bass, xylophone, percussion, backing vocals
  • Joel Morris – drums
  • Steve Venz – bass
  • Andy Carlson – strings, electric guitar, mandolin
  • Tim White – organ, piano
  • Bill Holmes – organ, piano
  • Dwight Manning – oboe
  • Syd Straw – backing vocals
  • Esta Hill – backing vocals ("Put You Down")

References

  1. ↑ Raggett, Ned. "Horsebreaker Star – G.W. McLennan / Grant McLennan". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  2. ↑ Goulding, Steve (3 August 1995). "Grant McLennan: Horsebreaker Star (Atlantic)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  3. ↑ Christgau, Robert (2000). "Grant McLennan: Horsebreaker Star". Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 0-312-24560-2. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  4. ↑ Sullivan, Caroline (13 January 1995). "Grant McLennan: Horsebreaker Star (Beggars Banquet)". The Guardian.
  5. ↑ DeLuca, Dan (12 March 1995). "Grant McLennan: Horsebreaker Star (Beggars Banquet)". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  6. ↑ Evans, Paul (23 February 1995). "Grant McLennan: Horsebreaker Star". Rolling Stone. p. 76.
  7. 1 2 "Ex-Go Between Turns Hit Single". Herald Sun. 23 November 1995.
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