Not exactly the canyon rock Holy Grail its muso reputation would indicate,
Horses' lone LP is nevertheless an intriguing curio -- more visceral and aggressive than its White Whale label origins might suggest, the record also boasts a psychedelic pop dimension far more defined and dominant than is common within the country-rock canon, no doubt an extension of songwriters/producers
John Carter and
Tim Gilbert's previous project,
the Strawberry Alarm Clock. The problem is the songs themselves -- the memorable opener "Freight Train" notwithstanding, much of
Horses is listless and uninvolving, with performances that settle for atmosphere over energy. Rev-Ola's exemplary 2003 CD reissue features remastered sound, comprehensive liner notes (which definitively prove that
Horses singer
Don Johnson was in fact not the future Miami Vice star), and both sides of the sole White Whale single by
the Rainy Daze, a pre-
Horses combo featuring
Carter and
Gilbert.