Name: Versions of Modern Performance
Brand: Horsegirl

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

OLE1846LP

{"blocks": [{"data": {"text": "OLE1846LP"}, "type": "paragraph"}]}

Colour

Black

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2022-06-03

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Cargo

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

191401184618

{"blocks": [{"data": {"text": "191401184618"}, "type": "paragraph"}]}

Total Cap

1 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No / black

OLE1846CD

{"blocks": [{"data": {"text": "OLE1846CD"}, "type": "paragraph"}]}

Rough Trade Exclusive: Yes

191401184625

{"blocks": [{"data": {"text": "191401184625"}, "type": "paragraph"}]}

1 / CD / Extended format: No / Rough Trade Exclusive: Yes / Signed copies: No

OLE1846LPE

{"blocks": [{"data": {"text": "OLE1846LPE"}, "type": "paragraph"}]}

Purple

Extended format: Yes

191401184601

{"blocks": [{"data": {"text": "191401184601"}, "type": "paragraph"}]}

1 / Extended format: Yes / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No / purple

Artist

Horsegirl

Genre GB

Alternative / Modern

Label GB

Matador

Horsegirl is an American rock band hailing from the vibrant music scene of Chicago, Illinois. With their unique sound and captivating performances, they have quickly gained a loyal following. Their music blends elements of indie rock, post-punk, and shoegaze to create a truly distinctive sound that sets them apart from other bands in the genre. Horsegirl's lyrics are introspective and thought-provoking, tackling themes of identity, mental health, and societal issues. Whether you're a fan of rock music or simply appreciate innovative artistry, Horsegirl is a band that should not be missed.

Formed in [year], Horsegirl consists of [band members' names]. Since their inception, they have been making waves in the music industry with their powerful live performances and critically acclaimed releases. Their debut album [album name] received widespread praise for its raw energy and emotional depth.

With their growing popularity and undeniable talent, Horsegirl has become one of the most exciting up-and-coming bands in the American rock scene. They continue to push boundaries with their music while staying true to their roots. Keep an eye out for upcoming shows and new releases from this dynamic trio - you won't want to miss what they have in store!

U.S. independent label based in NYC; for company roles and copyrights please consider [l390562] for the USA, [l=Matador Records Ltd.] for the UK company division and the generic company profile relating to either legal entities [l=Matador Records (2)] 
[b]Note that while some Matador releases are exclusive to North America or Europe, they use one numbering system for all releases, so it is not necessary to enter them under separate labels.[/b]

The Matador label began in 1989 when [a=Chris Lombardi] dragged the Austrian duo H.P. Zinker into Wharton Tiers’ Fun City studio to record OLE-001, ...and there was light. Run out of Chris’ New York apartment, Lombardi added artists such as the Dustdevils, Railroad Jerk and Superchunk to the initial roster. Joined by longtime Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy in 1990, Matador experienced its first taste of crazed media attention & big sales with the North American release of Teenage Fanclub’s debut long-player, A Catholic Education. Over the years, the label has moved from shoebox sized offices to larger and larger complexes, the staff has grown from 2 to 24, and the roster has simply exploded. As well as functioning as the North American home to Pavement, Liz Phair and The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Matador has helped artists such as Yo La Tengo, Cat Power, Cornelius, Solex, Pizzicato Five, Helium and the Arsonists reach audiences worldwide.

Matador has also served as the North American licensee for a number of exceptional international acts, including Belle & Sebastian, Mogwai, Boards of Canada, Red Snapper, Arab Strap and others. Since 1996, Matador has maintained separate offices and staff in London. In addition to supervising the promotion, sales and marketing of Matador titles on the continent, Matador Europe has also licensed recordings from some of North America’s most acclaimed new artists, M. Ward, Sleater-Kinney, Modest Mouse, and Superchunk to name a few.

While Matador has often been characterized (not by the label itself) as an underground or "indie" rock label, over the years, the label’s musical direction has grown, to the point where many hip hop, electronic and experimental acts play as prominent a role in the label’s sound & future as any number of singer/songwriters and rock bands. Sometimes all of the above converge.

During the 1990s, Matador entered into partnerships with [l=Atlantic] and [l=Capitol Records]. In 1999, Lombardi & Cosloy purchased back Capitol's 49% share of the label, and in 2002, [l613604] purchased 50% of the legal entities behind the Matador label / imprint [l390562] and [l291335] and took over Matador's worldwide marketing.

Albums of the Year 2022

Albums of the Year Exclusives 2022

Check out our latest restocks of vinyl records, CDs, books and merchandise at Rough Trade. Dive into rare finds, classic albums and add something special to your collection.

Back In Stock

Vinyl variants, bonus material and signed editions exclusively available from Rough Trade.

Chicago trio Horsegirl release their debut record, Versions of Modern Performance, on Matador. Penelope Lowenstein (guitar, vocals), Nora Cheng (guitar, vocals), and Gigi Reece (drums) - the best friends comprising Horsegirl - do everything collectively, from songwriting to trading vocal duties and swapping instruments to sound and visual art design. The warmth and strength of their bond crackles through every second of their debut. With lyrics intentionally impressionistic and open-ended, and a sound that ranges with joy and enthusiasm across a range of styles, Versions of Modern Performance offers many pathways.

Following last year’s one-off ‘Billy’, lead single ‘Anti-glory’ is elastic and propulsive.

The friendship of these three goes far beyond Horsegirl. Reece and Cheng, college freshmen, and Lowenstein, a high school senior, learned to play—and met—through the significant network of Chicago youth arts programs, and they have their own mini-rock underground, complete with zine distros, that they describe as somewhat separate from the “adult shows” that take place at bars and DIY spaces they don’t have access to. They’re exultant about their friends’ talent, noting that any of the bands from that scene could have been (or might still be!) plucked up the way they were.

Versions of Modern Performance was recorded with John Agnello (Kurt Vile, The Breeders, Dinosaur Jr.) at Chicago’s Electrical Audio. “It’s our debut bare-bones album in a Chicago institution with a producer who we feel like really respected what we were trying to do,” the band says. Across the record, Horsegirl expertly play with texture, shape and shade, showcasing their fondness for improvisation and experimentation. One can hear elements of the ‘80s and ‘90s independent music the band love so deeply and sincerely—the scuzzy melodicism of what used to be called “college rock,” the cool, bubbly space-age sheen of the ‘90s vamps on lounge and noir; the warm, noisy roar of shoegaze; the economical hooks and rhythms of post-punk. There’s even a bit of no wave mixed in for good measure. But as Horsegirl fuse all of this together, it feels not like a pastiche or a hacky retread but something as playful and unique as its predecessors.

They’re best understood as part of a continuum, but they’re building something for themselves.

Bonus CD with Rough Trade Exclusive LP and CD is a set of 7 demos.

Versions of Modern Performance

Music GB

Discover Versions of Modern Performance by Horsegirl on Matador. Available in CD and LP formats, including Rough Trade Exclusive and Limited Edition. A debut record showcasing the Chicago trio's unique sound and bond.