The Horde - Press Buttons Firmly flac mp3 download

DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE ... THERE'S A REASON YOU NEVER HEARD OF THE HORDE.Without a doubt The Horde were far more deeply influenced by Van Morrison’s “Gloria” and the organ runs of “Mystic Eyes” than most record collectors care to admit, and believe me, this album’s all about the collector, as Press Buttons Firmly (with the album title taken from the label affixed to a handheld grenade launcher) consists of the band strolling though a series of cover songs, something that lightweight bands managed to get away with back in the day, yet also meant they were never taken seriously during those heady nights, as there was nothing original about their sound at all, with the music being done far better by the the original artists who had an actual emotional connection with the songs.The Horde (which means a loosely knit small social group typically consisting of about five families or members) was the kind of band you’d find playing in the park at a local ‘Be-In’ … where kids on the east coast barely understood what a Be-In was, though donned their most tripped out psychedelic threads and made the scene regardless, which is pretty much what The Horde did, though musically. Their album jacket was impressive, complete with full-back liner notes along with pictures that suggested they were working hard with their producer in the studio. Yet any bar band of the day should have been able to walk through these songs with their eyes closed, and with far better vocals, just listen to “Tell Me,” a version that I’d have been embarrassed to have sung in the shower. None of the songs are worthy at all, especially when it came to the bonus track "Frog Street" a bit of silliness inspired by Frank Zappa, which was followed by "VD's Thing" as more darkly laced instrumental that features solos by every instrument and every member, here attempting to emulate Paul Butterfield's "East West," and failing dramatically.I rolled on the floor with laughter reading the hype for the first time: The LP contains a blend of exciting originals and well chosen, inspired covers, played in a raw, crude and frantic style. If ever it were true that the over-used assertion that a band's cover versions measured up to the originals, then it is true of The Horde. What these five 19 to 20 year old students from all over the United States did, was not only to blaze a trail for 60s rock in then conservative North Carolina, they also had a general attitude that finds its origins in the young people's mindset of the mid-sixties. This is one of the sharpest local '60s garage albums and you are exhorted to PRESS BUTTONS FIRMLY. Actually reading the hype is far better than listening to the album.What this collection does having going for it is that it’s a snapshot of the times when thousands of homespun bands from all across America were giving the music a chance, creating outfits that for the most part were not that good, though they did light up the nights for local sock-hops, pool and after game parties.In the end, what you must understand is that there were only 25 copies of this record originally pressed (recorded at Copeland Sound, Greensboro, NC for Sanders Recording Studio), with record collectors today willing to pay outlandish prices simply to have a rare bit of wax, not great songs set to a rare bit of wax … just a frigging rare record that no one’s ever going to spin, as to do so would diminish its quality, it’s simply to be held up with the owner saying, “Look what I have.” So the notion that The Horde were some sort of local garage psych or overlooked punk heroes is a joke. Like it or not, punk was done with purpose and forethought, The Horde were simply a low rent band who aspired to be more and somehow managed to record a vanity album, but did not have the chops to be anything other than wannabes.Now ... truth be told, this was not even supposed to be a Horde album, it was supposed to be an Elizabeth Locke album supported by The Horde. Elizabeth was a student at Duke University and it was she who paid for the recording sessions, with any extra session time being given to The Horde for their own use, hence the best and most original song on the album was the first track "Troubles," which features Elizabeth as the lead vocalist. "Troubles" was an easy going light handed bluesy number that was more in line with folk-rock, though where Elizabeth is today, and what happened to her material is anyone's guess.Review by Jenell Kesler

Rarest 60s garage album by North Carolina students from early 1967. Painstakingly remastered at KSL. First 500 come with free unreleased 4-track 7". Great LP sized full glossy inlay w/pic and liners. Undoubtedly the most exciting mid sixties garage album to be recently discovered in the genre, is that by The Horde from North Carolina. The existence of this self produced album came to collectors ears and eyes only about a year ago. It was recorded more or less accidently in early 1967, released in a micro quantity of only 25 copies and among the local US garage albums of the decade it is one of the few eclectic examples with all the ingredients that makes it outstanding compared with the usual prep-school albums of the time. It contains a blend of exciting originals and well chosen, inspired covers, played in a raw, crude and frantic style. If ever it were true that the over-used assertion that a band's cover versions measured up to the originals, then it is true of The Horde. Why? These five 19-20 year old students from all over the United States did not only blaze a trail for 60s rock in then conservative North Carolina, they also had a general attitude that finds its origins in the young peoples mindset of the mid-sixties that put them outside of the local mainstream and gained them a sort of regional underground popularity. Break-A-Way has now reissued this original sought after LP with a 1967 unreleased 4-track EP in one package along with a detailed four-page insert detailing the complete history of the band and loads of rare pictures. "Press Buttons Firmly" to find out why the Horde LP is not only rare, but also deserves to be called, "one of the sharpest local garage punk albums of the Sixties".

Amazing discovery, one the best gloria version ever. Killer LP

Really ... one of the best versions ever, better than Hendrix, better than The Doors, better than Tragically Hip, Shadows of Knight, Human Beingz, Blues Magoos, Simple Minds, Rickie Lee Jones, 13th Floor Elevators, Count Five, Screaming Jay Hawkins, Patti Smith, Billy Idol or The Gants, that is one bold statement my friend.