Horse Thief

Horse Thief

Horse Thief is an American folk and indie rock group based in Denton and Oklahoma City. The band comprises Cameron Neal on guitar and vocals, Alex Coleman on lead guitar, Cody Fowler on bass, Alberto Roubert on drums, and Zach Zeller on keyboards.

Background

The group forms in Denton, Texas, and later moves to Oklahoma City to attend the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma, where the members graduate. It then signs with the management of the Flaming Lips and comes to the attention of Bella Union.

Sound and songwriting

Horse Thief is known for a wide-ranging sound that moves between intimate and anthemic, with songs that shift from vibrant to contemplative. Cameron Neal writes lyrics that range from confessional to metaphorical, and the band's music draws on the open feel associated with the American Midwest while also bringing in harsher, more unsettled emotions.

Recording and themes

The album Fear In Bliss is conceived at the band's Oklahoma base, but the group records it in Los Angeles in order to work outside its familiar surroundings. Producer Thom Monahan, who works with artists including Devendra Banhart and Vetiver, helps shape the album's studio sound alongside the band's live approach.

The album's central theme is described as finding personal belief, making peace with fear, and addressing anxiety and depression. Neal also frames the record as an attempt to offer comfort by showing that other people experience similar feelings.