Medicine Horse is the convergence of slow Southern Bluesy drawl with a storm of anger, joy, heart break and hope that can only come out of the Indian Territory that is Tulsa, Oklahoma. Formed in the autumn of the year the world fell apart, 2020, Medicine Horse began as a way to navigate uncertainty and mitigate existential panic within the Williams household, with the help of drummer Garrett Heck. A sound took shape, and players were assembled to bring it to life.
Nico Williams, a citizen of Cherokee Nation, moves between Jazz-tinged vocal melodies and emotionally charged howls, weaving lyrical storytelling of historical account, Folklore, and Indigenous futurism around the layers of sludgy-yet-energetic harmony formed in the clash of techniques between rhythm guitarist Kyle Williams (Otoe-Missouria, Ponca and Ioway Nations) and lead guitarist Travis Rowe. Rowe draws deeply from his country roots, transforming those immovable hooks into devastatingly Heavy riffs before they ignite into towering solos. A rhythm section steeped in the slow waters of their respective homes of Monroe and New Orleans Louisiana, drummer Garrett Heck and bassist Chris West anchor the sound with elements of Doom in one moment, and the frenetic energy of thrash in the next. Immediate influences of Southern Doom and Sludge like Crowbar, Acid Bath and Down are easy to discern, while hints of grunge, post-punk, and classic Southern Blues Rock simmer beneath the surface. Burn weed, cedar, and sage…plug in, turn up, and amplify your frontal lobe.
The band released the second single “Dead Medicine,” purchase and stream it on Bandcamp:
Watch the official video premiere on The Obelisk webzine here: https://theobelisk.net/obelisk/2023/08/07/medicine-horse-self-titled-dead-medicine-premiere/
Nico Williams on “Dead Medicine”:
“‘Dead Medicine’ explores the contrast between traditional Indigenous medicinal knowledge and Western medicine. In our ancestral wellness practices, medicine is about connection to the natural world, a reciprocal relationship that is alive and flows from generation to generation. In exchange for our stewardship, our environment nourishes us in a way that keeps us balanced and healthy. Modern medicine is so far removed from that kind of connectivity. Pharmaceuticals might start with elements from the natural world, but they are are manufactured into unrecognizable chemicals with side effects that are often worse than what we’re using them to treat. We call it medicine but it’s motivated by commercial interests, without soul, it’s dead medicine. We’ve only been using these types of chemicals for a few generations, but it’s become a part of us, a poison we inherit. In this song I fantasize about purging all the modern chemicals from my body, all the processed and artificial contamination, bleeding it all out to start fresh, to replace it with living, green medicine.”
Pre-order “Medicine Horse” here: https://hortonrecords.bandcamp.com/album/medicine-horse
Tracklist:
01. Dead Medicine
02. Turning Tide
03. Swamp Interlude
04. Letiche
05. Badlands
06. She
07. Kuwa Detlukv (The Orchard)
Lineup:
Nico Williams / Vocals
Kyle Williams / Guitar
Travis Rowe / Guitar
Chris West / Bass
Garrett Heck / Drums
