Portland indie-folk band Horse Feathers is reissuing its 2006 debut album, Words Are Dead, via Kill Rock Stars on August 28, 2024. The band will support the release with a North American tour beginning August 6, featuring a lineup led by founder Justin Ringle alongside members of River Whyless and Blind Pilot.
Why is Horse Feathers reissuing Words Are Dead?
The album, which has been out of print for several years, is being brought back by Kill Rock Stars to commemorate the band’s early influence on the mid-2000s indie-folk movement. According to frontman Justin Ringle, the reissue serves as a time capsule for a period when the term "indie folk" had not yet entered the mainstream lexicon.
The expanded release includes a replica of the band’s original six-song demo CD, a collection previously sold exclusively at early live performances. To preview the reissue, the band released the demo version of the track "Finch On Saturday," which Ringle describes as an "economically arranged" acoustic piece written during a Portland summer.
Who is in the current Horse Feathers lineup?
The band has undergone various shifts since its inception, but the current touring ensemble brings together musicians from several prominent indie projects. The lineup for the 2024 tour includes:
- Justin Ringle: Guitar, vocals, and banjo
- Nathan Crockett: Violin and saw
- Halli Anderson (River Whyless): Violin and vocals
- Kati Claborn (Blind Pilot): Banjo, vocals, and clarinet
- Luke Ydstie (Blind Pilot): Bass, cello, and vocals
Where can you see the band on tour?
Horse Feathers has scheduled a series of dates across the United States to support the reissue, beginning in the Pacific Northwest and moving toward the East Coast.
Pacific Northwest Dates
- August 6: Portland, OR – Topaz Farm
- August 20: Spokane, WA – The District Bar
- August 22: Olympia, WA – Wild Child
- August 23: Seattle, WA – The Tractor
- August 27: Trout Lake, WA – Trout Lake Hall
- August 28: Astoria, OR – Liberty Theater
- August 29: Eugene, OR – Eugene Art House
- August 30: Bend, OR – Silver Moon Brewing
National Tour Dates
- September 11: Asheville, NC – Grey Eagle Music Hall
- September 12: Durham, NC – Stanczyk’s
- September 15: Roanoke, VA – The Spot on Kirk
- September 16: Charlottesville, VA – The Southern
- September 17: Vienna, VA – Jammin’ Java
- September 18: New York, NY – Village Presents
- September 20: Boston, MA – Club Passim
- September 23: Arlington Heights, IL – Hey Nonny
- September 24: Lake Orion, MI – 20 Front Street
- September 25: Columbus, OH – Natalie’s Grandview
- September 26: Pittsburgh, PA – Club Cafe
Historical Context: The Indie-Folk Bridge
When Words Are Dead was originally released in 2006, it occupied a distinct space in the music scene. Positioned between the "freak folk" movement and the rise of polished indie-folk acts like Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver, Horse Feathers provided a bridge between these two aesthetics. Ringle noted that at the time, the band felt like they were playing "gentle music" with political undertones in an era dominated by more bombastic indie rock, often feeling "vaguely punk" despite their acoustic instrumentation. The upcoming reissue is available for pre-order through the Kill Rock Stars label website.