One listen to Kingston-based Tiny Horse should convince anyone with any kind of horse sense of the overall prowess and fortitude of the band’s songs and vocal harmonies. Their eight-track debut album, First Rodeo, is set for a June 14th release, but having already pumped out a five-song demo in 2021 and a Christmas EP in 2022, they’re certainly not putting the cart before the horse.
Originally a duo consisting of vocalists, guitarists, and songwriters Ciara Roberts and Rachel Corcoran, the stable expanded when friends Julia Beattie and Harvey Dolphin bolstered the lineup on keyboards and drums respectively. But hold your horses! Both also help round out their sound by adding more vocal harmonies to the mix. The band describes themselves as, “Soft rock to make you dance and cry.”
Not ones to look a gift horse in the mouth, they’ve made sage choices and built a loyal following, doing it right by grinding out live shows and employing the ears of Brett Emmons to produce the record. Ciara explains, “We have spent the past three years really growing as songwriters and building a community around Tiny Horse, and we feel like the album is a celebration of both of those things. It is important for us to work with someone who believes in our music.”
They certainly don’t spare the horses when it comes to live performances and ensuring the audience walks away buzzing, satisfied, and feeling their unique vibe. Many bands just play gigs. Tiny Horse makes every performance a scintillating show, a big deal, and a pomp production. So what can you expect when you see Tiny Horse? According to the band, “Their performances are equal parts small-town queer cabaret, 70s folk-rock rapture, and Bowie-ish extravaganza. It’s a proper show with costumes and great songs.”
Tiny Horse is also savvy to the vast changes in the music industry. With the old model gone the way of the horse and buggy and replaced by an even more disconcerting one, Tiny Horse relies heavily on the tried, tested, and true way to amass a following – playing live and delivering mind-blowing performances that connect with audiences. They definitely don’t flog a dead horse or take part in all the horseplay that is the modern music industry and, like many artists, are left with a bittersweet taste in their mouths while lamenting the devaluation of music. Ciara explains, “I think that people need to value music like it’s not so consumable. Streaming is great because you have all the music at your fingertips, but artists are not getting paid for it. If you like music, you should be prepared to pay for it and directly support the artist.”
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride, and Tiny Horse is riding high in the saddle, having already shared a stage with the likes of the Glorious Sons at the Leon’s Centre, Begonia at Hillside, and an unforgettable bucket list show at the legendary El Mocambo in Toronto.
It is said you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. But when it comes to songwriting, Tiny Horse is never thirsty. Roberts and Corcoran handle the heavy lifting, bouncing musical ideas and lyrics off each other. Once satisfied, they present the song to the rest of the band. From there, Beattie and Dolphin slather on their own brand of mojo and special sauce, making it so compelling that wild horses wouldn’t drag you away. They’re very proud of the record and explain, “It feels really validating to have an actual body of work that we worked really hard on and are super happy with.”
So keep an eye on this dark horse because they have enough talent to choke a horse. They’re champing at the bit to get this album released, and one wouldn’t be backing the wrong horse by supporting this band. Any horse trader worth half a salt-lick will tell you straight from the horse’s mouth that a good horse is never a bad colour. Tiny Horse is a great one and always ready and willing to entertain. Roberts elaborates, “If you are an aunt, a queer, a moody toddler, a forty-year-old golfer, or my dad, you’ll probably love our music, so please check it out.”
Visit: tiny-horse.com
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