It’s been almost four years since Band Of Horses released any new music. And Ryan Monroe, for one, is getting a little restless. The multi-instrumentalist has hung in there with bandleader Ben Bridwell through the group’s various twists and turns, including the 2017 departure of guitarist Tyler Ramsey and bassist Bill Reynolds.
“Ben and I were little elementary school hellions together in Irmo, S.C.,” says Monroe from his current home in Nashville. “When he moved to Seattle, I lost touch with him for about 10 years. A mutual friend linked us back up when Ben came back to South Carolina, and I helped him with the demos for (2007’s) Cease To Begin and finished the record with him.”
More Band Of Horses music is expected in the coming months, with new members Ian MacDougall (guitar) and Archers Of Loaf’s Matt Gentling (bass) joining Monroe and longtime drummer Creighton Barrett. “We had to cancel a tour in March, so we’re all just itching to see what’s next,” says Monroe. “The whole vibe of the new music is different and exciting. It’s beautiful and aggressive. I’m super stoked.”
In the meantime, Monroe has reconnected with his pre-BOH band, Columbia, S.C.’s jam-centric Captain Easy, which is releasing its out-of-print albums on Spotify and other digital platforms. He’ll also be grabbing an acoustic guitar and streaming live via Stageit on Friday , May 8, at 8 p.m. EST. The performance will include songs from his 2012 solo LP, A Painting Of A Painting On Fire, some new tunes and a stripped-down version of his Band Of Horses gem “Older.”
—Hobart Rowland