By: Darren Howells

After charting at 21 with 2010’s Grammy-nominated Infinite Arms, Band Of Horses’ extra soft brand of country rock has clearly made an impression on a number of British music fans.

They were greeted with an uncomfortably packed audience on their return to Bristol, delivering a broad selection of songs from their first three albums. The group – dressed circa 1880, Fort Smith, Arkansas – rarely deviated from Plan A:

Happy to take it easy as Ben Bridwell mournfully delivered songs about a forgotten time and place (well, until the recent True Grit remake) and occasionally reached notes most males past 15 would be embarrassed to hit.

Pleasant enough fare, but the group were at their best when they switched to Plan B:

Starting in character, the group hoodwinked audience members as they quickly ramped up proceedings to rock out dramatically on anthem-like favourites, including Funeral and Is There A Ghost. Unfortunately, there was no Plan C.

Whilst the significant force of their recent album punctuated the niceties to some relief, it also highlighted that the band could have offered so much more.

The group is supporting Foo Fighters at Wembley Stadium tomorrow, maybe there will a plan come together.

http://www.bandofhorses.com/us/events