Horse Shoes is Drew Diver and Jacob Graham (The Drums), two musicians who found one another some years ago while playing in various bands around rural north/east, Ohio. "We both grew up listening to The Smiths nonstop and we've spent our entire lives trying to write the strongest melodies we possibly could."

This obsession with strong melodies and perfect pop comes across loud and clear on their first release "The Imperial School" (Shelflife Records, 2009). Drowsy, unrefined boyish vocals and lo-fi production set the stage for the saddest and simplest three minute pop songs the world has ever known.

"We wanted to make something that everyone could relate to and feel a connection to. The songs are all about growing up out in the country, spending perfect childhood summers with your family and having your heart broken for the hundredth time by the age of sixteen."

If you're a fan of classic Sarah Records (The Field Mice, The Hit Parade) or current Swedish pop (The Embassy, Air France, The Legends) Horse Shoes "The Imperial School" is something you won't want to miss! Having already played concerts in Stockholm and New York City, Jacob and Drew have big dreams and short attention spans. They're currently working on a full length release due sometime next year.


"I Can't Decide" is pure Field Mice from the sighing vocals to the sticky melodies (and let's not forget the omnipresent drum machine) while "Changing Winds" could become the dance club hit of 2009 if enough djs gave it a chance. The title track begins with a grand opening and then swirls into dreamville while "Hey Come Back!" is the song every 17 year old needs to put on his next mix tape to get the girl of his dreams back. With very few missteps, Horse Shoes are onto something here, now all we need is the next John Hughes (r.i.p.) to put their music in his next movie." - Blurt "Horse Shoes' sound reminds me of something between classic Sarah Records indiepop, modern Swedish pop and Pet Shop Boys-ballads... and it is good!" - Eardrums "The gleaming latest primeur from Shelflife Records' 1000 series (combining a CDEP with a 7" in a limited edition) sounds totally Swedish, but make no mistake about it !

Uprooted from anonymity earlier this year with its first demos and its splendid Field Mice reprise, American duo Horse Shoes has hereby quickly made its way to the upper echelons of a course doomed to pop excellence.

Those 8 songs immerse ourselves into a well-known sort of fully integrated "B" wellness (Brighter, Boat Club, Blueboy, Bridal Shop), built-up with ethereal walls, gentle 80's beats, shimmering guitars and hairless-male voices.

Horse shoes are made for galloping and that's just what they gonna do." - Pop 'n Cherries "...featuring some songs that emulate the Smiths self deprecating intelligence and others emulate New Orders restless longing. Throw in a bit of twangy surf guitar and some gentle vocals and you've got the overall flavor of Horse Shoes new EP. Surely a delieght for the ears." - Azltron "Mixing all the shimmer and fun of The Legends and The Radio Dept. with the emotion and instrumentation of Field Mice (and pretty much every other Sarah Records artist), the band create super tracks that are built as much for a full picnic as they are for your morning tea." - The Culture of Me "If you are even remotely a fan of classic British indie pop in the spirit of New Order or more recent artists we've mentioned from various Scandinavian music scenes, The Imperial School EP will not disappoint in the least." - Milk Milk Lemonade. "...they come across like bedroom demos from My Bloody Valentine, or perhaps a more dark-euro-pop version of Postal Service. I find the drowsy, unrefined boyish vocals and lo-fi sounding production to be quite attractive." - Cream Team "Horse Shoes' songs are so dreamy it hurts. Songs like "Midnight Running Club" and the amazing "I Can't Decide" recall many a Sarah Records band, but I'd say their closest contemporaries lie somewhere between The Bridal Shop and Apple Orchard." - Skatterbrain "...sublime chiming pop music with a smidge of the irony and emotion of Morrissey and all of the gentle ringing melodies and fragile vocals one might find similar to early New Order." - Azltron "If you're familiar with Shelflife artists, you probably also know Swedish band Days, and you could say that Horse Shoes is their American equivalent. Beautiful and catchy indiepop-songs is what we'll get, and I'm already looking forward to the 8-track-EP." - Music of the Moment