Acoustic at the Ryman (Live) [Bonus Track Version]

These highlights from a two-night stand at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium in the spring of 2013 present Band of Horses at their most austere and haunting. Studio versions were often obscured with deep wells of reverb and electric instrumentation, but here—with the players all reined in by acoustic instruments, and drummer Creighton Barrett virtually M.I.A.—it’s up to the harmonies and the underrated melodies of their best songs to pull the Seattle group through. And they do so with pianos tinkling and acoustic guitars strumming. “No One’s Gonna Love You,” “Detlef Schrempf,” and their debut single, “The Funeral,” sound as if they were written for these moments. The audience even gets a tad rowdier than expected, considering the tempos and the subject matter. Ben Bridwell’s in remarkable voice (“Neighbor” could be The Eagles singing harmony backstage together), and it’s likely that this is the album to convince folks who enjoy more traditional folk and country music to discover how much there's to relate to in this fine modern day group.