The Dirty Three are an instrumental trio of gifted musicians from Australia consisting of Mick Turner (guitar and organ), Warren Ellis (violin) and Jim White (drums) who have more in common with free-form jazz than the folky history that the inclusion of the violin implies. “Horse Stories” is nine songs and 57 minutes of intriguing music that is at turns soothing, engaging, loose and unpredictable.
From the beginning, the violin is the focal point of the music, floating over interesting, often spare guitar shapes with sounds saturated in bittersweet irony. Drummer White, who sounds as if he spent his formative years listening to Elvin Jones and Art Blakey drum on Coltrane and Monk records, holds it all together with his solid, tasteful and daring drumming.
Many of the songs are long and deliberate, particularly “Hope”, “At The Bar” and “I Knew It Would Come To This”. “Red” is the shortest (and angriest) song on the record, a 3-minute, 53-second temper tantrum of cathartic volume. “Horse” rides a memorable melody; “I Remember A Time When Once You Used To Love Me” plays like a centuries-old Russian gypsy folk song (maybe it is!); “Sue’s Last Ride” shifts effortlessly between its dual melodies for five minutes before succumbing to the “loud fast rules: bug; and “Warren’s Lament” sounds like a first-take improvisation.
Overall a fascinating experience and well worth at least a listen, if your friendly local record shop is kind enough to let you sample.