B i o g r a p h y (by Tim Sendra)
Horsegirl take musical cues from the '90s alternative scene (shoegaze, noise rock, indie pop) while also showing off a healthy regard for the scenes (college rock, post-punk) that paved the way for that decade's sounds. In 2022, the trio channeled these elements into something both familiar and disarming on their debut album, Versions of Modern Performance. 2025's Phonetics On and On found the band reexamining their sound and stripping it down with the help of producer Cate Le Bon. The group's guitarist/vocalists Penelope Lowenstein and Nora Cheng met at a young age while both were taking part in one of Chicago's youth music programs. They realized that they shared many musical influences -- Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon being a major one -- and began going to shows together. At one of them, they met drummer Gigi Reece, who had also been in a similar music program and shared their musical taste. The three traded favorite songs back and forth and hatched a plan to start a band. They named it Horsegirl and started playing shows held at all-ages venues like art museums and youth centers. Influences were added to the mix at a dizzying pace as the musicians discovered more of the past, including bands on the Flying Nun label and German art rock of the '70s to go along with their core interests in '90s indie rock like Yo La Tengo and Pavement. With the help of some friends, they recorded three songs in the basement of one of their houses and released the resulting EP, Ballroom Dance Scene, online. The reception to the songs was very positive, with U.K. label Sonic Cathedral (home of artists like Lorelle Meets the Obsolete and Andy Bell of Ride) releasing two of the songs -- "Ballroom Dance Scene" and "Sea Life Sandwich Boy" -- as a single in early 2021. By that point, Horsegirl had weathered the early stages of the COVID-19 lockdown in their respective homes, and when restrictions loosened, the trio of high school students took Zoom classes together in the mornings and rehearsed in the afternoon. Long-running tastemakers Matador were another label that was impressed by the group's EP; in April 2021 it signed Horsegirl, much to the band's delight and amazement. They started work on an album almost immediately, rushing to finish before the recently graduated Cheng and Reece headed off to N.Y.C. for college. The band decamped to Chicago's famed Electrical Audio studios with John Agnello -- a longtime Dinosaur Jr. collaborator -- in the producer's chair. The trio whipped up an album that wove together angular post-punk rhythms, grinding shoegaze noise, sweetly sung indie pop, and avant-garde snippets of sound into something that was informed by the past but not bound to its traditions. Versions of Modern Performance was issued in June 2022, just as school was letting out, which allowed Horsegirl to head out on their first long jaunt across the U.S. The next two years were busy as the trio continued their schooling along with playing shows with Wilco in Chicago, appearing at Coachella and SummerStage in Central Park, as well as touring with fellow Matador band Lifeguard and the Breeders. Meanwhile, they continued to write songs, a proposition made easier by all three bandmates living in N.Y.C. full-time, and in early 2024 headed back to Chicago to record their second album. Working with Cate Le Bon as producer, the group stripped away much of the noise and distortion of earlier recordings and instead focused on space and the sound in between the notes. Phonetics On and On was released in February 2025 by Matador.
Versions of Modern Performance
Anti-glory
Beautiful Song For blinking men, for blinking men For blinking men, for blinking men For blinking men, for blinking men For blinking men, for blinking men When you see them in the water and you swatch in the heat When you pass the table dressing and you blot in the street When a fly's stuck in your car without a key, how does it breathe How does it breathe How does it breathe How does it breathe How does it breathe How does it breathe How does it breathe How does it breathe How does it breathe How does it breathe How does it breathe For blinking men, for blinking men For blinking men, for blinking men For blinking men, for blinking men For blinking men, for blinking men Live and Ski Leningrad gets in her head She walks along the Western Shore She asked her friends for help so But they don't know what she needs They ask her questions They ask her questions They ask her questions They ask her questions Polly S. scrapes up her leg She wraps it up with golden thread A present for her mother Who is drowning in the bay They ask hеr questions They ask her quеstions They ask her questions They ask her questions
Dirtbag Transformation (Still Dirty) Stained by the mother of mine You were not worth the bother My brother keeps his things in line While he files fodder Pleased to pry into my mind While the broker trades a nickel for a dime Tonight, tonight She wants the TV on for light tonight While the stickler sticks his nose into her spine The sills, they seep with bugs and bills I bide by grinning Thrills traced by thirteen years on stilts The floors keep thinning Please to please the sake of timе While the broker tradеs a nickel for a dime Tonight, tonight Yes, I am scared and I am prone to everything I've ever known But the stickler sticks his nose into her spine The Fall of Horsegirl Don't let them see you, don't let them see you Don't let them see you Don't let them see you, don't let them see you Have you been Don't let them see you, don't let them see you Eyes caved in Don't let them see you, don't let them see you Someone's sin One, two, three Four, five, six Don't let them see you Don't let them see you Don't let them see you Eyes caved in Don't let them see you You're drowning in Don't let them see you Don't let them see you
Option 8 I'm doing fine with the things that I’ve kept with mine I'm on the way to the place that makes you keep time Who's to say when all the roofs will cave in again I’m taking notes for the folks who fall out of line Stand straight, don't be late I never meant to hesitate I say you want it all I'm on the run from the severed leg of my son Fall on a day when your body would break and you're done Who's to tell you you should stop when you're feeling stunned I'm biding time till you're warped and left with just one Stand straight, don’t be latе, I never meant to hеsitate I say there’s more to fall Stand straight, don't be late, I never meant to hesitate I say I’d better stall Stand straight, don't be late, they played the song called "Option 8" I say you want it all Stand straight, don't be late I never meant to hesitate I say you want it all On the way, on the way, on the way for a dime On the way, on the way, on the way for a dime On the way, on the way, on the way for a dime Stand straight, don't be late I never meant to hesitate I say you want it all
World of Pots and Pans Emma was my brand new friend Fun to see how this one ends Lovelee sweet, she walks like she can't see Won't hear her dance or see her run There's simply nothing to be done When Emma sweeps the floor it turns more grey When I'm counting away Sometimes I'm thinking that I lust you But I know it's only love C D E F G H I think you're just like honey and heaven too Come on, let's go dance the jamboree Seven days and seven nights I dreamt of horses and Verlaine Whilе Emma eggs her head, shе looks the same While I'm counting away Sometimes I'm thinking that I lust you But I know it's only love While I'm counting away Sometimes I'm thinking that I lust you But I know it's only love Emma was my brand new friend Fun to see how this one ends Emma was my brand new friend Fun to see how this one ends Emma was, Emma was Emma was my brand new friend Emma was, Emma was Emma was my brand new friend Emma was, Emma was Emma was my brand new friend Emma was, Emma was Emma was my brand new friend Emma was, Emma was Emma was my brand new friend Emma was, Emma was Emma was my brand new friend
Homage to Birdnoculars Fall into my wormhole Fall into my wormhole Fall into my wormhole Fall into my wormhole She's a vacant lady What a sorry sight Fall into my wormhole Fall into my wormhole Fall into my wormhole Fall into my wormhole She's a vacant lady What a sorry sight Billy Billy, if I went Billy, if I went Billy says he’s got a stiff rate in the nick of time (Billy, if I went) He washes off his robes in preparation to be crucified (Ohh-oh) (Billy) Billy recounts all the time he spent on counting-change (Billy, if I went) The changes that he never made'll make him wish he stayed and prayed Billy walks across the pond at half past eight (Billy, if I went ) He says he walks into the yard and tells them everyone is nearing dеad Billy has a little nickname for his paradise (Billy, if I wеnt) He folds it up and sets it on the mantelpiece to look real nice Billy washes off his robes and he will say that (Billy, if I went) Everyone is in everyone’s out the afternoon is turning grim Billy believes in a room that’s growing thin and thin (Billy, if I went) He’ll shut the door and think about the silly little state he’s in
Phonetics On and On
Where’d You Go Where did you go (Far, far, far away) Where'd you go (Far, far, far away) Where'd you go (Far, far, far away) Where'd you go (Far, far) If all the welders in the world Took this pipe and made it right again, oh Far, far, far away (Where'd you go?) Far, far, far away (Where'd you go?) Far, far, far away (Where'd you go ?) Far, far, far Rock City Shepherd's got a hundred friends at home He says, "How do you do?" But no warmth in their wool Shepherd wants to drive a flower truck 'Cause it smells nice and everyone's happy All through the town when you come 'round Forty years He saw the same sun sinking down into the green of the hill When he can't sleep, he'll blame the sheep Young man sickened by the sight Got no faith, no appetite Now the engine's running dry Young man sickened by the sight Young man sickened by it In Twos Every car that passes by drives to you Overlooked by any face just passing through Your footprints on the street, they walk in twos Every good thing that I find, I find I lose And I try And I try And I try And I try And I try And I try And I try And I try And I try Every car that passes by drives to you And I try And I try And I try And I try And I try And I try And I try And I try And I try 2468 Two, four, six, eight They walk in two's They walk in two's Two, four, six, eight They walk in two's They walk in two's Two, four, six, eight They walk in two's They walk in two's Two, four, six, eight They walk in two's They walk in two's Two, four, six, eight (Two, four, six, eight) (They walk in two's) (They walk in two's) (They walk in two's) (They walk in two's) (They walk in two's) (They walk in two's) They walk in two's They walk in two's They walk in two's They walk in two's They walk in two's They walk in two's They walk in two's They walk in two's They walk in two's They walk in two's They walk in two's Well I Know You’re Shy Sing for you I wanna sing like I do Out your window La-da-da-da-dye-dow Radio tune When the radio's blue Listen to your window La-da-da-da-dye-dow What happened out there I wish it was me What happened out there I wish it was me What happened out there Well, I know you're shy If you listen to me, you'll know I wanna say, "Hi," in your window Think of you Well, I can't sleep when I do Looking through my window La-da-da-da-dye-dow And it's not connected to How all good things come from you And looking through your window La-da-da-da-dye-dow What happened out there I wish it was me What happened out there I wish it was mе What happened out therе Well, I know you're shy If you listen to me, you'll know I wanna say, "Hi," in your window Walk in two 'Cause you were so obscene I hope that you know now I hope that you know now I hope that you know now 'Cause you were so obscene I hope that you know now I hope that you know now What happened out there I wish it was me What happened out there I wish it was me What happened out there Well, I know you're shy If you listen to me, you'll know I wanna say, "Hi," in your window Julie Julie Da, da, da, da Julie I wish I could tell you what you want Julie Da, da, da, da Julie I wish I could tell you what you want Well, there's something on your plate I wish it was more than you could take We have so many mistakes to make What do you want from them? To have the same dream three times a week Favors too big for you to keep I have so many mistakes to make Mistakes to make with you, you know I want them too Say, say What you're gonna do-do-do-do-do Say, say What you're gonna do-do-do-do-do When there's nothing to do I'll think of you What to do, do-do, do-do, do-do I'll think of you Julie Da, da, da, da Julie I wish I could tell you what you want Well, there's something on your plate You wish it was morе than you could take We have so many mistakеs to make What do you want from them Do you have the same dream three times a week Favors too big for you to keep We have so many mistakes to make Mistakes to make with you, I want them too What to do, do-do, do-do, do-do I'll think of you Switch Over Switch over (Switch off) Switch over (Switch off) Switch over (Switch off) Switch over (Switch off) Switch over (Switch off) Switch over (Switch off) Switch over (Switch off) Switch over (Switch off) Switch over (Switch off) Switch over (Switch off) Switch over (Switch off) Switch over (Switch off) Oh, say, say, say, say What you wanted to say, oh Oh, say, say, say, say What you wanted to say, oh Switch over (Switch off) Switch over (Switch off) Switch over (Switch off) Switch over (Switch off) Switch over (Switch off) Switch over (Switch off) Oh, say, say, say, say What you wanted to say, oh Oh, say, say, say, say What you wanted to say, oh Oh, say, say, say, say What you wanted to say, oh Oh, say, say, say, say What you wanted to say, oh Switch off Switch off Switch off Switch off Switch off Switch off Switch off Switch off Information Content While I was in the other room I found it stiller than I knew Knock-knock into, "Ah-hoo, ah-hoo, ah-hoo" Not much to hear, "Ah-hoo, ah-hoo, ah-hoo" It's never dull when l'm alone I'm translating my talk to tones I'll play you out, "Ah-hoo, ah-hoo, ah-hoo" You hate the sound, "Ah-hoo, ah-hoo, ah-hoo" One step for the blatant rhyme I tread into the vacant time, it's due Tick-tock on a broken line You'll wait until you hear a voice come through Dead air and the humming's high With what you wish, it's what I wish l'd do Ooh-hoo, acknowledged every sigh With something that meant, "La, la, la" You're habiting to handle more (Da, da, da) I've come to comfort, shutting doors (Da, da, da) I wish I could, I do, I do, I do (Da, da, da) But I just sing, "Ah-hoo, ah-hoo, ah-hoo" Underpinning all that gray (Da, da, da) Is some sensе that I meant to say (Da, da, da) But all you got's, "Ah-hoo, ah-hoo, ah-hoo" (Da, da, da) 'Cause all I give's, "Ah-hoo, ah-hoo, ah-hoo" Onе step for the blatant rhyme I tread into the vacant time it's due Ooh-hoo, tick-tock on a broken line You'll wait until you hear a voice come through Dead air and the humming's high With what you wish, it's what I wish l'd do Ooh-hoo, acknowledged every sigh With something that meant, "La, la, la" Frontrunner In the morning when you're sleeping I can't wait and I can't wait to compromise And in the morning when you're sleeping I can't wait and I can't wait and I can't wait And I can wait for you And in the evening, counting out ticks Feels like the clock up there will never see them through And in the evening, counting minutes I can't wait and I can't wait and I can't wait And I can wait to see you In the morning, when you're sleeping I can wait In the morning, when you're sleeping I can wait, I can wait In the morning, when you're sleeping I can wait In the morning, when you're sleeping I can wait Sport Meets Sound They They go around They They go around And they say, "Da, da, da, da, da, da Da, da, da-da, da-da" And they sing, "Da, da, da, da, da, da Da, da, da-da, da-da" They're (She stands tall and upright) They're lost and found They're (To make up for her height) They're lost and found And they say, "Da, da, da, da, da, da Da, da, da-da, da-da" And they sing, "Da, da, da, da, da, da Da, da, da-da, da-da" He (Young man sickened by the sight of twenty years that passed him by) He heard the sound (Now the engine's running dry, running dry, it's running dry) He He heard the sound And he says, "Da, da, da, da, da, da Da, da, da-da, da-da" And he sings, "Da, da, da, da, da, da Da, da, da-da, da-da" I Can’t Stand to See You Do you want to go home now The night's almost through Let's sit on the floor now And talk, me and you I can't stand to see you I really ought to know Well, I woke up to the radio Same old story and same old tune I've got a hunch or two Don't know what to do Just another walk 'round the block now Like l'm made of glue We'll shake hands goodbye now It's all we can do I can't stand to see you I really ought to know Well, I woke up to the radio Same old story and same old tune While the radio plays like it's in my head I can't sleep when I'm going to bed And it's, oh, so plain to see How often I think sentimentally
Non Albums Tracks Ballroom Dance Scene (Ballroom Dance Scene et cetera) If your lungs are scarred, come in If your mind's too far, come in If you prance all day, come in (William with bad hygiene hides flies inside the pocket of his jeans) If you'd rather stay, come in (Andrea's down eighty 'cause she needed years to save her night routine) Come in, come in (If you want to stay a while, just hang your coat and turn the TV on) Come in, come in (Give into the shingles life, play baseball in the street and hug your wife) You say you cry all day, well, close them instead (Marianne who's older now will stuff her soul in seven plastic bins) You say you'd rather stay, well, just lay in bed (Benjamin has seven pens to differentiate between his sins) Fingernails fall like snow, hair falls from your crown (Susie sits in woolen socks and licks her bruise like it's a lollipop) Do you shake as a dance as you lie on the ground (Lawrence pins things to the wall 'cause his yard's far too full of human jaws) If you want to stay a while, there's good news at the next left turn, I swear Sitting with no makeup on with both legs crossed until your neighbor comes If you want to stay a while, just hang your coat and turn the TV on Give into the shingles life, play baseball in the street and hug your wife
Computer Love
One, two, wait One, two, three Computer love, computer love Computer love, computer love What to do What to do What to do What to do That was good A little rough, but
Emma Swapped Instruments Okay we have to do it with the mindset Of We are artists We are artists Okay can you just tell me the lyrics though Emma was my stupid bitch Yeah say that You gotta make it up Yeah Gotta go with the fly Yeah you start it Yeah like i'll come in Yeah okay Emma was Emma was my best friend ever Emma was a stupid cunt Emma like to talk like me ??? Forty hours, forty minutes a day Emma was ??? I thought we were switching to half-time Emma was my brand new friend Good to see how this onе ends Until now don't ever talk likе me Fourteen minutes and fourty hours ??? But she'll never ever talk like me ??? Emma was, Emma was, Emma was My brand new friend Emma was, Emma was Emma was my brand new friend Emma was Emma was my Emma was my brand new friend Emma was Emma was Emma was Emma was my brand new friend Emma was Emma was Emma was my brand new friend ??? Emma was Emma was Emma was The start of the story's like Emma-ah Emma-ah Emma-ah More of the story like Emma Emma was my brand new friend Emma was Emma was Emma was my brand new friend Emma was Emma was Emma was my brand new friend (Emma was a garbage whore) Emma was Emma was (Emma sucks) Emma was my brain new friend ??? Emma Emma Emma never wanted me Emma My brand new friend Fun to see how this one ends! Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh And my knees went "Emma post" I wish I was Emma Oh does she even know the way to Play with swords Emma! Emma! Emma! Goodbye! ??? Goodbye! ??? Emma Fuck the queen! Fuck! It looks like a poo! When I went into my marching band beat, that was prime So smart!
Forecast (Ballroom Dance Scene et cetera)
Shallow I am shallow I am, I am, I am shallow Oh, oh Shallow I am, I am, I am shallow I am shallow I am, I am, I am shallow Oh, oh Shallow I am, I am, I am Fell asleep in the bathroom In the bathroom, bathroom On the lawn On the porch in the backyard In the backyard, backyard Sit and sat in the way you should sit still You should sit still What's it for Wash the door in the attic In the attic I don't know about the weather I don't know about the weather I don't know about the weather I don't know about the weather They asked me if I knew about the weather All I could do was shake my head and say no I wanted to understand them Do I look like I know about the weather? Did they just trick me? Are they keeping secrets from me? No, I don't know, I'll never know I've only met one man who knows of it He does much more than know At least that's what they say to me (Maybe I'm a child) Do not push, do not shove, do not give me any trouble The talk of the town is I've looked at the sun too many times Does it hurt when you blink or Sting when you cry As a matter of fact The words that come from them are vulgar They don't tell me the truth, not many have But I'll tell them the truth, I'd be honest I deserve what he has, I deserve to know The power he has, the praise he's received I look onto them and ask, "Why" Let me harvest your righteousness We must come together, bring food, bring drink Topple before me onto the gravel For I am your savior Thomas of Santa Monica
History Lesson Part 2 Our band could be your life Real names'd be proof Me and Nora Cheng played for years Punk rock changed our lives We learned punk rock in Hollywood Drove up from Pedro We were fucking corn dogs We'd go drink and pogo Mr. Narrator This is Bob Dylan to me My story could be his songs I'm his soldier child Our band is scientist rock But I was E. Bloom and Richard Hell Joe Strummer, and John Doe Me and Penelope, playing guitar
Sea Life Sandwich Boy (Ballroom Dance Scene et cetera) Streetlights show me I remember you lived there Spotlights flicker I'm thinking 'bout your hair I'm breathing in the air All the blonde cartoons and In the empty rooms and On the sofa sit in quietly And the portrait suits you And the lampshade's turned blue Candle dripping on the books Where'd the clouds go I'll never know I don't want to Live inside your space I can see your face All the blonde cartoons and In the empty rooms and On the sofa sit in quietly And the portrait suits you And the lampshade's turned bluе Candle dripping on the books
This Is a Song About My Ex (Rough Trade Super-Disc) This is bittersweet This is a song about my ex He got run over by a car And guess who was driving that car It was me it was me it was me I ran over my ex His name was Darren He was quite rude to my mom (ooh-ooh-ooh) He was so rude to my mom (so so rude) He wouldn't pass the salt to her at dinner (pass the salt to her) (Darren you've gotta go) So I was like "Darren you're out" (Darren you gotta go) Darren you're out (Darren you gotta go) So I (rumb a tum tum gum) I got into my Volkswagen (Darren you gotta go) And I drive down the interstate And I saw my pal Darren (Darren you've gotta go) And I was likе "Darren, it's time for you to leavе" (you gotta go) (Go go go) This is a song about my ex He got run over by a car