SLCene Suggests: Horse Feathers at The State Room

HORSE FEATHERS, THE STATE ROOM, Thursday, Dec. 11, 8 p.m., $18

Justin Ringle almost quit music a few years ago, after touring in support of Horse Feathers’ fourth album, Cynic’s New Year. While the set of songs he wrote for that collection were brilliant, they were also monumentally depressing, as they came to be known as his “divorce album.” Playing them every night didn’t exactly make Ringle anxious to keep on the same sonic path, so after some time off, he decided to write some more upbeat tunes and do his damnedest to turn Horse Feathers into his version of a “party band.” He largely succeeds on the band’s latest, So It Is With Us, one of the strongest releases of the year. See for yourself when the band hits The State Room Thursday. Sara Jackson-Holman opens the show.