Hollywood, CA, October 1, 2019 – A moody new single from Mark Loughman sees the performer revealing a more vulnerable side, with a soft and contemplative mid-tempo Western-tinged track entitled “Do Horses Go to Heaven?”. The song, which trades Loughman’s usual Sturm und Drang for subtle guitar twang and subtle piano accompaniment that beckons the listener to follow thither, is the latest in a series of self-recorded singles that the LA-based prolific solo artist has been releasing in rapid succession.
“Do Horses Go to Heaven?” ponders the idea of second chances in an accidental universe, set against a cinematic musical backdrop that wouldn’t be out of place in a Sergio Leone film. The song is filled with tasteful production elements that highlight the core lyrical themes of remorse and redemption. Loughman’s yearning vocals — which are sometimes reminiscent of Roger Water’s finest whines from his early ‘90s solo work — touch on a hazy past, filled with evocative flashes of imagery that are never fully revealed to the listener. “Stop thief / Don’t touch that / I don’t steal / Not since my accident / A full car / in full flames / Well come tomorrow we’ll be lying in the rain.” Loughman ponders the ultimate fate over an anthemic chorus, wondering aloud if time will redeem his past — or if there is just no turning back.
The music itself is the fait accompli of the piece, with Loughman’s vocals resting on a bed of chiming, tremolo-soaked guitars and echoing piano chords over a mid-tempo drum and bass groove that evokes a slow cowboy gallop. Hammond organ and buzzy analog synthesizer textures fill in the song’s drawn-out instrumental bridge, capturing the mournful beauty of Loughman’s melodies while he adds a ghostly counter-melody on the piano. The build climaxes with Loughman’s voice breaking into a soulful falsetto before song crescendos on the rattlesnake shudder of a vibraslap.
To learn more about Mark Loughman please visit: https://markloughman.com/
