Sad Horse, Purple on Purple Makes Purple (12" EP)

After various singles, cassettes, and a CD-R, 2012's Purple on Purple Makes Purple is a sort of debut LP for the Portland duo Sad Horse.  Its 14 songs would fill more than an LP in duration if they reached conventional song form, but only two tracks exceed two minutes.  The closest reference at times is Mudhoney's thick merging of classic rock forms with punk dirtiness, but without the machismo and angst.  The recording also harks back 20+ years — its simplicity is tasteful and competent, not at all slick, but also not purposely lo-fi.  The guitar / drum duo configuration, with boy–girl vocals and purposeful awkwardness loosely recall Kicking Giant, but Sad Horse are louder and less twee.  They even cover Andrew Hill's "Grass Roots" and hint loosely at Sun Ra's Night of the Purple Moon with the design.