As a solid introduction to the Trees' recorded career over ten years time, Horizon fulfills its brief intention, covering all A-sides and a good chunk of the B-sides the band released (excluding some live tracks). However, it does have more to offer for the hardcore Trees follower as well, not least of which is demonstrating how much the band integrate literary elements into their dark, involving music. Among the various flipsides are "There Was a Man of Double Deed," based on an old folk rhyme, "The Renegade," quoting from the story of the same name by Albert Camus, and "There Were No Bounds," inspired by Aldous Huxley's Time Must Have a Stop. Of course, it's not just words but music, and the band provide the same tight mix of art and rock on all the tracks, a mix which defines their album work. As for the A-sides, a number of album tracks are featured without change, while others appear in slightly different remixes, including Robert Smith's "The Pear Tree" mix and "The House of the Heart." The extra bonus for the hardcore fan would be the inclusion of two key non-album A-sides: "Shantell," the band's stately debut, already captured the blend of moodiness and lyrical focus on rural, folk-tale settings, and "The Critical Distance" is a surging blast of the Trees at their most forceful. Though somewhat hard to find at the present time, this album is both a perfect starting point for new listeners and a necessity for longtime fans.
AMG Review by Ned Raggett
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