The dreamy yet forceful Minneapolis trio Prize Horse last spoke about their trajectory with the release of their debut full-length, Under Sound, which stood out as one of 2024’s standout records. The band initially issued Under Sound on the small imprint New Morality Zine, and they’ve since linked up with Closed Casket Activities, a label with a heavier hardcore leaning, signaling that a new album may be on the horizon. While specifics about the forthcoming record remain under wraps, a fresh single has arrived to whet appetites.
As with much of Prize Horse’s past work, the new track, “The Big Picture,” resists a clean shoegaze classification. It’s a weighty, abrasive guitar-driven piece that seems to inhabit several subgenres at once. There’s a pronounced ’90s echo in its texture. When Under Sound dropped, our own Chris DeVille drew a comparison to Hum, an influence that still lingers on “The Big Picture,” though the song’s unconventional dynamics push it toward a Jawbox-like feel—at least until the dense fuzz wall and the crowd-ready breakdown arrive. Here’s what the band has to say about it:
“The Big Picture” is the first track we wrote for the upcoming record, with demos dating back to 2023. Instrumentally, it steps into a darker, more brooding realm than Under Sound, and it closes with one of the heaviest sections we’ve ever crafted. The track naturally birthed some honest lyrics about days that never feel right from the start and decisions that weigh heavily. Overall, we believe it serves as a fitting early glimpse at our new LP.
In the months to come, Prize Horse will tour North America with Graham Hunt and then head to Europe for a run with Spite House. Below, hear “The Big Picture” and view the band’s tour itinerary.
TOUR DATES:
10/21 – Minneapolis, MN @ New World ^
10/22 – Sioux Falls, SD @ Total Drag ^
10/23 – Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge ^
10/24 – Tulsa, OK @ Mass Movement Community Arts ^
10/26 – Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studio ^
10/27 – Austin, TX @ Hole In the Wall ^
10/28 – San Antonio, TX @ The Rock Box ^
10/30 – Kansas City, MO @ Farewell Transmission ^
10/31 – Eau Claire, WI @ Masonic Temple ^
12/02 – Tilburg, Netherlands @ Cultuurfabriek Hall of Fame %
12/04 – Utrecht, Netherlands @ dB’s %
12/05 – Hamburg, Germany @ Gängeviertel %
12/06 – Münster, Germany @ Skaters Palace %
12/07 – Berlin, Germany @ Cassiopeia %
12/08 – Dresden, Germany @ Scheune %
12/09 – Lichtenstein, Germany @ JZ Riot %
12/10 – Vienna, Austria @ Lucia %
12/11 – Winterthur, Switzerland @ Gaswerk %
12/12 – Ludwigshafen Am Rhein, Germany @ Kulturzentrum dasHaus %
12/13 – Neunkirchen, Germany @ Stummsche Reithalle %
12/14 – Paris, France @ SUPERSONIC %
12/15 – London, UK @ New Cross Inn %
12/16 – Bristol, UK @ Exchange %
12/17 – Leeds, UK @ Hyde Park Book Club %
12/18 – Manchester, UK @ The Deaf Institute, The Lodge %
12/19 – Nottingham, UK @ The Chapel Nottingham %
12/20 – Glasgow, UK @ The Hug and Pint %
^ with Graham Hunt
% with Spike House
