About Henhouse

Kids music that grown ups will enjoy too

Horse Mountain is the follow up to the debut album by Henhouse This Is The Way To The Moon (2016). It’s been 8 years but the premise is still the same: kids music that won’t drive parents up the wall! Music that adults and children can share, sing and talk about together. Amongst a myriad of original songs penned by the band, Horse Mountain has some classics on there too. But even the ubiquitous Wheels On The Bus has plenty to keep everyone interested. The whole Henhouse team feature on this album opener. There’s a cast of bus passengers voiced by the band and additional members Emily Winn and Eluna Stevenson.

James, Iain and Ben Winn lay down serious Two Tone ska rhythms and Pete as the bus driver goes a bit Ian Dury with some added spoken verses. Pete delivers ‘alternative’ parent and toddler music workshops every week in his home town of Norwich (UK). Parents have told him that they often listen to Henhouse in the car, especially on long journeys.

So, Motorway (Car Journey Pt 1) captures the excitement of hitting the road, the listener gliding along to motorik sounds reminiscent of Neu or Stereolab. Food In The Car (Pt 2) is about breaking out the special car snacks. The music is pacy, driving rock reminiscent of MC5 or Queens of the Stone Age, but the lyrics are about scoffing sausage rolls and flapjacks. Would You Rather (Pt 3) is a hair-brained Broadway showstopper about the classic car game: “Drink lumpy sour milk or eat a rotten egg? Ants in your hair or snakes in your bed?” The final song in the narrative (Racing Raindrops) is an intimate, reflective acoustic guitar piece about getting lost and finding your way.

James Leeds, Iain Lowery and Pete Murdoch are the core team behind Henhouse. Being children of the 80s they couldn’t help but produce a stone cold 80s synth pop banger. The title track Horse Mountain revels in its influences, particularly Never Ending Story and those 80s cartoon themes filled with the yearning and pathos of children on a quest. Like the first album, Horse Mountain relishes the surreal, random, ridiculous and downright mucky energy of childhood. But both albums also touch on deeper themes of love, tolerance, facing adversity, resilience and growing up. For adults, this can make for a potent mix. Parents have told the band how they often find themselves listening to Henhouse without the kids; sitting in the car listening to Just One More from the first album, with tears in their eyes. Then the kids get in the car and ask for Fart In The Bath....