Horse Feathers band to perform in Astoria

The Liberty Theatre, 1203 Commercial St., Astoria, will host the band Horse Feathers on November 2 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 general admission.

When they aren’t navigating back roads through small-town America on tour, the artists of Horse Feathers reside in Astoria.

Horse Feathers feels like a secret you don’t really want to share. Over 12 years and five albums, a passionate fan base has experienced this band as a precious commodity that they want to keep close to their hearts. Now, however, Horse Feathers has created an album that differs enough from its predecessors to suggest that the cat might get out of the bag. On Appreciation, their sixth full-length and the fifth on venerable independent label Kill Rock Stars, the signifiers of the band are there.

Recorded primarily in Kentucky, Appreciation is a mixture of strutting ‘70s-style country-pop (“Without Applause,” “Don’t Mean To Pry”) and supple soul (“Best To Leave,” “Evictions”). But Horse Feathers hasn’t gained accessibility at the expense of quality, nor at the expense of their signature instrumentation (“The Hex” might be the only R&B/soul song where the rhythmic lead is played on banjo). For those who crave what NPR called “the densely pretty seethe of Horse Feathers’ earlier ballads”, the album delivers “Born in Love” and “On the Rise”, accentuating the string surge with Hammond organ, piano, tambourine and finger snaps.

Attendees may bring their Liberty Cups and enjoy a beverage from the Owl Bar & Concessions during the show. Locals with a Clatsop or Pacific County ID get $3 off in the box office. Will call tickets will be available at 2 p.m., the day of the show. Doors open at 7 p.m.