Current 93
"All the Pretty Little Horses" is a 1996 album by the British experimental group Current 93, officially titled All the Pretty Little Horses (The Inmost Light Itself). It is the central part of the band's Inmost Light trilogy, bookended by Where the Long Shadows Fall (1995) and The Starres Are Marching Sadly Home (1996)1.
Style and Themes
Musically, this album showcases some of Current 93's most traditional, folk-influenced arrangements, with a strong emphasis on acoustic guitar. However, there are experimental and spoken-word tracks as well. Thematically, the lyrics revolve around pain, death, and the notion of the "inmost light" (or soul), incorporating influences from Patripassianist philosophy—a Christian theological concept about the suffering of God1.
Track Listing (Highlights)
Key tracks include:
- "The Long Shadow Falls"
- "All the Pretty Little Horses" (Traditional)
- "The Inmost Night"
- "The Frolic"
- "Twilight Twilight, Nihil Nihil for Thomas Ligotti"
- "Patripassian"
There are two versions of the traditional lullaby "All the Pretty Little Horses": one sung by David Tibet (track 2) and another by guest vocalist Nick Cave (track 12)12.
Performers and Guests
- David Tibet (founder of Current 93): vocals, strings, production
- Michael Cashmore: guitar, bass, glockenspiel, piano
- Steven Stapleton (Nurse With Wound): percussion, drones
- John Balance (Coil): guest vocals
- Nick Cave: guest vocals on the second version of the title track and "Patripassian"
- Other notable contributors include Joolie Wood, Timothy d'Arch Smith, and Lilith Stapleton.
Notable Facts
- The album’s booklet features childhood photographs of all participants1.
- It is dedicated to the memory of folk singer Dolly Collins and celebrates the birth of Seth Joseph Burgess Cox-Dorée1.
- The title track is a reinterpretation of a traditional American lullaby, delivered with haunting, neofolk atmospherics.
Reception and Legacy
All the Pretty Little Horses is considered a highlight of the neofolk and experimental genres and a key work in the prolific and enduring catalog of Current 9315.
