Bret Levick: Vocals, guitar Sven(drix) Spieker: Guitar, vocals Chris Razze: Drums, percussion Muddy: Bass Berry O: Bass too

CONTAINS CONTENT DAMAGING TO YOUR MINDLESSNESS The debut GiftHorse CD, Excess, Lies and Heather's Arrest, should bare this consumer warning label. The band comes on with a crunch, swagger and an air of decadence. " We'll probably be outside having a smoke and not hear them call our name when our 15 seconds comes" says streetwise lead singer Bret Levick. GiftHorse's songs fall somewhere between David Bowie and Black Francis with Levick's deadly lyrics elevated by the penetrating guitar work of cohort "Svendrix". The album's songs are filled with jaded characters that seem suitable for a Tarantino flick. Levick's lyrics are biting and sarcastic but never self-righteous. Excess, Lies and Heather's Arrest, viewed as a collection of songs, exists between the light of optimism and the shadow of degeneration. Levick's "not so sane" days get little autobiographical attention but come to the surface on tracks like Shoot Shoot and the hilariously depraved depiction of a junkie girlfriend busted and hauled away in Heather's Arrest. GiftHorse formed in late 1996 when Spieker, a transplant from Berlin's post-unification music scene met Levick through a mutual friend. They quickly discovered a blinding similarity in their musical influences. "We would get together, listen to music, write songs and test them at a coffee house every now and then," says Spieker. The band got its groove filled out when they scored drummer Chris Razze and bassist Berry Oakley. Excess, Lies and Heather's Arrest was produced and recorded in Los Angeles by Jimmy Sloan and GiftHorse. The second track, Heather's Arrest, was mixed by Barrett Jones (Nirvana, Bush, Foo Fighters) in Seattle. Significantly, GiftHorse is a hot live band and has been featured this year at SxSW, NxNW, and The EAT'M Festival. On stage, introverted Levick morphs into a captivating frontman while the band displays a fiery modern rock aggressiveness.