Release #6 sees Philadelphians 100 Watt Horse revisit their past and lace it with a stiff dose of today.
Release Date: 26th July 2026
Label: Rope Bridge Records
Formats: CD, Digital
100 Watt Horse is the project that brings together the respective talents of multi-instrumentalist George Pettis and producer Graham Travel. If the name Pettis is familiar to you, it may be because Atlanta-born, Philadelphia-based George is the brother of Grace Pettis. Her recent album, Down To The Letter, caused quite a stir within these pages.
George shares Grace’s love and appreciation of the Americana and folk genres, but his approach, at least with his 100 Watt Horse vehicle, is a little more gritty than that of his sister. Formative influences include Elliott Smith, Arthur Russell and Steve Earle and you won’t be surprised to learn that, in amongst the still-recognisable rootsy foundations to his material, you’ll find splashes of lo-fi and indie rock. Okey Donkey is the 6th item of recorded output from 100 Watt Horse and is the precursor to the band’s next (as yet un-named) full-length album; a follow-up to 2020’s Dog Is Goob.
Diving deep
In selecting the material for this latest collection, George has combined a deep-dive into his earliest days as a composer with a rash of new material and the result is a short collection that touches an impressively wide range of bases. Best of all, all proceeds from the digital sales of the EP will be donated to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.
Okey Donkey is sent on its way by Bees 4, a short, sparkly instrumental piece that sets the mood for what’s to come. The lo-fi leanings are clearly evident in the folky Calico, a song in which George appears to channel strains of early R.E.M.. George’s voice is soft and vulnerable-sounding as he delivers the reflective lyrics, to a sparse backing of acoustic guitar, well-placed electric guitar and some of the softest percussion that you’re ever likely to hear.
George’s country and gospel leanings come to the fore in See Me Now, and he plays some tasty banjo, too, before things take on a smoother tone for the folky Yur My Friend. Organ and acoustic guitar dominate and, with lyrics like: “I’m not the best at having hope, but having you is making me as good a guy as I can be, and, if you ever wanna try and get married, I could be down,” George shows us that he isn’t beyond placing his tongue firmly inside his cheek.
a paradox?
The EP’s title track is something of a paradox. On the one hand, it’s tight and rocky, with a crisp drumbeat and some excellent leftfield lyrics. On the other hand, at almost 10 minutes in duration, it overstays its welcome by at least 6 minutes. Had it been curtailed, it would, without doubt, have been the EP’s highlight but, as it is, it just goes on too long. Still, the shuffling rhythm that persists for the entire duration is infectious, the loping basslines are nice and I bet it’s great to play live.
As it stands, then, the award for the EP’s most enjoyable track goes to closing track, Untitled. It’s a soft, restful, country waltz, with more of George’s intriguing leftfield lyrics, such as: “So long my oldest friend, and after all those years a drinker, it was an embolism to whom I shall break the news.” George’s vocals are accompanied by acoustic guitar and something that sounds like a flute, that is, until George cranks things up to bring this short, fascinating, collection to a grand finish.
Not included on the Okey Donkey EP, but have a listen to American Wisdom, a track from the 2020 100 Watt Horse album, Dog Is Goob, here:
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Categories: EP Review
