Who Is Mike Horn?

By: Stephen Ortiz

Posted: 5/6/07

Every year, thousands of students graduate from the University of Connecticut, moving into the next phase of life. Most will move into the working world. A few might be going into the Peace Corps and some will continue their education to obtain that illustrious Master's degree.

But what about those other students, those women and men who aren't doing the oh-so-ordinary? What about our future politicians, movie stars and world renowned authors?

What about Mike Horn?

On the surface, Horn may seem like any regular UConn student. Transferring to UConn prior to his sophomore year, the past three years have been spent attending classes, studying for countless hours in the library and pulling all nighters to finish that paper, all in pursuit of a degree in communication sciences, working campus jobs like at the local Starbucks to occupy time and make some money on the side, and being an active member in school-wide organizations.

So what's the difference? Well for starters, he can play the guitar and play it well. In fact he plays it so well that he was this year's featured artist on UConn's Husky Entertainment, the school's student-run, independent record label. Signed in mid-December, Horn began living a double life. Along with his new recording contract came countless rehearsals, meetings, studio sessions, an instant campus-wide fan base, plenty of sore throats and soon enough, a full band to play with - The Method.

Horn began playing his guitar and singing while he was still attending Benjamin Cardozo High School in his hometown of Queens, N.Y. After arriving in Storrs, he continued his work and began practicing and playing with roommate Adam Rosenfeld, a drummer who is graduating with a Bachelor's in communications, and friend Adam Pennarola, a keyboardist who is entering his seventh semester, pursuing a pre-med degree. The final component of The Method is Horn's cousin, Spencer Gallop, a graduating senior at SUNY New Paltz who plays guitar.

But did Horn ever seeing himself coming this far with his music?

"Definitely not," he said. "Although I always imagined myself doing something with music, I never took it as seriously as I do now. I think all of that comes with age and taking your dreams more seriously. I also think that if I wasn't getting the feedback that I look for from my music then I'd give it up and get a day job."

Now, after plenty of hard work, Mike Horn and The Method have something to show for it - their very first album, "Between the Borders" - something most young musicians could only hope for.

"It was a pretty amazing feeling considering there were so many people who submitted their demos," said Horn. "I've always been confident about my music but I think it really gave myself that extra boost that I needed to take myself to the next level."

"Borders" is a combination of musical attitudes that compliment the band's wide range of talent, but also finds itself easily accessible. With influences such as Jeff Buckley, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Elliott Smith, Mike Horn and The Method have quite a lot going for them.

While usually it is best to compare young talent to other artists to get an idea of the sound, "Borders" is a ten track trip that doesn't stick with one genre, and instead displays what the band is capable of. Their range of talent spans across the album, from the baby-making smoothness of "Don't Let the Words Leave this Room" to the groovin' garage band ballad "Pretty Mind."

From the start, the smoothness of Horn's vocals stand out. On "We Can Try," a laid back jam that taps into that Dispatch vibe, the lyrics melt over the background track, giving off a great summer song vibe that will most certainly have you singing along.

"We can try / we can try / we can fall asleep in elevators / instead of saying see you later," Horn croons. Nonsensical? Yes. But oh so catchy.

One of the album's many pleasant surprises, "In Store," sounds like something from a Maroon 5 album, but minus all the wild effects and sounds wholly sincere. It opens up with a mellow combination of acoustic, electric and keys before finally dropping the drums and Horn's rejuvenating vocals.

On one of the best songs on the album, "It All Kicks In," Horn sounds quite confident despite the contemplative content of the lyrics and the chorus highlights his and the band's ability to deliver catchy music fitting of today's music scene. The tempo is slow, matching the slow delivery and drawn out syllables of the lyrics, but then picks up on the fantastic chorus complimented with background "oohs."

"I'm not sure what's eating me inside / what's the deal with ruining our lives / what makes you love / what makes you love?" he sings.

"Borders" finds a hiccup in its listing only once on "Time Stolen," which can seem a bit choppy at times and has the band experimenting with Horn's vocals. In the end, it seems more generic than the rest of the album, but hardly any album goes without a black sheep track.

Being their first LP, the album is still a bit rough around the edges, but all in all, "Borders" is a solid first disc with fresh material. With a bit of polishing, it could certainly hold its own and take the college campus circuit by storm and with a bit of promoting, has the potential to really take off in the music world.

There is still plenty in store for Mike Horn, who's looking to expand upon not only his list of venues, but identifying with a specific musical genre and sound. With a major focus set on developing his and the band's sound and growing more as a group, the future is an open book for Mike Horn and The Method.

"I'm trying to take this whole music thing one step at a time," Horn said. "My main focus is building a fan base by just getting my name out there and playing to whoever and wherever."

At first glance, Mike Horn is just a regular guy, a regular graduate, with a regular Bachelor's degree in communication sciences. He may just seem like that kid who sat next to you in history, or who served you that grande mocha latte, but if you dig a little deeper and read "Between the Borders," you'll see what he's really all about: a man, his guitar and a whole lot of talent.