| Horsebreaker Star | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Grant McLennan |
| Cover: | Horsebreakerstar.gif |
| Released: | 1994 |
| Recorded: | 1994 |
| Studio: | John Keane Studios, Athens, Georgia |
| Genre: | Alternative rock |
| Length: | 95:27 |
| Label: | Concubine Records, Beggars Banquet |
| Producer: | John Keane |
| Prev Title: | Fireboy |
| Prev Year: | 1992 |
| Next Title: | In Your Bright Ray |
| Next Year: | 1997 |
Horsebreaker Star is the third solo album by Grant McLennan, a member of The Go-Betweens. McLennan recorded the album in Athens, Georgia with American musicians. It was also the only ever double album associated with the Go-Betweens. In a 1995 interview[1] he said the album had been "a lot of work".
"I wanted it to be the kind of record that could be played by anyone, but not too obvious. You know, the London Symphony Orchestra doesn't have to do the ballads, Johnny Cash doesn't have to do the country songs. I don't like to be that predictable. I like surprises," he said.
McLennan toured the US, Europe and Australia in 1995 to promote the album, playing with musicians including Anna Burley and Dave Folley from The Killjoys, and Phil Kakulas from Blackeyed Susans. His American performances received highly favourable reviews from The New York Times and Rolling Stone, which called McLennan "one of the world's great songwriters".
This was the first of his solo albums credited to "Grant", rather than "G.W." as on the previous two.
The single-disc American release stripped off six songs — "Late Afternoon in Early August" and "Ballad of Easy Rider" from the first disc and "Do Your Own Thing" through "Head Over Heels" from the second — while adding on "Lighting Fires" from Fireboy. Neither version sold well.
All tracks written by Grant McLennan, except where noted.