A story repeated many times in music publications throughout the country, Westside Cowboy got their name from unemployed ranchers who would guide trains through the West side of New York in the age of the first trains in the US. Much like their horse-riding namesakes guiding these metal beasts through the chaos, dirt and smoke of 19th century New York, the band stand as a sort of beacon amidst the seas of noise rock, post-hardcore and post-punk washing over the North of England. They stand onstage behind scarce pedalboards with minimal effects, brandishing the same instruments they carried in their first shows around Manchester. In an age of increasing experimentation, with artists gracing the stage accompanied by a small power station’s worth of technology, it is almost paradoxically refreshing to see a band with a relatively stripped back setup and approach to songwriting absolutely knock it out of the park with each performance.
The Manchester based four piece were formed out of two different bands, one of which was described (by wikipedia) as a surf-punk band who “played so fast they ceased to exist”. The Cowboys seem to continue abiding by this philosophy, not just in the blisteringly fast fills and breakdowns laid down by half-drummer half-athlete Paddy Murphy, but in their career trajectory. In the past year, they have released two EPs (“This Better Be Something Great” and “So Much Country Til We Get There”) and most recently their debut album, “It Goes On”. This comes after a wave of adoration and hype surrounding the band after their prestigious support slot for the world’s indie rock messiahs Geese on their UK and Ireland Tour. With all this in mind, the prospect of releasing a debut LP would no doubt be incredibly daunting, and indieheads the country over anticipated its release anxiously.
And did they deliver.
In short, the entire album feels like a love letter. Not a particularly elaborate love letter, but therein lies the beauty of the album. The lyrics bring up images of “kicking stones”, “paperchains”, creating a wonderfully nostalgic image of casual life, innocence and childhood. It feels like the band is verbally putting an arm around your shoulder and telling you that despite it all, whatever “it” might mean, it’ll all be okay. Many of the lyrics seem to be addressing the listener directly. In the song “Dobro”, the third and final single, the listener is told that “if you care, please come home”. It is as if the band are speaking to us directly, offering a comforting place for us to stay throughout the chaos and unpredictability of modern life.
The Cowboys semi-jokingly described their sound using the term “Britainicana”. This term evokes the sense of a perfect blend of American country and western songwriting, featuring twangy guitars, lyrics about journeys and a driving rhythm, with the sensibilities and ruggedness of old-school British indie music. It Goes On is a textbook example of this blend and the Cowboys most definitely wear their influences on their sleeve throughout the record. Whilst listening to this album, I was reminded of everything from old-west style ballads to 90s slacker rock to 60s rock n roll. This is not to say that this is another textbook rock album, as the band put a distinctive “Britishness” into each and every song that conjures up images of wood-panelled pubs and early 2000s dancefloors.
I was lucky enough to attend the album release show for It Goes On at Rough Trade in Liverpool. I had first seen the band live opening for Geese at the O2 Academy, and it was my first time seeing them in a small venue, and they thrived. They played a mixed set, alternating between songs from the album and their earlier work, everything gelling together incredibly smoothly. The album material worked incredibly well live, from the ferocious energy of ‘The Boys’, propelled by Paddy Murphy’s intense drumming, to Aoife Anson O’Connell’s clean and beautiful vocals closing off ‘Pin-Up Boys’, to Rueben Haycocks’ delicate vocals and fingerpicked guitar on ‘Take My Leaving As I Love You’ and James Bradbury’s Lou Reed-esque croon on ‘Dobro’. Each and every song, no matter how quiet, loud, fast or slow, gentle or rough, worked well and set an atmosphere in the tiny room that was felt through each head bob, each jump and each attempt at matching the pitch of Anson O’Connell’s vocals.
The album closes with the line “I am everything but perfect, but I’m trying, so please keep me around”. It’s an honest confession that is not seen in the culture of hubris present in the modern indie music scene, with bands playing entire shows straight-faced and serious, releasing music bent on it being their “best work”. Once again Westside Cowboy encourages us to exchange smiles, to take enjoyment in the little things and give each other a hug, and for that, it is certainly exciting to keep an eye on what they have in store in future.
8/10
