Manchester quartet Westside Cowboy are getting some needed attention. The band crank out yearning love-sick numbers like no one's ever done that before. And their new EP, This Better Be Something Great has an undeniable energy about it.
The wonderfully-titled "I've Never Met Anyone I Thought I Could Really Love (Until I Met You)" kicks things off with heartsick angst, while the sharp "Alright Alright Alright" churns up enough of a storm to earn comparisons to very early Arctic Monkeys. While "Slowly I'm Sure" is a down-tempo gem, the band works best on mid-tempo rambles like "Drunk Surfer", a cut that sounds a tiny bit like Biffy Clyro, or Idlewild to these ears.
Westside Cowboy have a bright future ahead of them. The material here is confidentally rendered, and the band's got a distinct vibe that sets them apart from the arty/shouty indie bubbling up in other portions of the United Kingdom. This new EP is definitely recommended then.
This Better Be Something Great by Westside Cowboy is out now. Details below.
[Photo: Joe Moss]