Last year, when I reviewed the first EP from Westside Cowboy, the Manchester outfit was still pretty unknown. Over time, the band started to get traction and hearing their tunes cranking out of alternative channels on Sirius was a good sign that these Mancs were getting the attention they deserve.
The new Westside Cowboy EP, So Much Country 'Till We Get There, is just as good as the last one. From yearning opener "Strange Taxidermy" with its Delgados echoes, to the surging "Can't See", a Cribs-y winner, this is a blast of an effort. "Don't Throw Rocks" roars out of the speakers, a mad rush of guitar noise, nervous rhythms, and shared vocals from Aoife Anson-O'Connell and Reuben Haycocks. That one, and the Pixies-ish "The Wahs" are really strong numbers, and indications of just how formidable this band's become in the last few years. I only wish the EP was longer in length.
Westside Cowboy -- James Bradbury, Paddy Murphy, Aoife Anson-O’Connell, and Reuben Haycocks -- are poised for greatness. This new EP offers a chance to get on board now before these Manchester musicians get even bigger. And it's a good thing that their material is so varied and energetic too. Great stuff!
So Much Country 'Till We Get There by Westside Cowbowy is out now.
[Photo: Charlie Barclay Harris]