The Thrill of the Familiar: Westside Cowboy’s It Goes On and the Art of Reinvention
There’s something profoundly exciting about witnessing a band take the well-worn paths of indie rock and make them feel brand new. Westside Cowboy, a young quartet from Manchester, has done exactly that with their debut album, It Goes On. What makes this particularly fascinating is how they’ve managed to breathe fresh life into sounds we’ve heard countless times before. It’s not about innovation in the traditional sense; it’s about reinvention, about attacking the familiar with such raw, unbridled energy that it feels transformative.
The Magic of the Build
One thing that immediately stands out is their mastery of the build. Take the single ‘Pin Up Boys,’ for instance. It begins with Reuben Haycocks’ muttered vocals over clanging guitar chimes—a moment of quiet tension. But then, the band crashes in, and the song explodes into a frenzy of fuzzy, angular guitar riffs and boulder-like drum fills. What many people don’t realize is how rare this kind of controlled chaos is. It’s not just about volume; it’s about timing, about knowing exactly when to let loose. Westside Cowboy understands this instinctively, and the result is a song that feels less like a performance and more like a force of nature.
Personally, I think this is where the band’s youth shines through. They’re not overthinking it; they’re just playing with a reckless, giddy joy. It’s as if they’re discovering these sounds for the first time, even though they’re drawing heavily from the ’90s indie rock playbook. This raises a deeper question: Can music feel new if it’s built entirely from old parts? In Westside Cowboy’s case, the answer is a resounding yes.
The Influence Game
It’s impossible to talk about It Goes On without addressing the band’s influences. Pavement, Wilco, Teenage Fanclub—these are names that come up often in discussions about Westside Cowboy. But here’s the thing: they’re not just copying these bands; they’re channeling their spirit. A detail that I find especially interesting is how they’ve managed to avoid the trap of pastiche. Even when they’re directly quoting the greats—like the Dylan and Creedence Clearwater Revival references in ‘Big Wheels’—it never feels forced or reverent. Instead, it feels like a conversation across generations, a way of saying, ‘We’re part of this lineage, but we’re also making it our own.’
This brings me to the comparison with Geese, a band they’ve opened for and share a producer with. Both bands have a similar frenetic energy, but Westside Cowboy lacks the oblique glamour of Geese. Instead, they bring a starry-eyed melodic simplicity, something they attribute to their love of traditional folk music. It’s a wholesome contrast, and it’s what makes them stand out.
The Joy of Discovery
What this album really suggests is that music is at its best when it’s a journey of discovery. Westside Cowboy isn’t trying to redefine indie rock; they’re just trying to figure out what it means to them. This is evident in their organic approach to songwriting—everything they do, they could play live. There’s no studio trickery, no added layers. It’s just four people making noise together, and that simplicity is what makes it so compelling.
If you take a step back and think about it, this is what music is all about: connection. Westside Cowboy’s music feels like a shared experience, a communal celebration of sound. Whether it’s the storm of drums and overlapping voices on ‘Well Done Kid, You Did It’ or the freewheeling surf-guitar leads on ‘Coyote,’ every moment feels alive.
The Future of the Familiar
In my opinion, It Goes On is more than just a great debut album; it’s a statement about the power of reinvention. Westside Cowboy has taken the familiar and made it feel visceral, exciting, and new. They’re not just reflecting the past; they’re shaping the future. And that’s what makes them so inspiring.
As I reflect on this album, I’m reminded of why we fall in love with music in the first place. It’s not about the notes or the lyrics; it’s about the feeling. Westside Cowboy has captured that feeling—raw, unfiltered, and utterly exhilarating. It Goes On isn’t just an album; it’s an experience, a reminder that even the most familiar sounds can still surprise us.
So, here’s my takeaway: keep an eye on Westside Cowboy. They’re not just a band; they’re a testament to the enduring power of music to thrill, to move, and to inspire. And in a world where everything feels overdone, that’s something worth celebrating.
