Cowboys, The

***At long last, a proper American pressing of the incredible Volume 4 cassette from Bloomington, Indiana's hometown heroes, THE COWBOYS. By now, you might be familiar with the stripped down, yet intelligent and powerful rock'n'roll force of The Cowboys—perhaps from their recent full length on Hozac or from their earlier cassette output which was collected onto an LP by Lumpy Records. Volume 4 captures The Cowboys at a near-perfect intersection of their earlier, lo-fi moments of Gizmos-esque Midwestern punk snarl and the more tuneful, soul-spun moments of recent output. This definitive edition of Volume 4 reproduces the ten-song tracklisting of the original 2016 cassette edition released by fellow Bloomingtonian Kora Puckett (of Bugg, Laffing Gas, and Chud) on his Turd Wurld imprint. This definitive edition of Volume 4 has been cut at 45 RPM by Josh Bonati and includes a new insert with artwork from The Cowboys' own Zack Worcel plus a digital download code. 500 copies on black vinyl including a 2" square hype sticker.  
 
From the opening hook of "When She Came Back" (available on vinyl for the first time here, as well as the lead cut on side B, "Porridge"), The Cowboys showcase a songwriting knack and musical ability that is rarely achieved, nor captured so well in a studio setting. Keith Harman's next-level vocal delivery leads the charge across the entire album, ranging from the strong, anthemic chants of "I Feel Therefore I Am" to the deep, melancholic closing moments of "Actors". And what's more? The musicianship across this entire album is every bit as impeccable—beginning with the forceful and driving rhythm section and continuing to the absolutely unbridled guitar playing and tone, the sum of which shapes the texture of the entire recording. A score of Bloomington-based guest musicians, including Durand Jones (leader of modern soul sensations, The Indications) and John Terrill (formerly of the early 80's new wave group, The Dancing Cigarettes) only adds to the already searing mix. Altogether, The Cowboys have captured something truly unrivaled and exceptional on Volume 4—an album that speaks from a homespun, Midwestern vantage point and fires on all musical cylinders. The end result: ten absolutely classic sonic reductions of epic proportion.