The story goes that The Replacements, the premier independent rock band of the 1980s, could routinely deliver a live set filled with awe-inspiring original compositions played to perfection. However, on many occasions, they preferred to drunkenly perform whatever covers they could remember, challenging audiences to love them as they were.
The weird part, however, is that even though The Mats could rely on the quality of Paul Westerberg’s compositions, many who were in the crowd for the drunken renditions of classic showtunes swear that this was bad at its best. Free from pressure, able to mangle or beautify utter classics, the musicians had no time to doubt themselves.
Cowboy Mouth echo the reckless spirit of The Replacements at their most combative and fun with “Cover Yo’ Azz.” Yes, this is a collection of covers. But, listening to it, one gets the feeling that the angle here is to work up an audience into either an intoxicated celebration or a fist fight.
Humour is required to enjoy this. The collection, one imagines, isn’t looking to show off the numerous and varied influences of Cowboy Mouth. Nah, it’s trying to get Cher’s “Gypsies, Tramps, & Thieves” played to a bunch of punks waiting in front of the stage with beer bottles in their hands.
But if a full-scale conflict is to be avoided, balance is the key. Sinatra’s “My Way” is turned into a folk-punk track, a kind of Paul Westerberg covering Sid Vicious covering Ol’ Blue Eyes.
And while you’re busy tapping your foot to this, remark upon the quality of the recording. This may be done in keeping with the punk spirit, but soundwise, the clarity of this makes the 70s punk records sound as if someone taped one of those bands’ rehearsals by mistake.
I’d advise playing the album the whole way through. What makes the experience the most fun is how, for the most part, this feels like someone frantically changing channels on the radio, or hitting “shuffle” on a playlist of oldies arranged by age, not style.
I won’t spoil the joy of finding out precisely what other tunes Cowboy Mouth cover, other than to say that the band tries to out-muscle Roger Daltrey, creates marvellous vocal harmonies for a Queen classic, and even takes a shot at covering a Hootie & the Blowfish, but not the one you’d expect it to.
Where does this leave us? Looking for some honest fun from our music, and generally getting people who should’ve been accountants soullessly soloing over old-hat riffs. Cowboy Mouth bring the fun to the techniques that the musicians have acquired, making “Cover Yo’ Azz” a great Saturday afternoon barbecue soundtrack.
