George's recent post featuring Lash Lariat had me reaching into the Americana Compilations section to retrieve Cowpunks a 1996 compilation from Vinyl Junkie records.
In that grand punk tradition some of the 24 Trailblazing Tracks are a bit rough round the edges but they are none the worse for that and in some ways it is part of their charm.
Half the songs on the record are exclusive to Cowpunks so it is only fair that we feature some of them
We'll start with The Coal Porters, a band fronted by Sid Griffin, with the much covered truck driving song Six Days on the Road.
This is followed by another cover from Louisville's finest Freakwater with a magnificent interpretation of Richard Thomson's Withered and Died.
And finally a true original from Ottawa's Furnaceface with their tribute to Tipper Gore the wife of former Vice President Al and the person responsible for introducing Parental Advisory stickers (aka Tipper Stickers) onto CDs and records. As you might expect this is somewhat of a protest song and therefore contains the occasional sweary word.
The Coal Porters - Six Days on the Road
Freakwater -Withered and Died
Furnaceface - We Love You, Tipper Gore
Without being able to listen to any of the below here in the office, one band from yesteryear immediately came to mind when reading "Cowpunk": Blood On The Saddle!! I think I will give them a spin again when I get home after years and years of not having done so.
ReplyDeletePlus, mind you, isn't "Blood On The Saddle" one of the most brilliant band names ever?!
Dirk, Blood On The Saddle is an interesting name, conjures up some unwelcome images.
ReplyDeleteThe Freakwater track is absolutely superb. Not cowpunk, though. And the Tipper track is amusingly juvenile, cracking sweary bits.
Dirk - as a name it is up there with Trailer Bride and Slobberbone
ReplyDeleteGeorge - you are correct Freakwater is not cow punk but is brilliant - hence it is on
Furnaceface is juvenile - hence it is on