White Cowbell Oklahoma, "Cencerro Blanco" CD After seeing these guys haul ass with their live show, I was prepared to be really let down by this record. You know how you see a really great live band, and their cd totally lets you down, for whatever reason? i can't count how many times that i've been in that situation. Well, fear not with this disc, 'cause the 'Bell backs up their outrageous, hilarious and raucous live show with a disc that is more hung than that meanie bull in 'yer pasture. Honestly, this is probably my top rock n' roll disc of this year, which is kinda funny, 'cause the year on the back of the cd says "2004"! But it's so damned good, mainly because it combines great production with gutsy songs and superb musicianship, which is what always makes an excellent album so deee-lectable. Another reason why this is such a great blast of r n'r is because, yeah, the band plays firin' on all cylinders boogie rock, but it's the fact that these dudes actually have talent. They can actually sing, and everything from the female soul crooning, to the guitar solos, to the guitar harmonizing (a la Thin Lizzy) to the organ/piano fills, is executed with such flair, style, and swagger, that it's insane. And that's what you should expect from a band with ten members (!) and four guitarists (!?). As well, there's an early 70's Tres Hombres ZZ Top vibe to this disc that makes it so good. Hell, the cover art is even done by Mr. Bill Narum, who did the cover art for all those ZZ Top albums. But that's not meant as any sorta slight, because the 'Bell easily cranks out the best early 'Top songs that were never wrote by Gibbons, Hill, and Beard. "Beer Drinkers and..." .....WHOOPS....I mean, "Put The South In Your Mouth" fries up licks so tasty that you'll be comin' back for more. "Shot A Gamblin' Man" makes me wanna go kick over a Keno table with a Les Paul, "Monster Railroad" is revved up rawk (with an unexpectedly mellow low key bridge part), and "San Antone"-- the first single and video off the disc-- is southern rock that's so fired up with it's refrain of "oh yeah....baby!", that it leaves tons of similar bands in the dust. "Black Mountain Top (Whiskey Woman)" should be all over classic rock radio, with it's singalong chorus. Like the band themselves, it's one part Mick Taylor era Stones, one part early ZZ Top, and Black Crowes. And what's this......an excellent feelin' southern soul song in "Ole Glory"? Man that singer, Bunny, has a set of pipes! But the highlight of the album is the title track, which should be the soundtrack to a slasher flick, 'cause like a good horror movie, it sets the mood (some echoey sombre surf), then gives some eerie stuff (backwards tape effects), and then nails 'ya when you least expect it. Gun rack, Dixie flag and cockrag sold separately. - Ryan Settee