It Goes On is the debut album from Manchester four-piece Westside Cowboy, a band who have somehow managed to build a formidable live reputation before their first record has even been released. After touring with Black Country, New Road and Geese, they’re now selling out some of their biggest headline shows to date, including December dates at Manchester’s Albert Hall and London’s O2 Kentish Town Forum. It’s a remarkable position to be in before releasing an album, but It Goes On makes it easy to understand why.
Mixing their love of Elvis and early rock and roll with a distinctly modern edge, it’s a record that captures contemporary indie in its purest form: loud, melodic, scrappy and full of character.
What stands out most is the energy. Thumping drums and dynamic guitars provide the foundation, while three different vocalists bring contrasting personalities to the songs. There is plenty here to get you moving, but equally, there are moments that make you stop and listen. Aoife Anson O’Connell’s more delicate tone offsets the boyish charm of Jimmy Bradbury and Reuben Haycocks, creating a constant sense of movement between the three.
The personality of the record is in its imperfections. Produced by Loren Humphrey (Geese, Wunderhorse), there has been no effort to polish away every rough edge; instead, there’s a rawness that recalls the excitement of the best debut indie records. Central to that sound is Paddy Murphy. His drumming is a relentless driving force throughout It Goes On, providing the foundation for the guitars, bass and vocals while giving the songs much of their momentum.
Opening track Kick Stones (The Boys) encapsulates all of this. Pounding drums and pulsing guitars form the backbone of a song made complete by the vocal interplay between Jimmy and Aoife. The warmth and tone of the guitar is a final touch, with little flashes of off-kilter riffs adding to the feeling that the song could veer off in any direction. It builds into a cacophony of noise as the refrain, “have you heard, that the boys, they are gone, this time”, powers over the top, before everything quietens and Aoife leads the outro: “the boys are gone this time”. Some start.
Paper Chains maintains the album’s high tempo but introduces clever pauses that allow the song to breathe before kicking back into gear. Dobro, meanwhile, takes a less conventional route, with a short guitar solo arriving within the first minute as the track continually shifts shape. Together, they demonstrate how Westside Cowboy can take relatively simple ideas and make them feel more adventurous than their influences might suggest.
The album isn’t all guitars, drums and vocal harmonies. Well Done Kid You Did It addresses the difficulty of trying to navigate a frightening world while simply attempting to do your best, while WorriedAge explores the anxiety that can haunt an entire generation: “We are a worried age / Where your panic feels more real than a thought.” Paddy and Aoife sing the entire song in harmony, turning an individual feeling into something collective. It feels like a song for people who are struggling with the same fears, finding comfort in the fact that they aren’t alone.
Pin Up Boys is a real highlight and perhaps the best example of the Westside Cowboy sound. Murphy’s drums are once again a focal point, the guitars are brash, and the singing becomes increasingly strained as the track develops. Then Anson O’Connell’s backing vocals emerge from behind the noise, moving from the background into the forefront as the music subsides, providing a poignant conclusion. Coyote follows, with Aoife taking lead vocals and Jimmy now providing backing. The song gradually increases in tempo, volume and intensity before arriving at a whirlwind finale. Both tracks showcase just how effectively the band understand dynamics, and feel destined to become even bigger in a live setting.
Not everything on the record is driven by the band’s trademark volume. Big Wheels offers a moment of respite, its more considered approach perhaps bringing some of Cameron Winter’s influence to the fore, while penultimate track, Take My Leaving As I Love You strips things back further. A sweet, acoustic breakup song that eventually lands on the bitter line, “Please take my leaving as I love you / As my last leaving promise”. It’s proof that Westside Cowboy can hold your attention without relying on sheer volume.
The closing You Could Have Died There On The Dancefloor reintroduces the full band but feels noticeably more settled than much of what has come before. Where so many of the album’s songs are built around repetition, escalation and driving instrumentation, this is more deliberate and more wordy. It’s an interesting way to close the record, offering another glimpse of what Westside Cowboy could become as they continue to develop. Thematically, it returns to the album’s idea of simply trying your best: “I am everything but perfect / But I’m trying, so please keep me around.”
It Goes On is a triumphant debut, the sort of album that could only really exist as a first record. It’s raw, full of energy and clearly created with an abundance of talent, but it hasn’t been over-produced or second guessed. That is where much of its charm lies. The combination of instrumentation, vocal harmonies and lyrical ambiguity gives the record a depth that reveals itself with every listen.
For all the noise, It Goes On is a remarkably grounded record. These aren’t songs trying to convince you that Westside Cowboy have everything figured out. They’re songs about uncertainty, anxiety, friendship and simply carrying on regardless. Perhaps that is what makes the record so fittingly titled: through all the noise, doubt and uncertainty, Westside Cowboy keep moving forward and, on this evidence, there’s every reason to keep listening.
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