Against Me! - The Original Cowboy Review

Posted by Alistair McGeorge on 07.10.2009

With a new album being recorded later this year, punk-rock quartet Against Me! has released a demo E.P. from the ‘As The Eternal Cowboy’ sessions. Six years on, how do the original recordings stack up with their other material?

I first discovered Against Me! sadly later on in their career, with the release of their major label debut New Wave in 2007. More specifically, it was with the single ‘Thrash Unreal’. It immediately made me a fan of the band, and since then I’ve picked up the Acoustic E.P., and listened to whatever else of the back catalogue I could find online. When the chance came to review their demos for the As The Eternal Cowboy sessions, I was eager to do so.

Even if you just listen to the Acoustic E.P. and New Wave, the band’s diversity is clear. Recorded in only a few hours, lead singer and guitarist Tom Gabel wrote that “there’s a part of me that feels foolish for ever recording these songs a second time.” I listened to The Original Cowboy before the actual 2003 release, so how does it stack up as a stand-alone E.P.?



1. A Brief Yet Triumphant Introduction/Cliché Guevarra – 3:40
2. Mutiny On The Electronic Bay – 1:13
3. T.S.R. – 1:39
4. Rice And Bread – 1:39
5. Cavalier Eternal – 2:52
6. Unsubstantiated Rumors – 1:29
7. Slurring The Rhythms – 2:41
8. You Look Like You Need A Drink/Turn Those Clapping Hands Into Angry Balled Fists – 7:02

Against Me! The Original Cowboy

The demos start with a track that was actually included as “A Brief Yet Triumphant Intermission” on the final release in 2003, but here it provides a powerful, punk-rock build-up to the high-energy “Cliché Guevarra”. This wasn’t the case on Eternal Cowboy, but it really works here as a great introduction to the 8-track E.P. At only 3:40, it stands at the second-longest on the E.P., despite being two tracks combined. Already, the fact that the songs don’t go on a bit longer is my only complaint.

“Mutiny On The Electronic Bay” confirms that for me really, as it felt too short to be anything meaningful. It’s a good, catchy song (although quite paint-by-numbers punk), but just as it seems to be getting going, it comes to (for me) an abrupt end and we’re on to the next track.

The following song is again quite short, but unlike the previous one it doesn’t seem too short. T.S.R” (“T.S.R. (This Shit Rules)” on the actual release) reaches a nice balance and the timing of the ending fits. It starts off with nice strumming and Gabel’s rough, raw but oddly transfixing vocals, before the tempo’s kicked up a notch and it becomes a tune that should get anyone’s foot tapping in time at the very least.

“Rice And Bread” is another track similar to a lot on this E.P., and in Against Me!’s back catalogue. It’s good, raw punk but it’s kind of just ‘there’. Not bad by any means, but it’s almost forgotten entirely by the end of the following song, which is by far my favorite from these sessions.

One of the longer songs on the album at 2:40, Cavalier Eternal is a fun, catchy, almost folk-like song with just acoustic guitars and vocals. Gabel is on form here, not relying on the rawness of his voice, rather showing that he does have a good site of pipes on him. A song about a man trying to end his relationship not because it’s all his partners fault, but because it’s simply not working out: “Oh girl, I’m sorry/but I’m leaving. We’re both at fault, we’re both to blame/and it wasn’t the other men, cos there were other women.”

The lyrics to this, combined with the nicely-strummed guitar and the simplicity of it all make for a welcome break from the punk onslaught. It’s a reminder of the Acoustic E.P. and the kind of stuff Against Me! can do very well. On top of that, it ends at just the right time. Have a listen:



In a contrast, “Unsubstantial Rumors”, like the second track on the E.P., feels too short once again, and wasn’t really all that memorable. Once again, I want to stress that there isn’t anything bad per se on this, but some of it sounds very similar. I wouldn’t say anything on the album is a bad track at all, although it has its weak moments, this being one of them.

“Slurring Rhythms” is a song I think sounds like it’s just made for live shows. From the ‘bouncy’ guitar riffs throughout, and the sing-a-long moment of simply “whoa” repeated, it’s a fun tune that shows the band’s ability to mix classic punk with enough melody to make them catchy and beyond the raw vocals.

The E.P. comes to a close with a 7-minute track that combines two songs that were positioned in the same way on the Eternal Cowboy release. “You Look Like You Need A Drink/Turn Those Clapping Hands Into Balled Fists” is definitely a track of two halves, but the production does well to blend them in nicely. Both powerful, “Turn Those Clapping Hands Into Balled Fists” is more of a ballad, but it’s just so raw, it’s a fantastic way to close the E.P.

By the time it ends, I actually wished every track could’ve had that time to progress, but it left me wanting more. In a way, this E.P. definitely did its job in that I’m definitely persuaded to buy Eternal Cowboy and purchase more of the band’s back catalogue.

The 411: Whilst The Original Cowboy is a bit of a mixed bag, overall it’s a quality release. It would appeal to both die-hard fans and those wanting to get into the band. As far as older fans of the band go, it’s a way to keep the collection complete, but also works well as a stand-alone release. Whilst some tracks could’ve used a couple more minutes to become properly worth a listen, songs like “Cavalier Eternal” make me remember why I got into this band in the first place, and I’m definitely looking forward to the next album.

Final Score:  6.5   [ Average ]