Customer Reviews

Cunning Stunts

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

I saw the Cows several times, but one show in particular stands out. It would have been around the time Cunning Stunts was current, or perhaps Peacetika. Shannon wore his usual cowboy hat during the entire show, which was what he pretty much always did. It was coated in enamel spray paint or laquer or something. After finishing the last song in a full set that was probably at least an hour long, he took the hat off to reveal that he'd had a donut sitting on top of his head for the entire performance. He took a bite out of the donut and threw it into the audience as hard as he could, hitting an unfortunate girl right in the face.

This is generally regarded as the Cows' best album.

Cows were a genuinely frightening live experience. The first time I saw them was on the tour for this album, in '92 or '93. They just exuded menace, real 1890s frontier nastiness. I mean, they were four guys with guitars in a rock club, not a very scary thing, but still. This is their best and in a weird way their poppiest record, though check out "Effete and Impudent Snobs" for a more disorderly garbagey take on the Cows experience. Shannon's trumpet is used to great effect and the moment when "Heave Ho" kicks in still makes me want to do David Lee Roth jump kicks around the room.

Minneapolis' Cows will be looked upon as an outfit that treaded that fine line between brilliance and stupidity. Shannon & Co. disbanded early this decade and if you've never had a chance to see them live, then you missed a great 90's punk band in all of their decadence. Cows are a confrontational, noisey, blusey punk outfit that commanded you to show off your best punk rock dance moves: from the sound of Shannon's frenetic screaming and his stuttering, damaged bugle bursts, to Thor's bluesy deconstructionist riffing; Kevin's impossibly low bass and Norm's galloping thud, Cunning Stunts MADE you move. Heave Ho's staccato horn blasts coupled along with a menacing groove, Walks Alone's rockabilly, butt-kicking stomp, Down Below's distorted, down-picking squall...one word, Rocks. A fine primer for these AmRep Heroes.