hush now. ready, dance.

Artist: The Drugstore Cowboys
Album: Chapter 3006 Of Dance Moves For The Apocalypse: If The Octomaiden Was A Diabetic Joykill Addict
Label: Lujo Records
Release Date: October 10, 2006

Imagine what would happen if you took parts of various musical genres and put them in a blender. A scoop of hardcore, an ounce of electronica, and a dash of hip-hop. Dump them all in there, leave the top off, hit puree, and watch it explode everywhere. Now you know what it's like to experience The Drugstore Cowboys.

This foursome from Washington, D.C., have created an intense, unique sound that blasts out of your speakers in every direction. There are erratic tempo shifts, staccato singing, and Blood Brothers-esque screams mashed with electronic programming, double-bass drums, and a few samples thrown in for good measure. It's a trainwreck of sounds, and it's stellar.

Beginning slowly with "Horror Flick, Scene 1: Introduction To Chaos," the track builds and builds until launching into "These Clouds Will Never Catch Us," which includes an audio clip of a woman talking about bodies falling from the World Trade Center. This line between dance party and deep emotion is what the Cowboys are so good at straddling.

Even in their more ballad-like tracks, such as "The Elegance Of The Dance," the Cowboys maintain that delicate balance of dance and dark. These are the kinds of songs you know are meant to be seen in dingy basements and VFW halls across the nation; meant to blow the mind of one audience member at a time.

The Cowboys clearly love to see just how far they can push their songs. One can imagine them hanging out at home, deciding how many of them should be screaming here, or where they should put that new keyboard bit they came up with. The lyrics focus on the deterioration of society and often a disgust for the world - themes that fit well with the spasmodic instrumentals. The songs feel organic and complete, yet at the same time one can tell the band must be itching to add more layers to them all. The band has not set any boundaries or restrictions on themselves, and that is what is going to make them so interesting to watch over the next few years.

Tracklisting:
01. Horror Flick Scene 1: Introduction To Chaos
02. These Clouds Will Never Catch Us
03. Penguin Tuxes At The Disco Bar *
04. Elegance Of The Dance
05. Mind Of A Salesman
06. Eulogy To A Friendly Foe *
07. Horror Flick Scene 2: Interlude Of A Masked Man
08. Coyote Confessions
09. Only Fire Drives Away The Rats!
10. Pornographic Fruitstands *
11. Murderpiece Composit
12. Evil 247

* - standout track

For fans of: The Blood Brothers, Underoath, The Faint.

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