Album Review - The Brooklyn Cowboys: Doin' Time On Planet Earth
The Brooklyn Cowboys are; Walter Egan - Vocals, Electric Guitar, Joy Lynn White - Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Buddy Cage(ex New Riders Of The Purple Sage) - Pedal Steel Guitar, Michael 'Supe' Granda(ex Ozark Mountain Daredevils) - Bass Guitar, Michael Webb - Keyboards Brian Waldschlager - Vocals & Fredrough Perry - Drums In 1996, singer/writer/guitarist. Walter Egan met writer/drummer Fredrough 'Fredro' Perry in Brooklyn, USA. Egan, best known for his five solo albums, his smash hit, "Magnet and Steel," as well as his song, "Hearts on Fire" (recorded by Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris), was engaged by Perry to help him record some of his award-winning songs. They were soon rehearsing weekly to prepare for public performances. When Egan jokingly suggested that they call themselves the 'Flatbush Cowboys', Fredro shot back: "No! The Brooklyn Cowboys!" and the band was born.
As soon as I put the CD in the player, I was transported back to the heyday of Country/Rock in the late 60s early 70s. Bands like The Flying Burrito Brothers, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, New Riders Of The Purple Sage and The Byrds in their Gram Parsons era. In fact, included on here is the last song of Gram Parsons, a co-write between Parsons and Egan dating from the days just before Gram's death, called "Carolina Calypso." The band have already seen action in the EMS European charts via their release on the media only Hotdisc with "Learn How To Love Me," a sure fire hit with the linedancers and "Californ'," an infectious song, all about being homesick for California, that soon has you singing along.
Other songs on this 13 track album………all written or co-written by Egan and Perry………. include the opening track, "You And I And This July Moon" a very catchy shuffler that soon gets those feet moving as does the fast paced "Jukebox Girl" and "Wishful Drinking," a song about drinking to forget after the break up of a relationship. There's also the storming and interestingly titled, "What The…??!!!" and the excellent "Boundless Love" with some nice touches of accordion. I also like the new version of "Hearts On Fire" with Joy Lynn White doing a great job of Emmylou's part.
"Doin' Time On Planet Earth" will be a very welcome album for anyone who grew up with the country/rock sounds of the late 60s and early 70s and will be a good introduction to the sounds of that era for all those who weren't around at that time. The Brooklyn Cowboys aren't a new band trying to recreate those sounds, they have lived them, it's in their heart and soul and it shows in abundance !!!
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