Galactic Cowboys (1991)
Moove over Pantera, it’s the Galactic Cowboys!
Kronomyth 1: Galactic cowboys never age.
Galactic Cowboys embodied everything that was right about the 90s: metal and melody colliding as if Black Sabbath and The Beatles had a baby together. That the band never “made it big” is one of life’s little mysteries. Pantera, Soundgarden and even King’s X (with whom they shared a producer and a stage as an opening act) enjoyed more success without possessing an ounce more talent. You could argue that they were too melodic for metalheads, too heavy for alternative rockers, but I fell in love with their sound the first time I heard them and I suspect the real problem is that not enough people did (hear them). I don’t how you can listen to songs like Sea of Tranquility, Kaptain Krude, or Speak to Me and not become an instant fan. Maybe they were the victims of record labels glutting the market with grunge-style bands, which resulted in a lot of great bands not getting the attention they deserved. If there were a lot of bands making heavy metal with a melodic edge, few did it at the consistently high level of Galactic Cowboys. There’s not a weak song on this album, and the production value is top notch. The clever segues, the killer harmonies and the intelligence not to take themselves too seriously add up to one of the strongest debuts in recent memory. As a bonus, the band is Christian, but like King’s X their faith informs their music rather than overtly shaping it. I certainly don’t advocate the separation of God and music (as the two are inextricable), yet I’ve heard too many mediocre faith-based artists to believe it’s a match made in heaven. This album spoke to me from the very beginning, and I haven’t encountered a Galactic Cowboys album since that hasn’t knocked my boots off. The Black Sabbath + Beatles analogy isn’t just hyperbole, although I suppose “thrash metal Monkees” would also work. Either way, you really need to check out Galactic Cowboys if you missed them the first time.
Original elpee version
A1. I’m Not Amused (Monty Colvin/Alan Doss/Ben Huggins) (6:21)
A2. My School (Monty Colvin/Alan Doss/Ben Huggins) (6:40)
A3. Why Can’t You Believe in Me (Monty Colvin/Alan Doss/Ben Huggins) (6:34)
A4. Kaptain Krude (Monty Colvin) (6:08)
A5. Someone for Everyone (Monty Colvin) (6:23)
B1. Sea of Tranquility (Monty Colvin/Alan Doss/Ben Huggins) (7:38)
B2. Kill Floor (Monty Colvin) (5:04)
B3. Pump Up the Space Suit (Monty Colvin/Alan Doss/Ben Huggins/Dane Sonnier) (1:01)
B4. Ranch on Mars Reprise (Monty Colvin/Alan Doss/Ben Huggins/Dane Sonnier) (2:16)
B5. Speak to Me (Monty Colvin/Ben Huggins) (10:13)
The Players
Monty Colvin (bass, vocals), Alan Doss (drums, vocals, attempted clarinet), Ben Huggins (vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica), Dane Sonnier (guitar, vocals) with Max Dyer (cellos). Produced by Sam “Houston” Taylor; engineered and recorded by Steve Ames.
The Pictures
Art direction by Robin Sloane. Lettering by Awest. Design by Pat Dillon. Illustrations used by permission from James McDermott. Photography by Keith Carter.
The Plastic
Released on compact disc, cassette and elpee on August 20, 1991 in the US (Geffen, DGCD/DGCC 24324) and Germany (Geffen, GEF 24 324) with picture innerlseeve.
