Since 2017, Cowboy Curtys has been playing shows around Athens and developing hook-heavy roots rock that draws from a wide variety of influences. Led by songwriter Josh Parsons (Man Made Sea), the backing lineup features members of Tedo Stone, Drew Beskin, and Great Peacock. Now based in Atlanta, Cowboy Curtys are as likely to reference early Modest Mouse as they are ‘90s country radio, giving their twangy alt-country sound a more aggressive edge. This morning, we’re excited to premiere two tracks from the band’s upcoming Bare Bones EP, including a cover of the Replacement’s college radio classic “Bastards of Young.”
Parson’s rendition captures the restless heart of the original but with a decidedly more stripped-back arrangement that recontextualizes Paul Westerberg’s lyrics. It’s hard not to hear new resonances when his world-weary croon sings, “unwillingness to claim us, ya got no war to name us” as an elegiac piano figure enters the mix. The track ends with the pulse of a minor chord and Parsons repeating “take it, it’s yours” in a hushed tone. Overall, the cover feels less like a call-to-arms than an all-out surrender.
“My studio professor way back in my college schoolin’ days gave me his copy of Tim because my band at the time reminded him of the Replacements,” Parson recounts. “I connected with it immediately. Every song felt reckless, like it could fall apart at any moment. Covering ‘Bastards of Young’ like this felt right for me in a lot of ways.”
As for “Slow Strange,” the track is an acoustic re-imagination of a harder rocker that will appear on the band’s debut full length, Commotions. It’s a catchy song that packs a wallop of elliptical guitar, spooky atmosphere, and wild twists of reverb. Give them both a listen below.
Currently, Cowboy Curtys are fundraising their for first full-length album with a Kickstarter campaign that is inching closer to meeting its goal. Commotions is scheduled to come out next year.
The Bare Bones EP is out Oct. 21.
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