Cattle Drums - The Boy Kisser Sessions (Cover Artwork)
Staff Review

Cattle Drums

The Boy Kisser Sessions (2010)

self-released


Cattle Drums' The Boy Kisser Sessions is a five-song EP that will not settle for a second, and it's all part of its charm and impression.

The way opener "New Furniture and Wigs" comes in, you're going to expect maybe some bluesy, southern-type folk-punk. But that's not at all what ensues (you sort of get that later on closer "Two Pigeons"), as looser, seemingly Dischord-influenced post-hardcore shouts--very clean, melodic ones, though--come over a dizzying banjo line. Pretty sure it's a banjo, anyway. It works, though, in a schizophrenic pop-punk way.

"Who Punched Pat Moore's Face" continues these ideas with a spazzier Menzingers-type vibe, but "Bovrg the Nag"? With its downbeat tension, there's a bit of a La Dispute feeling there.

However, the EP's best is "Sluts and Coconuts," hands down. It goes on a punky power-pop bend with super loose, earnestly yelped vocals all over the track's otherwise controlled, measured flow. There's some '90s emo noodles, a big, stomping chorus, and the beginning of it reminds me of Nada Surf's "Popular," oddly enough.

I can't quite be certain what Cattle Drums are going for on this EP, nor can I say they're there. But it's some of the more wildly unpredictable and yet melodic stuff I've heard all year and it's got promise written all over it.

STREAM
The Boy Kisser Sessions EP