Opening for Geese and Black Country New Road on their respective European tours, they are a real steamroller live and the creators of the term “British-Icanian”, used to describe their music perfectly. If you like American country rock and the particular energy of British indie and punk, Westside Cowboy is the young band that you should definitely have on your radar.
The band formed by Reuben Haycocks, James Bradbury, Aoife Anson O’Connell and Paddy Murphy has been on the road for just over a year, since the release of their debut single at the end of 2024. ‘I’ve Never Met Anyone I Thought I Could Really Love (Until I Met You)’ laid the foundations for the sound they have perfected on their second EP, released earlier this year.
‘So Much Country ‘Till We Get There’ has everything you need to hear from the Manchester quartet. ‘The Wahs’ is the instant hit, the one that gains the most strength live, while ‘Can’t See’ is a total sprint of riffs. “You don’t need an advantage,” they sing on the inspiring track. ‘Strange Taxidermy’ is the slow and ambient one, the one that conquers with its deep organs. Recently, Guitarricadelafuente used it to decorate one of her latest Instagram posts. ‘In the Morning’, finally, is the acoustic gem.
‘Don’t Throw Rocks’ is the Song of the Day. It’s not only the most listened to on the EP, but also the best example of what these kids do. An ethereal guitar riff introduces the song, which dispenses with choruses and instead increases the instrumental load until it ends up flirting with noise rock in its last seconds. “Say what you want, but I’ll never change my mind,” Haycocks sings.
The live performance is one of the best the band has to offer. In our country, at the moment, they only have one date in 2026. Westside Cowboy will be at Bilbao BBK Live on July 10, a festival in which JENESAISPOP is once again an official half.
