Cows - Woman Inside

(Insipid, 1992)

I have a funny – no, HILARIOUS – feeling that these are the same versions of the songs that appear on Cunning Stunts, but if you have the need to hear them in inferior fidelity on Australian 7” vinyl (and who hasn’t felt that need?), consider this your golden ticket to the land of happiness. Now, these aren’t my favorites from that LP, so let’s get that straight right away. Yeah? Still, they both have that smart blend of rawk nastiness and humor that makes the Cows, even at their average-est, so likeable. Take “Woman Inside,” for example. It’s a pummeling hardcore nightmare that goes from dopey-voiced to anguished, thanks to some funny/clever lyrics: the “woman inside” is AN ACTUAL WOMAN living inside of the screaming and horrified singer! HAW, right? And on the other side of the coin, an unexpected cover of the spaghetti-fave “Theme From Midnight Cowboy” goes for a wobbly-guitared drunk feel that shows the Cows could win even when they weren’t going full throttle; it’s total melodic loveliness. All of which makes a nice single, but there’s just no reason not to get these songs in their larger context – along with rumploads of better tracks! – on the full Cunning Stunts LP.

(Tho I reckon the outrageous prices that that alb goes for these days might be a legit deterrent.)