Cobra Daniel Romano's Outfit

Sinéad O'Connor's debut, The Lion and the Cobra, was a sensation upon its 1987 release, and it remains a distinctive record, finding a major talent striving to achieve her own voice. Like many debuts, it's entirely possible to hear her influences, from Peter Gabriel to Prince and contemporary rap, but what's striking about the record is how she synthesizes these into her own sound – an eerie, expansive sound heavy on atmosphere and tortured passion. If the album occasionally sinks into its own atmospheric murk a little too often, she pulls everything back into focus with songs as bracing as the hard-rocking "Mandinka" or the sexy hip-hop of "I Want Your (Hands on Me)." Still, those ethereal soundscapes are every bit as enticing as the direct material, since "Troy," "Jackie," and "Jerusalem" are compelling because of their hushed, quiet intensity. It's not a perfect album, since it can succumb to uneven pacing, but it's a thoroughly impressive debut – and it's all the more impressive when you realize she only topped it with its immediate successor, before losing all focus.

While “Cowboy Outfit” has a slightly different meaning as UK Slang, Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit marks a turn towards a more rootsy persona for our hero. Anchored by the international number one “Half a Boy and Half a Man”, the album introduces a tex-mex/roller-rink organ sound, although the lineup of Bobby Irwin, Paul Carrack, Martin Belmont and Lowe is essentially unchanged. Newly discovered Johnny Horton covers “Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor” and “Walk on By” (included here as bonus tracks) show that there may have been a more twangy intention to the record– but as it is full on rockers like “Maureen” and Mickey Jupp’s “You’ll Never Get Me Up (in One of Those)” rub shoulders with pop like Dusty Springfield’s “Breakaway” and Nick’s own “L.A.F.S.” (featuring the TKO Horns who had recently punched up arranger Elvis Costello’s own “Everyday I Write the Book”).

Archie Bronson Outfit - Derdang Derdang
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC + Bonus Video: 356 MB | Full Artwork: 90 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Domino # WIGCD164J | Country/Year: Japan 2006
Genre: Rock | Style: Blues Rock, Country Rock, Indie Rock

"…The presence of the almost slinky disco of "Dead Funny," the quietly pulsing "Cuckoo," and the best song on the record, the dynamic and catchy (and brutal) "Dart for My Sweetheart" give the record some balance, making it a very satisfying listen. There aren't many bands in the post-turn of the century post-punk revival sweepstakes that play with as much raw emotion or who deliver such unadorned and honest words and sounds. If you find those attributes attractive in a band, by all means track down Derdang Derdang and get ready for a terrible and tremendous listening experience." ~allmusicguide