White Cowbell Oklahoma

Successive albums are not only documentation of a particular point in time but snapshots of a band's evolution. For the most part, acts eventually hit the point of diminishing returns but the occasional anomaly manages to elude the downward spiral and continue to release increasingly powerful efforts. Such is clearly the case with Toronto, ON's White Cowbell Oklahoma. Where their previous albums were solid bouts of unforgettable boogie-infused rock, there was always a semblance of kitsch that threatened the continual advancement of their craft. With Bombardero, however, the ten-gallon goons shed the tomfoolery, with stellar results. Maintaining their inherently upbeat attack and uniting it with more mature tongue-in-cheek inferences, as opposed to blatant tomfoolery, the album's 11 tracks are instantly anthemic, graceful shots of grit, driving rhythms, fuzzy distortion and a hip-swaggering shuffle/swing. Factor in a pristine, unique version of Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein" and the Bell have truly reached the top of the rock'n'roll food chain.