The indie and mainstream scenes won't have anything to do with them anymore, but the scrappy
Cowboy Mouth seems more at ease than ever with their place in world. The satisfying
Uh-Oh is the band's ninth release and first since the one-two punch of being dropped by a major label and the departure of bassist Rob Savoy. The trippy and electronica-colored cover of "Tomorrow Never Knows" that opens the album is promising enough, but
the Mouth really turns it on for the self-penned tunes that follow. With other members contributing a couple less songs than usual, the bulk of the album contains drummer and lead singer Fred LeBlanc's whimsical, energetic, and hook-filled songs. It gives the album more focus than the band's prior releases and LeBlanc's writing and enthusiastic delivery keeps getting better. The hyper and humorous "Friends," the perfect pop "So Much the Better," and the hooky title track are all top notch and will no doubt become staples of the band's stellar live shows. The more straightforward and introspective songs written by guitarists Paul Sanchez and
John Thomas Griffith help round out the album. Cocksure, catchy, and fun,
Uh-Oh gives the legion of
Cowboy Mouth faithful a great reason to jump in the ticket line again. ~ David Jeffries