Cowboy Songs by Midwives: A Raw, Unfiltered Ride Through Hardcore Punk Territory
Man, Cowboy Songs by Midwives is one of those albums that just grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. Released in 2015 on Dusty Medical Records, this US-born rock beast leans hard into its hardcore and punk roots, delivering a sound so raw it feels like they recorded it live in someone’s garage—only louder. And I mean that in the best way possible.
The band’s chemistry bleeds through every track, with Shaun’s snarling vocals cutting through Graham’s jagged guitar riffs, Ben’s thunderous basslines holding down the low end, and Sahan smashing the drums like he’s got something to prove. It’s messy, chaotic, and absolutely electrifying. If you’re looking for polish, look elsewhere—this album thrives on grit.
Let me tell ya about two tracks that stuck with me long after my first listen: “Back In The Saddle Again” and “You Can Always Get What You Want.”
“Back In The Saddle Again” kicks things off with an energy punch that hits like a freight train. The opening riff is sharp enough to slice bread, but what really gets me is how Shaun spits out the lyrics like he’s daring you to keep up. There’s no pretense here—it’s pure attitude wrapped in distortion. This song screams rebellion, defiance, even desperation. By the time the chorus crashes in, you can’t help but feel your pulse racing. It’s the kind of track that makes you wanna throw your fists in the air and shout along, even if you don’t know all the words yet.
Then there’s “You Can Always Get What You Want,” which flips the script a bit. At first glance, it sounds like another aggressive banger, but beneath the surface, it’s got this sneaky sense of humor. Like, who names a punk song after a Rolling Stones lyric? These guys do, apparently—and it works. The interplay between Graham’s frantic guitar work and Ben’s groovy bassline creates this weird push-and-pull vibe that keeps you hooked. Plus, Shaun delivers these biting lines with such conviction, it’s hard not to laugh while headbanging. It’s clever without being try-hard, and honestly, I think that’s why it lingers in my brain.
Shoutout to Shane Hochstetler for engineering and mixing this beast—he somehow managed to capture the chaos without losing clarity. And Justin Perkins? Dude crushed the mastering job, making sure these songs hit as hard on headphones as they would blasting out of a car stereo at midnight.
If I’m being honest, listening to Cowboy Songs feels like hanging out with old friends who are slightly unhinged but endlessly entertaining. It’s imperfect, loud, and unapologetically itself. That’s probably why it resonates so deeply—it reminds us that life ain’t always pretty, but damn if it isn’t worth screaming about.
Now here’s the kicker: For an album called Cowboy Songs, there ain’t a single cowboy hat or lonesome desert sunset in sight. Go figure.
