Cows, CUNNING STUNTS

Amphetamine Reptile, 1992; out of print

12 tracks, 39:05

There was a time in my life (when I was 17, to be exact) when I thought Minneapolis' Cows were the greatest band ever. While I don't hold them in quite the same regard these days, they'll always have some nostalgic value, and the music is still pretty good. Headed by lunatic singer/buglist Shannon Selberg, Cows were one of the main acts on Amphetamine Reptile. Thor Eisentrager provided gnarled riffs bordering on pure sound to back up inventive bassist Kevin Rutmanis and a series of drummers. On CUNNING STUNTS, their fourth LP (third for Amphetamine Reptile), this spot is filled by Norm Rogers. While more consciously melody-oriented(!) than previous efforts*, Cows still made the competition look fairly tame. Opening with a slap and a crying infant, "Heave Ho" goes right into a raging bugle-led storm. "Walks Alone" and "Contamination" are no less intense, but "Mr. Canceled" and a cover of "Midnight Cowboy" are surprisingly restrained. Selberg's vocals are at their manic best on "Terrifique"; he punctuates each chorus with a throaty "Ugggggggggh!" followed by a high-pitched "TERRIFIQUE!" to fairly unsettling effect. The hypnotic closer "Ort" is another highlight on a completely solid album. Widely hailed as Cows' best, CUNNING STUNTS is a classic example of '90s noise rock at its best. The albums that followed it had their moments as well, but CUNNING STUNTS and earlier albums showcase Cows at their prime.

*DADDY HAS A TAIL!, EFFETE & IMPUDENT SNOBS, and PEACETIKA come highly recommended, but they are out of print as well. There was a twofer combining DADDY and PEACETIKA on CD (as well as a standalone CD of EFFETE), and the equally rare CD compilation OLD GOLD collects the best tracks from all three.