A Bluesy Triumph: Exploring ‘Holy Cow’ by The Milkmen
Having witnessed the well-honed craft and dynamic delivery of the Milkmen at that crucible of R’n’B commonly known as the Flying Circus in Newark on several occasions, I can testify to their live credentials.
It can sometimes be difficult to translate this energy onto a studio recording, but ‘Holy Cow’ achieves that effortlessly.
‘Easy Touch’ is the pick of the bunch for me with its catchy chorus, epitomizing what this band is all about. ‘Misty Road’ employs a vintage blues riff given a more contemporary treatment to great effect, while the sweet Hammond organ on ‘Don’t Trust My Life’ provides a more soulful groove. ‘Give a Little Love’ makes good use of the wah-wah pedal to invoke a funkier feel to back another quality vocal delivery, while ‘One Man Band’ has a sing-along chorus that has already become a crowd favorite. ‘Bad News Blues,’ co-written by Green himself, transports the listener back to the halcyon days of Canvey Island in the mid-’70s.
The sublime Telecaster of Adam Norsworthy coupled with the distinctive growl of Jamie Smy, backed by the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of a rhythm section that is Lloyd Green and the ‘dapper’ Mike Roberts, deliver a diverse selection of R’n’B that will appeal to loyal fans as well as those not yet familiar with the Milkmen experience.
Tony Hurst
A Bluesy Triumph: Exploring ‘Holy Cow’ by The Milkmen @RockNews
