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THE DETROIT COBRAS
Seven Easy Pieces (Rough Trade)
Reviewed by Dave McConnell
Hype? Overexposure? Detroit? We've been hit pretty hard by it all lately to be sure, but at some point, ya just gotta put the record on and make a simple decision: Is it good, or does it suck? While some might argue that geography can be played in as a factor to the music, in the end it just doesn't matter. Detroit is certainly no stranger to quality sounds, along with some real crap - just like everywhere else. Oh, but I digress. What we need to be addressing here, ahem, is the Detroit Cobras. Another round in the Motor City canon that is currently generating more talk, and more......whatever. The Cobras have been slowly building up a career that promises to be the next over-hyped band out of the over-hyped Detroit scene, but I'm not too affected by all that, because despite what their detractors have claimed, the Cobras do throw down awesome versions of some of the best R & B, Soul, Blues, and Rock & Roll tunes that have ever been written. To top it off, Rachel Nagy can.....now get this, she can actually sing! You can call them a "cover band" if you like, but it'll be your loss if you dismiss them so quickly. I say to Hell with all that other stuff. The band is just too damn good, and too damn fun to let all the B.S. get in the way. Just listen, fer chrisakes!
With an ever changing lineup, Seven Easy Pieces is graced with what is arguably the finest to date. Mirabel is there of course, but this time around, she is sharing guitar duties with none other than Greg "I'm in so many great bands, that I've lost count" Cartwright. Automatic bonus points in my book. I'm pretty sure the guy can do no wrong, and his contribution to this disc only serves to reinforce this belief. His guitar playing has sublimely elevated the dynamics and depth of the band's performance to a new level - it's not just a garage band playing their favorite songs anymore. I understand he was just involved for this record, and Eddie Harsch has apparently left the building as well. Too bad. Because he too has made a significant dent in the fender. So, what we have left is this brief document of a band in transition. This time around, the songs follow the same tradition set forth by the earlier records of mining the great American songbook. Opening with "Ya Ya Ya (Looking for my Baby)," the mood is set, and it's officially "on". The Pops Staples penned "You Don't Knock" displays a good dose of the dynamics I mentioned earlier, and how can you go wrong with a track as classic as "99 1/2 Just Won't Do?" "Silver and Gold" beautifully showcases Nagy's hearty, soulful vocals. Her voice simply oozes raw sexuality, and it's very easy for me to find myself lured into the siren's wail. It's a good one, and you won't be disappointed. Closing things up is Willie Dixon's "Insane Asylum," and it's a beaut! Hats off to the band for choosing this haunting and often overlooked classic. Not one of Willies' "hits", it seems to have taken a backseat to his warhorse tunes ("Spoonful," "Ain't Superstitious," "Hoochie Coochie Man," etc.). A pain inducing tale of the madness left in the wake of love and love lost, you can almost hear the sweat emanating from the speakers. Greg lends plenty of snazzy vocal interaction with Rachel, making this the most compelling track on the disc.
All in all, I'd say this is a great addition to the fold for the fans, and a great introduction for the neophyte. More realized than the Mink, Rabbit, or Rat l.p., and more mature than Love, Life and Leaving, you can literally feel this band growing and finding itself with each successive record. They are clearly on their way to something...... exactly what that something is remains to be seen. Only the great publicist in the sky can answer that one for us. In the meantime, we have these great recordings to keep us dancing. Go get it already!
© 2003 - Dave McConnell