A Cowboy Mouth show borrows from every part of the band's career and from every crevice of popular culture. LeBlanc and company's high octane performance always feature the life-affirming message that it's good to be alive.
—Mike Perciaccante, All About Jazz
One of the great American rock bands of the last four decades, Louisiana stalwarts Cowboy Mouth have announced the release of Cover Yo' Azz, an homage to some of their favorite songwriters and beloved gems from their youth. Landing August 15 via Symphonic Distribution, the 10-track collection marks the band's first full-length of newly recorded material since 2014's Go!
Vocalist/drummer Fred LeBlanc explains the title and the impetus for the recording, “There’s no rhyme or reason. It just kind of… happened. And we needed an outlet to use the album title, Cover Yo’ Azz! Just kidding. For CYA, we compiled a bunch of songs we liked and threw them together. Everybody brought a different sound and vibe to the tracks, and we had a blast re-creating some amazing songs—with a CM twist."
Adds guitarist/co-founder John Thomas Griffith, “An old friend used to advise me, 'Dance with who brung ya.' In other words, always keep in mind to be grateful for what you have, AND never forget HOW you got here. The tunes on these recordings represent a minute portion of INFLUENCES that made our life experience both palpable and exciting. Music of any flavor has a way of being your own personal sage advisor. Listen closely, and you will hear the wind blow."
Flanked by bassist Brian “Bruiser” Broussard and guitarist Frank Grocholski, the album's lead single, “Fat Bottomed Girls," a down-home, rip-roaring take on the tongue-in-cheek Queen classic, arrives May 2 just before the band's main stage performance at the 54th Annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest, rocking the Festival Stage on Saturday, May 3, just before Samantha Fish, Dumpstaphunk and Pearl Jam. Other artists on the 10-day bill include Dave Matthews Band, Laufey, HAIM, Lenny Kravitz, My Morning Jacket, John Fogerty, Harry Connick, Jr., Kacey Musgraves and Santana.
LeBlanc recalls choosing FBG for CYA, “When John first brought this Queen semi-classic for inclusion, I hesitated. When he suggested adding a bluegrass spin, I was in!
“I have always been amazed by John's natural talent, but for some reason, we just couldn't get the exact feeling we wanted for this song. As a joke, I suggested that JTG 'sing it like a pirate!' Top it off with some fancy fiddle work from the king of Texas, Brendon Anthony, add stylish acoustic leads from Frankie, and some Bill Black/Elvis-style bass from the Cajun Cannon himself, Brian Broussard, and CM could be rightfully accused of “passing a good time," as we say in Louisiana."
Griffith concurs, “When this project started, I thought of songs I cover in my solo, acoustic shows. “Fat Bottomed Girls” was one of them. I told Fred it would be great if we could do it with a Bluegrass feel, and he agreed. And Frankie plays a great, flat-picking, acoustic guitar lead on the song that really sets it off.”
Additional pre-release singles include a rollicking guitar-driven flyby on the iconic Paul Westerberg/Replacements staple, “Can't Hardly Wait" (June 6) and a gospel-fueled, Southern boogie parade on the Ian Hunter/Mick Ronson penned, “Just Another Night," a 4-alarm dancefloor filler set to ignite the ether, July 11th.
Elsewhere, the band amps up the viscosity on jukebox favorites, “My Way" (Sinatra/Presley/Vicious), “The Real Me" (The Who) and “I'm Gonna Be Wheel Someday" (Fats Domino) but downshifts on gorgeous renditions of the Rodney Crowell masterwork, “'Til I Gain Control Again" and Hootie & the Blowfish's “City By A River," a tribute to an elegant song about “longing for the intangible. Maybe it's heaven, maybe it's home... maybe it's both" but also to their lifelong friends. Joining the proceedings is Hootie's Mark Bryan, who elevates spirits even higher.
The result is a perfect circle, but really just another night in The Big Easy.
Vocalist/drummer Fred LeBlanc explains the title and the impetus for the recording, “There’s no rhyme or reason. It just kind of… happened. And we needed an outlet to use the album title, Cover Yo’ Azz! Just kidding. For CYA, we compiled a bunch of songs we liked and threw them together. Everybody brought a different sound and vibe to the tracks, and we had a blast re-creating some amazing songs—with a CM twist."
Adds guitarist/co-founder John Thomas Griffith, “An old friend used to advise me, 'Dance with who brung ya.' In other words, always keep in mind to be grateful for what you have, AND never forget HOW you got here. The tunes on these recordings represent a minute portion of INFLUENCES that made our life experience both palpable and exciting. Music of any flavor has a way of being your own personal sage advisor. Listen closely, and you will hear the wind blow."
Flanked by bassist Brian “Bruiser” Broussard and guitarist Frank Grocholski, the album's lead single, “Fat Bottomed Girls," a down-home, rip-roaring take on the tongue-in-cheek Queen classic, arrives May 2 just before the band's main stage performance at the 54th Annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest, rocking the Festival Stage on Saturday, May 3, just before Samantha Fish, Dumpstaphunk and Pearl Jam. Other artists on the 10-day bill include Dave Matthews Band, Laufey, HAIM, Lenny Kravitz, My Morning Jacket, John Fogerty, Harry Connick, Jr., Kacey Musgraves and Santana.
LeBlanc recalls choosing FBG for CYA, “When John first brought this Queen semi-classic for inclusion, I hesitated. When he suggested adding a bluegrass spin, I was in!
“I have always been amazed by John's natural talent, but for some reason, we just couldn't get the exact feeling we wanted for this song. As a joke, I suggested that JTG 'sing it like a pirate!' Top it off with some fancy fiddle work from the king of Texas, Brendon Anthony, add stylish acoustic leads from Frankie, and some Bill Black/Elvis-style bass from the Cajun Cannon himself, Brian Broussard, and CM could be rightfully accused of “passing a good time," as we say in Louisiana."
Griffith concurs, “When this project started, I thought of songs I cover in my solo, acoustic shows. “Fat Bottomed Girls” was one of them. I told Fred it would be great if we could do it with a Bluegrass feel, and he agreed. And Frankie plays a great, flat-picking, acoustic guitar lead on the song that really sets it off.”
Additional pre-release singles include a rollicking guitar-driven flyby on the iconic Paul Westerberg/Replacements staple, “Can't Hardly Wait" (June 6) and a gospel-fueled, Southern boogie parade on the Ian Hunter/Mick Ronson penned, “Just Another Night," a 4-alarm dancefloor filler set to ignite the ether, July 11th.
Elsewhere, the band amps up the viscosity on jukebox favorites, “My Way" (Sinatra/Presley/Vicious), “The Real Me" (The Who) and “I'm Gonna Be Wheel Someday" (Fats Domino) but downshifts on gorgeous renditions of the Rodney Crowell masterwork, “'Til I Gain Control Again" and Hootie & the Blowfish's “City By A River," a tribute to an elegant song about “longing for the intangible. Maybe it's heaven, maybe it's home... maybe it's both" but also to their lifelong friends. Joining the proceedings is Hootie's Mark Bryan, who elevates spirits even higher.
The result is a perfect circle, but really just another night in The Big Easy.
Cowboy Mouth Tour Dates
- 5/3—New Orleans, LA—Jazz & Heritage Fest (Festival Stage) [12:25p]
- 5/3—New Orleans, LA—Rock'n'Bowl (with Amanda Shaw) [9pm]
- 5/9—Newberry, SC—Newberry Opera House
- 5/10—Myrtle Beach, SC—The Boathouse
- 5/17—Covington, LA—Fools of Misrule's Fools Fest
- 5/29—Memphis, TN—Rooster's Blues House
- 5/30—Nashville, TNשrd & Lindsley
- 5/31—Birmingham, AL—WORKPLAY
- 6/6 – Elkton, MD – Elkton Music Hall
- 6/7—Reston, VA—Reston Concerts on the Town
- 6/12—Navarre, FL—Juana's Pagodas
- 7/11 – Chattanooga, TN – The Barrelhouse Ballroom
- 7/12 – Huntsville, AL – Furniture Factory Bar & Grill
For more information contact 1888 Media.
