LISTEN: Cow Parade Cow – Before The Sharks LP

The follow-up to 2012’s Big Sky is Cow Parade Cow’s new LP Before the Sharks which has ossified their position as one the most exciting DIY projects operating out of the Western Australia right now.

‘Hallelujah Howl’

The self-recorded, mixed, produced, and art designed project is the work of Mike Litton. With a healthy dose of trepidation, he handed a few tracks over to the ‘live-band’ bassist, Cam Stewart, but otherwise the production is his love-child. He opted not to auto-tune ‘Kanye style’ the higher parts, instead Litton brought in housemate, Janie Green who perfectly complemented Litton’s sketchy, heart-on-sleeve vocals illustrated nicely in ‘Lease the Sunset, Sell the Coast’.

‘Lease the Sunset, Sell the Coast’

Before the Sharks moves beyond Cow Parade Cow’s previous releases not just in sound and production but also emotionally. It’s darker and somewhat more battered in spirit and there is a desperation in the explosions of sound and neurotic lyrics.

Litton tells me that “it almost feels like the huge rhythms and driving songs are the result of pure determination and stubbornness rather than for the joy of music”. Which is kind of how I always imagined an Architecture in Helsinki record getting made. A sound that is fun, bold, hypnotic and uplifting, but at the same time sounds like it was produced under duress. I can totally picture those hippies being held in solitude until the last ounce of pure chai-fuelled sunshine is burnt onto tape.

‘Beagle Personality’

‘Beagle Personality’ is one of my favs for its pure recklessness which manages to sound so light and poppy whilst being utterly blunt and so honestly heartbreaking.

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Cow Parade Cow are venturing over to the East coast in early September playing shows in Melbourne, with a live band of friends kidnapped from other Perth bands. Look forward to a large stage of shenanigans with 6-9 members recreating the densely layered sounds of the recording. We’ll keep you up to date when more details arrive.

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