Please Turn the Gas Back On

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Please Turn the Gas Back On album cover
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EDITOR'S PICK

Total Tracks: 16   Total Length: 58:45

eMusic Review 0

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Andrew Mueller

eMusic Contributor

04.22.11
A great record, by a fantastically unreconstructed group.
2007 | Label: Suburban Home Recordings / IODA

It is arguable that Two Cow Garage made a more significant contribution to alt.country than most of the peers the day they came up with their utterly inspired name. They weren't content with that, though, and their 2007 album is an stirring collection of songs, staggering from the punkish furies of "Youngstown, The City Of" to the knelling, desolate balladry of "Girl of My Dreams." The sound, dominated by the hoarse drawl of Micah Schnabel, seizes its animating spirit from the more raucous moments of Creedence Clearwater Revival, draws heavily upon Slobberbone as a contemporary peer, and in its more subtle moments recalls some of the more fragile moments of Wilco. This is a great record, by a fantastically unreconstructed group.

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Rocks Like a Mother

rfusillo

This is cow punk with a healthy dose of the Replacements. It rocks like a mother -- these guys get LOUD!

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Not for me

Average-Nights-Jack

Too punky for me, I like my country on the rockier side and I'm all for youngsters tearing up the rule book, but I've listed 3 times to the whole album and still can't work it out. Some you win (mostly) and some occaisionaly just don't hit the spot. Hey, Ho....

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This is GREAT STUFF

brozman

A friend of mine (and amazingly talented musician himself) said to me, "Hey, you ever seen Two Cow Garage?" I said "No. Should I?" His succinct reply: "Fuck yes." He was right. This band will blow you away. Nobody rocks harder, works harder or sweats more. These are well-written songs about life and the people who aren't the pretty or rock star wanna-be posers looking for that one-hit wonder to live their lives remembering. I make it a point to drive hours out of my way to catch this band live. You should make it a point to download this, as well as "The Wall Against Our Back" and my 2nd favorite album of 2007 - "III" ... as well as the eMusic exclusive "Live at Schubert's". Sure, this is a reissue of their first album ... but this is great stuff.

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More Essential Alt-Country

By Andrew Mueller, eMusic Contributor

Considering country music's long and storied history, it seems amazing that it took until 1990 for country music to begin to widely attract the misfits and mavericks of America's underground. But what might be more astonishing is the scale of the bounty that alt.country -- also known as "insurgent country," "Americana" and, rather wonderfully, "y'allternative" -- has bequeathed us since Uncle Tupelo's "No Depression" hit stores that year. It has probably helped, of course, that the… more »

They Say All Music Guide

Cleverly described as Uncle Tupelo’s nephews, Two Cow Garage takes strong cues from Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy’s punkier sides. Not easily pigeonholed, the band also digs deep into the honest country-rock of Slobberbone and Drive-By Truckers, but somehow still manage to maintain their own soulful sound. Young vocalist Micah Schnabel gives the impression that he’s smoked a pack a day since elementary school with his gritty rasp, aptly fitting their songs of heartache and leavin’. Bassist Shane Sweeny’s gently shouted backup vocals add depth to the tearful “Girl of My Dreams,” while Dustin Harigle’s drumming is the only thing that holds the manic “River” together. Every song on Please Turn the Gas Back On burns with the amber light of the heartland — hungover and heart-wrenching, sweetly fumbling and furiously pounding, gritty as barn doors and sweaty as a backseat in August. – Zac Johnson

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