Westside Cowboy’s Debut Album “It Goes On“

Words by Martyna Rozenbajgier

Westside Cowboy’s debut album It Goes On arrives with plenty of hype behind it. The Manchester four-piece has quickly built a reputation for their energetic live shows, guitar-heavy sound and what they call “Britainicana” — a mix of indie rock, folk and country influences. But beneath all the noise surrounding the band, It Goes On feels surprisingly simple at its heart: it is an album about being young, feeling lost, having fun and trying to keep going.

The album opens with ‘Kick Stones (The Boys)’, beginning with a steady, fast beat before slowing into a bigger, more powerful sound. It is an energetic introduction that immediately shows the band’s ability to change pace without losing momentum. ‘Paper Chains’ follows with a fun, danceable rhythm, making it difficult not to move along with it.

That sense of movement continues through the record, but there is often something sad underneath it. ‘Well Done Kid, You Did It’ is a good example, pairing a dancy melody with a much more melancholy feeling. It is one of the things that makes It Goes On work so well: the album can sound joyful even when its emotions are anything but.

The guitars are, unsurprisingly, one of the record’s biggest strengths. ‘Dobro’ is built around some particularly memorable riffs, while ‘Pin Up Boys’ feels like an obvious choice for a single. The song has the kind of energy that makes sense given how much the band have played it live, and it sounds like a group completely comfortable with each other.

The vocals are another highlight. On ‘Worried Age’, the main vocals and Aoife Anson O’Connell’s voice work particularly well together, giving the song an extra layer while maintaining the band’s energetic sound. Her presence becomes even more important on ‘Coyote’, the only track on the album where she takes the lead. The song turns its attention away from the personal and towards wider issues facing the planet and humanity, giving the album one of its most outward-looking moments.

As the album continues, the mood becomes increasingly reflective. ‘Big Wheels’ brings another sadder moment, while ‘Patchwork’ slows things down further, ending with a beautiful guitar passage. ‘Take My Leaving As I Love You’ follows in a similarly emotional direction, with its slower pace and striking guitars making it one of the album’s most affecting moments.

Yet It Goes On never stays sad for too long. The final track, ‘You Could Have Died There On The Dancefloor’, brings the fun back into the record, ending things on a lighter and more energetic note. It feels appropriate for an album that spends so much time balancing sadness with movement.

Westside Cowboy have said that they wanted to make an album for their younger selves, creating something “lean and imperfect” rather than an overly complicated record. That honesty comes across. It Goes On does not try to be perfect, and perhaps that is part of its charm. Instead, it captures the contradictions of youth: dancing when you’re sad, laughing when things are difficult and continuing even when you don’t know exactly where you’re going.

While the band’s guitar sound and energetic performances will inevitably attract much of the attention, It Goes On works best when you look beyond the riffs. It is an album full of contrasting emotions, where upbeat melodies sit alongside sadness and uncertainty. Sometimes you dance through those feelings, sometimes you sit with them, but either way, as the title suggests, it goes on.

It Goes On will be released on August 21st via ISLAND RECORDS