| Album | It Goes On |
| Artist | Westside Cowboy |
| Released | 21 August 2026 |
| Highlights | Pin Up Boys, Coyote, Kick Stones (The Boys) |
| Lowlights | N/A |
| Undertone Rating | 5/5 |
The hottest band in UK indie are on a tear; having finally released their first album, Westside Cowboy have delivered, somehow upgrading on what they had before. Matthew Rowe explains what makes It Goes On so great.
Having only started back in 2023, Manchester’s Westside Cowboy have truly taken the UK indie scene by storm. With an already impressive discography, they have released their first album, titled It Goes On. This album delivers on everything I hoped it would. Throughout their existing discography, they have everything from stripped-back acoustic tracks, such as festival favourite In The Morning, to songs I would belt out in the club (if they played them), such as I’ve Never Met Anyone I Thought I Could Really Love (Until I Met You), which I believe to be one of the most impressive debut singles ever.
This variety in the band’s sound has meant that they can easily cover new ground and not allow themselves to be pushed into just one box, something they have truly leant into in the new release. Genres covered by the band aren’t just categorised under “UK indie”; they hit heavy notes of folk, early rock, and really emphasise their acoustic sound through Americana-inspired songs. Or as they put it, “Britanicana”.
The composition of the band itself is something I love, with vocals often being spread between bassist Aoife O’Connell and guitarist Reuben Haycocks, and the other two members joining in when required. This is a setup used by other bands in the same field, such as Home Counties and Windmill’s Man/Woman/Chainsaw, and it allows them to rely on their incredible musicianship and the inter-band dynamics instead of overcomplicating everything with technology.
I was already a growing fan of the band when Kick Stones (The Boys) was released as the first single from the project, and I was instantly hooked. It was a relief to hear that the band hadn’t abandoned their very homemade, garage band charm without compromising on the production and impact of the music itself. As an opener, it is incredibly strong, with my favourite lyric of the album being “You know you’ve got a face like a bullet when you talk like that”. I especially appreciated hearing a great piece of media about the boys after the disappointing final series of its (unrelated) TV counterpart.
The other two songs released before the whole album were Pin Up Boys and Dobro. The first is heavily driven by Paddy Murphy’s drumming, falling into a marching band-adjacent arrangement between choruses, culminating in a particularly great final minute with O’Connell’s raw vocals perfectly supporting a positively nasty drum track. Dobro follows a very similar but more mellowed structure, allowing guitarist and on this occasion, vocalist Jimmy Bradbury to bask in a backing of stunning guitar riffs and washy drums.
As for the rest of the album, they don’t miss. The rest of the album is infused with the same energy of a band that is creating out of love as opposed to for the sake of it. A running theme in their music is that of imperfection and learning to embrace it. This is reflected not only in their lyrics but also in their instrumentals. Paperchains is the first new single you hear on the album, and as you think the song is ending, Murphy plays a crazy fill, completely halting the song before it picks up again. Westside Cowboy are clearly having their fun, and personally I am here for it.
Staying true to their namesake, Coyote, led vocally by O’Connell, uses descriptions of the American West to comment on humanity’s impact on the world. It kicks off with “This is the most beautiful place on planet Earth” before meeting “Mister Coyote”, who is responsible for ultimately dooming society and turning the world to poison. Now there are many people this could be about, and I can brainstorm a few, but I think this is where Westside Cowboy are at their peak, where the lyricism is proudly on display, the instrumentals give it the perfect amount of space, and it leaves you feeling something, even if you don’t fully listen to the lyrics at first.
The album ends with You Could Have Died There On The Dancefloor, a beautiful song which explores more of the topics around imperfection, ending with the lyrics “Oh I am everything but perfect / But please keep me around”, expressing the themes of the album perfectly. The entire project is rough around the edges, but in a very endearing way, and at its core, it is what makes Westside Cowboy who they are.
The production needs its own mention as well; both producing and performing several instruments over the album was Loren Humphrey, who has also worked with Cameron Winter, Wunderhorse and even Florence + The Machine. He did a stellar job in both adding to the raw feel of the band whilst maintaining what they know worked well in previous EPs and singles. Westside Cowboy have also toured with both Winter’s Geese and Black Country, New Road, so they are positioned to go on to do amazing things.
One issue a lot of bands face is knowing when to finish a song; see my last review on Cory Wong for reference, but every song here is between 2:30 and 4:00, making it perfect for casual listening and especially for festival sets. I will be seeing them a couple of days after writing this, and I am buzzing, even if it means them replacing English Teacher.
It Goes On is a bloody masterpiece; I will always love albums that mash all sorts of genres together, and this is no exception. Westside Cowboy have made something to be very proud of, even if they remain forever humble.
Undertone 
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