DVD Review: "The Name Of The Band Is Cowboy Mouth"
I first saw Cowboy Mouth live as an opening act some 14 or 15 years ago, and their live show mesmerized me and made me an instant fan. I've seen them numerous times since, and even an average show from them (I've never seen a bad show from them) is an uproarious good time.
That is why it saddens me that this DVD failed to capture the sheer enjoyment of a Cowboy Mouth show.
The band sounded like they were firing on all cylinders, and the new members, Regina Zernay (bass) and Vance DeGeneres (rhythm guitar), sounded good with the band (although Regina's more flashy attire made her stand out from the more casual attire of the rest of the band).
No, the problem did not lie with the performance, I'm afraid it lies with the director/editor.
It's not easy to capture the energy of a live show on film. A big part of a live concert is being there with a crowd feeling the vibe between the audience and the band. This is especially true of a Cowboy Mouth show, which is an audience participation experience.
But on "The Name Of The Band Is Cowboy Mouth", the camera shots never allow you to get into the show, instead they are distracting. The odd shots cycle between a long shot that made it hard to see anyone, close-ups that seemed claustrophobically close, and random shots of arms, guitars, and backs. Most of these shots were either at slight angles, or the camera was shaking while filming. Add to that that the editing is constant cuts between these different shots, and visually this is a mess, never allowing you to really enjoy the concert.
The actual music sounds like it would in any mid-size club. It's not spectacular sound, but it is good sound. Cowboy Mouth's performance was at least an average night for them, it's hard to say for sure because the video really removed me too much from the show.
If you're a fan of Cowboy Mouth, you'll probably be disappointed by this DVD, except maybe for the bonus footage from their soundcheck, which includes three new songs ("anything", "all I really want", and "Kelly Ripa"...the last song worries me they are heading into a career writing novelty songs), and two old Cowboy Mouth songs I've not heard live in years ("walk among the angels", and "god makes the rain").
Of course if you're a die-hard Cowboy Mouth fan, you'll probably buy this regardless of my review. If you are a moderate fan, or unfamiliar with Cowboy Mouth, don't judge them by this DVD. Go see them live when they come through your town and see their high energy show for yourself.
www.cowboymouth.com
I first saw Cowboy Mouth live as an opening act some 14 or 15 years ago, and their live show mesmerized me and made me an instant fan. I've seen them numerous times since, and even an average show from them (I've never seen a bad show from them) is an uproarious good time.
That is why it saddens me that this DVD failed to capture the sheer enjoyment of a Cowboy Mouth show.
The band sounded like they were firing on all cylinders, and the new members, Regina Zernay (bass) and Vance DeGeneres (rhythm guitar), sounded good with the band (although Regina's more flashy attire made her stand out from the more casual attire of the rest of the band).
No, the problem did not lie with the performance, I'm afraid it lies with the director/editor.
It's not easy to capture the energy of a live show on film. A big part of a live concert is being there with a crowd feeling the vibe between the audience and the band. This is especially true of a Cowboy Mouth show, which is an audience participation experience.
But on "The Name Of The Band Is Cowboy Mouth", the camera shots never allow you to get into the show, instead they are distracting. The odd shots cycle between a long shot that made it hard to see anyone, close-ups that seemed claustrophobically close, and random shots of arms, guitars, and backs. Most of these shots were either at slight angles, or the camera was shaking while filming. Add to that that the editing is constant cuts between these different shots, and visually this is a mess, never allowing you to really enjoy the concert.
The actual music sounds like it would in any mid-size club. It's not spectacular sound, but it is good sound. Cowboy Mouth's performance was at least an average night for them, it's hard to say for sure because the video really removed me too much from the show.
If you're a fan of Cowboy Mouth, you'll probably be disappointed by this DVD, except maybe for the bonus footage from their soundcheck, which includes three new songs ("anything", "all I really want", and "Kelly Ripa"...the last song worries me they are heading into a career writing novelty songs), and two old Cowboy Mouth songs I've not heard live in years ("walk among the angels", and "god makes the rain").
Of course if you're a die-hard Cowboy Mouth fan, you'll probably buy this regardless of my review. If you are a moderate fan, or unfamiliar with Cowboy Mouth, don't judge them by this DVD. Go see them live when they come through your town and see their high energy show for yourself.
www.cowboymouth.com