Cowboy Troy "Black in the Saddle"
Jun 11, 2007 14:08:14 GMT -5
Post by areyoureadytojump on Jun 11, 2007 14:08:14 GMT -5
Music Review: Cowboy Troy
By MICHAEL McCALL, For The Associated Press
Fri Jun 8
Cowboy Troy, "Black in the Saddle" (Raybaw/Warner Bros.)
On Cowboy Troy's 2005 debut, "Loco Motive," he relished in the uniqueness of his self-coined "hick-hop" sound and image: a 6-foot-5-inch black man in a cowboy hat rapping over fiddles and country-rock beats. His songs focused on party anthems and on defining himself, with a few melodic ballads and contemporary pop tunes showing his range.
Cowboy Troy (real name, Troy Coleman) expected to be controversial. But as he makes clear on his new album, "Black in the Saddle," he didn't expect to confront so much unfettered racism.
"People I've never met wanna take me body surfing behind a pickup," sings the former Dallas resident, referencing the infamous hate-crime murder of James Byrd in a small Texas town. In the same song, "How Can You Hate Me?" he also speaks of criticism from blacks: "Some of y'all sayin' Troy ain't nothing but a Sambo."
His second album responds by adopting a more serious tone, ditching the pop songs and rapping over ferocious hard rock, including an opening cut, "Buffalo Stampede," featuring M. Shadows of heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold.
Several songs blast his critics, including "Take Your Best Shot Now" and "Paranoid Like Me (Tis the Season of Discontent)." Even the party songs, such as "Hick Chick" and "Lock Me Up," carry a more sinister character than the Texan's earlier work.
The relentless approach can grow monotonous over 11 songs, but as a statement about where Cowboy Troy stands at this point, theres no mistaking the no-retreat, no-surrender attitude of "Black in the Saddle."
CHECK THIS OUT: On the slamming "Lock Me Up," Cowboy Troy claims hes a mad, bad dude, with help from co-producer John Rich (billed as J Money) and 2007 "Nashville Star" talent contest winner, Angela Hacker.
By MICHAEL McCALL, For The Associated Press
Fri Jun 8
Cowboy Troy, "Black in the Saddle" (Raybaw/Warner Bros.)
On Cowboy Troy's 2005 debut, "Loco Motive," he relished in the uniqueness of his self-coined "hick-hop" sound and image: a 6-foot-5-inch black man in a cowboy hat rapping over fiddles and country-rock beats. His songs focused on party anthems and on defining himself, with a few melodic ballads and contemporary pop tunes showing his range.
Cowboy Troy (real name, Troy Coleman) expected to be controversial. But as he makes clear on his new album, "Black in the Saddle," he didn't expect to confront so much unfettered racism.
"People I've never met wanna take me body surfing behind a pickup," sings the former Dallas resident, referencing the infamous hate-crime murder of James Byrd in a small Texas town. In the same song, "How Can You Hate Me?" he also speaks of criticism from blacks: "Some of y'all sayin' Troy ain't nothing but a Sambo."
His second album responds by adopting a more serious tone, ditching the pop songs and rapping over ferocious hard rock, including an opening cut, "Buffalo Stampede," featuring M. Shadows of heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold.
Several songs blast his critics, including "Take Your Best Shot Now" and "Paranoid Like Me (Tis the Season of Discontent)." Even the party songs, such as "Hick Chick" and "Lock Me Up," carry a more sinister character than the Texan's earlier work.
The relentless approach can grow monotonous over 11 songs, but as a statement about where Cowboy Troy stands at this point, theres no mistaking the no-retreat, no-surrender attitude of "Black in the Saddle."
CHECK THIS OUT: On the slamming "Lock Me Up," Cowboy Troy claims hes a mad, bad dude, with help from co-producer John Rich (billed as J Money) and 2007 "Nashville Star" talent contest winner, Angela Hacker.