Reviewed by Alex Figgis

Riding into town on 'The Horse That Bud Bought", with Brian Garcia and Alan Doss sharing the production saddle, the Wild Silas Mass Choir (alias the Galactic Cowboys) have done it yet again! This is more than just your three-chord thud! The Boys seems to have entered into a crazy dimension where past meets present to form a solid '90s metal sound fused with elements of psychedelic progressive rock peppered with elements of, dare I say, pop tunes that ROCK, or rock tunes which have just the right pinch of pop sensibility to make 'The Horse That Bud Bought* an instant classic; but fear not, the Cowboys still manage to maintain their familiar quirky arrangements and level of wit. With Huggins, Farkas, Doss and Colvin all sharing songwriting responsibilities, an interesting mix of topics arise; from Colvin's "Evil Twin" - where the need to own up to our own wrong doing is highlighted - and "Oregon" - concerned with false teachers - to a critique of the media in "The Buzz", "Tomorrow" and "Media Slant", and from general social comments ("Tilt-A-Whirl") to a critical look at one self ("Bound" and "My Life"). Overall, 'The Horse That Bud Bought* is an extremely tight, diverse and powerful album which is perhaps more accessible than both 'Machine Fish* and "Feel The Rage".

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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