Ragged Soul is an album by the American band Lazy Cowgirls, released in 1995.[2][3] It was the band's first full studio album in five years.[4]
| Ragged Soul | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1995 | |||
| Studio | Earl's Cow Palace | |||
| Genre | Punk rock | |||
| Label | Crypt[1] | |||
| Producer | Lazy Cowgirls, Earle Mankey | |||
| Lazy Cowgirls chronology | ||||
| ||||
The band supported the album by touring with Cosmic Psychos.[5]
Production edit
The album was produced by the band and Earle Mankey. Longtime members Pat Todd and Doug Phillips were joined by Leonard Keringer, Ed Huerta, and Michael Leigh.[6]
Critical reception edit
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
| Chicago Tribune | [8] |
Trouser Press deemed Ragged Soul the band's masterpiece, writing that "this wonderful blast boasts cleaner, more dynamic sound without sacrificing any of the rough'n'ready urgency."[9] The Chicago Reader thought that "their amped-up take on rock’s traditional bluster combines Pat Todd’s consistently soulful singing with a muscular, corn-fed instrumental assault and melodies that get lodged in your head without losing any power."[10] The Columbus Dispatch declared that "Ragged Soul is a thrilling, sweaty, aggressive, pretty (yes, pretty) collection of 14 songs that will remind you of the best of the Ramones, Graham Parker and the Rolling Stones without even a hint of nostalgia."[11]
The Chicago Tribune determined that, "while the sort of music heard on Ragged Soul has been done countless times before, this middle-aged, all-male quintet understands that it's not so much what is played, but how."[8] The Wisconsin State Journal noted that "the album's lead track, 'I Can't Be Satisfied', sums up its 13 punk-rock successors nicely: It's urgent, speedy, bloody, explosive and hungry—yet strangely accessible, in a primal sort of way."[12] The Daily Herald concluded that "the music is as uncompromising as ever, though vocalist Pat Todd's thoughtful lyrics adds additional appeal beyond your standard moshpit music."[13]
AllMusic wrote: "Tough, furious, loud and proud—Ragged Soul is roots-smart old-school punk at its finest."[7] Alternative Press included the album on its 2021 list of the 15 best punk albums of 1995.[14]
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Can't Be Satisfied" | |
| 2. | "Much Too Slow" | |
| 3. | "Frustration, Tragedy & Lies" | |
| 4. | "Who You Callin' a Slut?" | |
| 5. | "Everything You Heard About Me Is True" | |
| 6. | "Never Got the Chance" | |
| 7. | "Too Much—One More Time" | |
| 8. | "Time & Money" | |
| 9. | "Another Long Goodbye" | |
| 10. | "Now That You're Down on Me" | |
| 11. | "I Can Almost Remember" | |
| 12. | "Still on the Losin' Side (A.K.A. Snake Eyes)" | |
| 13. | "Take It as It Comes" | |
| 14. | "Bought Your Lies" |
References edit
- ^ Davidson, Eric (June 1, 2010). We Never Learn: The Gunk Punk Undergut, 1988-2001. Rowman & Littlefield.
- ^ Jones, Brad. "The Lazy Cowgirls Gets Busy". Westword.
- ^ Sherr, Sara (22 May 1998). "Alternative Choice". Philadelphia Daily News. p. F35.
- ^ Morris, Chris (Dec 2, 1995). "Flag Waving". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 48. p. 69.
- ^ "'Blokes You Can Trust' to Be Loud, Disorderly Are Cosmic Psychos". The Spokesman-Review.
- ^ "Lazy Cowgirls Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ a b "Ragged Soul". AllMusic.
- ^ a b Kot, Greg (4 Jan 1996). "Walking the Walk: Lazy Cowgirls Kicks Out the Jams with Punk Abandon on 'Ragged Soul'". Chicago Tribune. p. 7A.
- ^ "Lazy Cowgirls". Trouser Press. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
- ^ Margasak, Peter (November 30, 1995). "Lazy Cowgirls". Chicago Reader.
- ^ "A heap o' punk". Weekender. The Columbus Dispatch. December 7, 1995. p. 8.
- ^ Thompson, Stephen (30 Nov 1995). "Cowgirls' Seedy Sound Just Right". Rhythm. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 9.
- ^ Kening, Dan (December 1, 1995). "The Lazy Cowgirls". Time Out. Daily Herald. p. 11.
- ^ Stegall, Tim (May 11, 2021). "15 albums from 1995 that are a perfect gateway into the world of punk". Alternative Press.