Westside Cowboy – “It Goes On” (Friday 21st August 2026) 9/10
There are few new bands who have generated quite as much excitement as Westside Cowboy. The Manchester four-piece – Jimmy Bradbury, Reuben Haycocks, Aoife Anson O’Connell and Paddy Murphy – have spent the last couple of years steadily building a reputation as one of the UK’s most exciting emerging guitar bands, with their energetic live shows and an increasingly impressive run of singles creating a sizeable buzz around their debut.
That brings its own pressure. When expectations are this high before an album has even arrived, there is always the danger that the finished product cannot quite match the promise. Thankfully, It Goes On does.
More than anything, the album demonstrates just how well Westside Cowboy work together. Their harmonies are faultless, with the shared vocals constantly locking into one another and creating perfect natural cohesion. It is arguably the band’s defining quality. You can hear it throughout the record, but it is even more obvious in the live setting, where the togetherness between the four is impossible to miss.
Across It Goes On, that collective spirit is matched by a youthful sense of fun. There is an infectious playfulness running through the record, but it never feels forced. Westside Cowboy sound like a band enjoying being in a band – and that enthusiasm is difficult not to be swept up in.
“Kick Stones (The Boys)” is a perfect example. As a single, it was arguably the biggest sign yet that Westside Cowboy were the real deal, and it remains one of the album’s standout moments. Confident from the start, it builds magnificently into controlled chaos and glides back out of it seamlessly. There is a mischievous, youthful quality to it that sets the tone for much of what follows.
“Paperchains” brings the harmonies to the forefront. The vocals weave in and out of one another beautifully. It is one of those tracks where the strength comes as much from the interaction between the four members as it does from the individual parts.
“Dobro”, another of the album’s singles, has that same effortless quality. It is loose, catchy and confident, with the kind of swagger that made it immediately stand out when first released. There is no sense of the Manchester band trying too hard to impress; they simply sound comfortable in their own skin.
“Well Done Kid, You Did It” is one of the album’s most infectious tracks. There are shades of Bombay Bicycle Club here, particularly in the repetitive, catchy lyrics that gradually worm their way into your head. It is simple in the best possible way. The repetition becomes part of its charm, creating a track that feels both immediate and increasingly addictive with every listen.
“Worried Age” opens with shades of Marcus Mumford before quickly developing into something distinctly Westside Cowboy. It is another track that demonstrates their ability to balance more traditional folk influences with a youthful indie-rock energy.
“Big Wheels” provides a welcome change of pace. And despite the “big wheels keep on turning” lyric, don’t expect anything resembling Proud Mary. This is almost the polar opposite. Slower, more restrained and reflective, it allows the album to breathe while proving that they don’t need to be constantly at full volume to make an impact.
“Pin Up Boys” is another of the album’s singles and one that has already made its mark in the band’s live repertoire. On record, it captures the same sense of tension and release that has made it so effective on stage. The track builds its intensity gradually before allowing the band to let loose.
“Coyote” sees Aoife’s vocal taking the lead, and the usual vocal dynamic being flipped. It is playful, creative and shows off the talents spilling out of this band. “Patchwork” follows with another of the album’s trademark builds. Starting softly, it gradually expands until it gives way to a much bigger instrumental passage. It is a patient arrangement that rewards the listener by allowing the song to grow naturally rather than rushing towards its conclusion.
“Take My Leaving As I Love You” strips everything back. In an album that is often at its best when all four members are throwing themselves into the music, this quieter moment is particularly effective. It is beautiful in its simplicity and serves as a reminder that sometimes less really is more.
The album closes with “You Could Have Died There On The Dancefloor”, and it feels like the perfect way to bring everything together. All four members come together as one, while simultaneously giving each musician the opportunity to show off their individual talents. The result is a fitting summary of everything that makes It Goes On work: personality, musicianship, harmonies and, above all, cohesion.
There is a temptation when a band arrives with this much hype to look for evidence of why they might not quite live up to it. With Westside Cowboy, that would be a difficult argument to make. It Goes On is confident without being over-polished, youthful without being immature and catchy without sacrificing character. Most importantly, it sounds like a band who genuinely understand one another.
The hype has been justified. Westside Cowboy have delivered a debut that feels remarkably assured, while retaining the sense of fun that made people fall for them in the first place.
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