REVIEWS FOR HONOR AMONG THIEVES | return to main page
» If you’re interested in the jangle’n’twang category of music, I highly recommend the X-Rated Cowboys’ Honor Among Thieves album. “Rear View Mirror” will make my Top Twenty countdown of jangly tunes for 2002, and it reminds me of another favorite jangle’n’twang band - the Rumors. — Eric Sorensen, www.fufkin.com
Something is lost in the translation here, but they did still give us three -and-a-half stars.
» Roots rock from the Ohio. Vibrating band to the debut that a sound to half between the Heartbreakers di Tom Petty has and band the alternatives country of which the Busca is scattered. They are personal, they have a beautiful sense of the humor and write optimal songs. Sufficient to for dargli I listen. — www.buscadero.com (to read the actual untranslated review)
Okay, we're really unsure about this translation.
» Tradizione e classici all'interno di questo album, la coperta di Linus per gli amanti del genere folk-rock, senza sbavature di sorta, un disco solido ed estremamente fruibile!
Tradition and classics to the inside of this album, the blanket of Linus for the lovers of the sort folk-rock, without slobbers of risen, a solid and extremely fruibile disc! — Backstreets, Radio-ICARO
We have no idea what this says. Hopefully they didn't think we suck and we just re-printed it.
» Deze uit Columbus, Ohio, afkomstige band maakt country met rock- en folkinvloeden. Honor Among Thieves telt dertien gevarieerde tracks. Maar die gevarieerdheid is in dit geval tevens een manco, want een evenwichtige cd is jammer genoeg niet. Om je een idee te geven. Trans Am, de opener, is zoetgevooisde countrypop, Rear View Mirror heeft een groot Byrds-geluid en End Of The World heeft de power van een bijna gelijknamig nummer van R.E.M. Terwijl vervolg Devotion weer stoere rootsrock is. En zo kom je al luisterend nog niet te weten wat X-Rated Cowboys nu eigenlijk wil. Een tweede bezwaar is dat de stem van zanger Quin Fallen iets te weinig karakter en ten derde: de teksten zijn weinig beeldend. Zo blijft deze cd steken in voornamelijk goede bedoelingen.
— www.XS4all.nl
» Fronted by songwriter Quinn Fallon, this jaunt through all that is fine about alternative country and roots rock begins with a slow and sparsely instrumented "Trans Am" that evolves into Beach Boys harmonies in its chorus. Not indulging in a lot of twang in roots pop songs such as "Rear View Mirror," the album has a wealth of transient imagery from the open road to leaving a small town for something bigger and better. Stealing a line from R.E.M. during "End of the World," a rockabilly romp, the group has a lot in common with Blue Rodeo in their dichotomy between upbeat and somber songs. Fallon sounds like Elvis Costello during the track, but especially during "Devotion." The musicianship on the song is also worth noting, as Bob Hite's accordion carries the song... "Light of Day" returns to a simplistic country affair with some of the record's better performances. One of the sillier but surprisingly good tracks is "Cowboy Song," a song which touches on cross-dressing, rehab, and pornography in a blistering banjo and trumpet performance. It's also a song Primus would be envious of. Simple pop songs such as "Drive-By" are the album's sturdy foundation and the band's shining moments. — All Music Guide
» Debut by new five-piece band from Columbus, Ohio led by singer and songwriter Quinn Fallon. Sound is somewhere between a rockier Joe Pernice and a mellow Replacements, which is a wonderful place indeed. Lyrically moving from the emotional and heartfelt to witty and ironic takes on life and love, sometimes mid-song. Guitars both soar ("Rear View Mirror") and jangle ("Goth Girl") in equal measures on thirteen tracks of extremely catchy country pop/rock. Pretty damn great, actually and highly recommended. The website is worth a look too. — Americana-UK.com
[webmaster's note: This review appeared in the Italian magazine "Il Buscadero" (no. 237, July 2002). Apparently, some of the more, shall we say, "grandiose" parts of our "biography" were taken as truth and/or lost in the translation. Then, when we had this review translated from Italian to English we're sure some other parts were lost. Regardless, it's one of our favorite reviews yet and we hope it translates into a tour of Italy.]
» A band from Ohio at its debut. An album that immediately appears in the best way, in a sumptuous digipak edition, with an electric sound and a highly professional recording... The leader is Quinn Fallon, a very good composer and an endowed singer, and the band has a clear and powerful sound, sometimes recalling Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers or certain harmonies of the early Jayhawks. A resolute sound, very influenced by country music but with powerful rock whippings and a bunch of songs well above the average. The most pleasant surprise, apart from the sequence of the songs, consists in the sound, it is electric and guitar-oriented and blends country-tinged melodies with electric guitar insertions and a solid and pulsating rhythm section. Without any doubt a beautiful surprise. In a recent interview to the Ohio Observer, Fallon said the music of the Cowboys has very open roots, and in fact he quotes B.T.O. on the rock side, Petty for harmony vocals, the Monkees and the Beatles for the melodies, but also Foghat and Greg Kihn. As one can see it is a collage of pop, rock, beat where the country origin of the five guys is cleverly blended with urban rock. And now the songs. Trans Am is a talkative electric ballad, with Fallon’s voice that is well spread, with the guitars following him gently and well calibrated harmony vocals. Rear View Mirror has the same sound of Tom Petty, jingle jangle guitar and a rock puissance catching at first listening. It is really remarkable End Of The World, a rock song where the harshness of the sound is in opposition to the voice: in fact the tune is less harsh but the sound is energetic and the song lives this dualism well. Devotion is a mangy country-rock track, with bass and drums beating up and a rural melody dressed in rock clothes. Goth Girl seems an old ballad of Buddy Holly: it has a strong fifties feel in its structure, a pleasant and fluid sound and a refrain that catches suddenly. Rock Star is a very ironic composition deriding the world of rock music, whilst Light Of The Days is very pleasing. Humour emerges again in the overflowing Cowboy Song, a fast country composition in the style of Johnny Cash where there are also trumpets and a mad and irresistible rhythm. The album closes very well with a slow and almost western song, Misfortune, then Forever and the vibrating Ten Miles Of Bad Road. Good news from Ohio. — Paolo Carù, "Il Buscadero"
» "I returned [to ComFest] to catch a spectacular set by The X-Rated Cowboys. Quinn Fallon and Andy Harrison mix soap-opera-hunk good looks with song crafting so brilliant it’s dazzling. I was at a loss for words to describe how solid they are. Their set featured songs from their debut CD (like CD101 fave 'End of the World'), but the huge crowd was also treated to songs on their soon-to-be-released follow-up, Another Noble Failure. Guest violinist Megan Palmer added fuel to the already raging pyre, especially on "Sweet Leaf."
The Cowboys were joined at the end of their set by local legend Eric Moore (ex-Godz) who dazzled the masses with his pontifications and a killer version of the Godz classic "Gotta Keep Running" that had me and leading Columbus rock diva Marcy Mays banging our heads like waylaid teenagers. This was the Quinn-tessential end to an awesome Comfest weekend. — Columbus Alive
» The group plays fetching pop music with hints of country twang that recalls Elvis Costello on King of America. But while Costello was only able to approximate scenes of Americana, the Cowboys naturally depict middle America as only real inhabitants can. "Goth Girl" is a charming ode to the only gothic chick in town while both "Rear View Mirror" and "Light Of Day" portray the innate desire to escape that same one-horse town. "Cowboy Song" does exhibit some erratic behaviors... but it's all good clean fun." — The Big Takeover
» From a German site:
Rootsrock und Americana sind die Genres, die man mit den “X-Rated Cowboys” in Verbindung bringt.
“Honor among Thieves” ist ein sehr abwechslungsreiches Album. Von der Ballade bis zum harten Rock ist alles zu finden. Die Highlights für mich: “”rear view mirror”(als MP3 auf der Homepage), “end of the world”, “Cowboy Song”, “Misfortune” und “Ten miles of bad road”. Tolle Band, tolles Album, tolle Songs- kaufen!
A “short” version of the review in english:
Rootsrock and americana are the genres, you hear togehther with the “X-Rated Cowboys”. “Honor among Thieves” is a great album. You can find everything between hard rockers and ballads. The Highlights for me: “”rear view mirror”( MP3 on the homepage), “end of the world”, “Cowboy Song”, “Misfortune” and “Ten miles of bad road”. Great band, great album, great songs - buy! Can we see you live in Germany? — www.rocktip.de
» The name implies that this is a fire breathing rock band that should be sharing the stage with Gaza Strippers or The Hellacopters. However, these cowboys may be salacious, but in a mellow mode, playing material that conjures up memories of ‘70s country and pub rock. The music is relaxed and the lyrics are mildly clever. Take "Goth Girl", with its near zydeco melody. This sounds like a fine lost John Hiatt composition. Other acoustic numbers in the vein of Foster & Lloyd and Robert Ellis Orral are quite ingratiating, such as "Light of Day". The album could use more playful rockers like "The Cowboy Song" (complete with triumphant horns), a Johnny Cash type number, though the Man In Black never sang lyrics like: "I'm a cowboy/ain't no doubt about that/'cause when I watch pornographic movies/I always wear my cowboy hat." Another effective rocker is "End of the World", which is good showcase for Andy Harrison (lead guitar) and Bob Hite (keyboards) to really let things rip. The instrumental breakdown in the middle is inspired. Speaking of inspired, the epic "She's Got a Gun" is a fine closer, with the underpinnings of an Irish folk ballad, and frontman Quinn Fallon is equal to the task. While Fallon's lighter songs are fun, he would be well advised to continue to expand his ambition, as he pulls this challenging song off well. — www.fufkin.com
» What we have here is an FM radio record -- that is, if FM radio were interested in good, inoffensive, clever mainstream songcraft (which it obviously is not). Nothing about Honor Among Thieves would offend your mom (unless your mom, like mine, recoils from even the barest hint of country music). The X-Rated Cowboys are what popular country-rock would sound like if the nefarious influence of the Eagles were washed from our collective ears.
Take, for example, "Drive By": it has tight harmonies on the chorus, light brushes of accordion and mandolin, vaguely insouciant lead lines, a beautiful vocal, some reasonably poetic lyrics and a solid bridge. Almost any radio station in America would be improved simply by playing this song. It's not a groundbreaking masterpiece of modern alienation -- but who wants every album to be that?
We've got examples of many styles, from outlaw country parody ("Cowboy Song") to (I presume unconscious) Jonathan Richman homage ("Goth Girl"). "Rock Star" is a touching, funny rumination on the same unrealistic expectations that have led these guys to record this album in the first place. "Trans Am" is a less-thoughtful variation on the theme of Bruce Springsteen's "Stolen Car" that manages, in its own dreamy way, to satisfy... Listening to all of Honor Among Thieves will highlight the strengths of each tune, and will leave a sweet taste in your mouth. — www.splendidezine.com
» I like my country music old-timey, honest and ornery as a rattlesnake. Rockabilly has to be like dinner at the 'Dube: greasy, dirty, but oh so tasty. This disc captures both. The beautiful packaging alone is a thrill. It's nice to see that a few bands pay attention to the lost art form. On their disc, Honor Among Thieves, the X-Rated Cowboys do a fine job paying homage to their influences with tight commitment. Musically these cowboys know how to rock. Falling somewhere between Mike Ness and Elvis Costello we find lead crooner Quinn Fallon. The influence of the two are more evident depending on which track you may be listening to... This is one of Ohio's best. — Tastes Like Chicken
» The X-Rated Cowboys don't make music that should come in a plain brown wrapper and restricted to those over 21. This Columbus Ohio group delivers an excellent disc of hooky twang pop that is built with a blue-collar heart and a strong sense of humor. On songs like "Rear View Mirror" and "End Of The World", they project an appealing, chimey flair, while "Goth Girl" recalls Graham Parker in its sharply drawn character study. This debut stands as a highly honorable effort. — Miles of Music
» The journey through the world of Honor Among Thieves is an interesting stroll... Falling somewhere between Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, and '70s road country, The X-Rated Cowboys succeed in modernizing Americana much in the same way Wilco set out to do with Summerteeth.
— Columbus Alive 12.13.01
» After an initial listen to the debut disc by the X-Rated Cowboys entitled "Honor Among Thieves", it’s tough to not notice the diversity of the song tempos and arrangements. But after several more spins it becomes clear that Quinn Fallon (vocals, guitars, mandolin and banjo) is an excellent songwriter. And it doesn’t stop there. Andy Harrison, the Cowboys’ guitarist and lap steel player, does a terrific job with the recording’s production, and the other players involved will make you remember their crafty tunes.
The prevailing sound here is one of sugary pop in a similar vain to the Pernice Brothers (or perhaps more akin to what Joe Pernice was doing a few years ago, inclusive of the twang). True to their name, there are widespread spices of country throughout, but a handful of rowdier barnstorming rockers round out the disc and make it the full-bodied experience it is. Things begin with the wonderfully mesmeric "Trans Am", on which Fallon demonstrates his commanding vocal range. The pace picks up a bit on the next couple tracks, first with the pop-driven "Rear View Mirror" and then the guitars get crunchier on "End Of The World". The common denominator on the three opening tracks are the boppy background vocals that are catchy as hell and loads of fun to hum along to.
Later, a cool intro by Grandma Fallon, "For heaven sakes, don’t play that goddamn cowboy song," kicks off the blissfully raucous "Cowboy Song" (no, not the one by Thin Lizzy), and Bob Hite’s (keys and accordion) entertaining trumpet accents add a distinctive and appropriate swagger. This is followed up by the brilliant "Misfortune", which starts off with a quick-draw showdown tone where you can actually visualize tumbleweeds blowing across a dusty and desolate road, and then it shifts into mid-tempo shuffle where Fallon asks, "Why am I such a walking target?" and concludes that misfortune hasn’t missed him yet.
On an effort that careens from heartfelt to humorous, the X-Rated Cowboys have definitely delivered a nifty batch of songs. And hey, what’s not to like about a band that sings tunes about goth girls that hide in basements and listen to the Replacements? — Mike Sweeney, www.swizzle-stick.com 01.07.02
» Honor Among Thieves is a road record that unfurls most clearly when one listens to it with a view through a truck windshied and glimpses of that town you used to live in.
— Columbus Dispatch 12.13.01
» Trudging through 13 songs of Americana roots-rock, X-Rated Cowboys' first collection of songs rise with pure, heartfelt country emotion, stopping on Wilco's Summerteeth pop gems and lassoing around quirky plots. With Honor Among Thieves it's not all straight-up business, complete with tried and true-d alt-county songs; it's a sidestep around lyrical jokes and Hank Williams' attitude... The X-Rated Cowboys are having fun and getting their country rocks off.
— Shannon McCarthy, Real Detroit Weekly 01.02.02
» From the pastures of Columbus, Ohio comes the hootenany countrified-rock stylings of the X-Rated Cowboys. Fueled by alcohol, Replacements albums, and state fairs, the Cowboys kick out the jams on barn-burners like "End of the World" and "Cowboy Song" while the mid-tempo numbers ("Trans Am", "Drive-By") bring to mind the rural-pop sound of the Wallflowers. — www.75orless.com
» Workin' a familiar country-pop strut, the Cowboys veer between really serious and really goofy on Thieves... "Cowboy Song" will win you over sooner or later. As will "Trans Am." As will 'Misfortune' a steady well-put barroom whiner. As will 'Goth Girl,' a folksy ballad featuring a Fallon duet with the indomitable Willie Phoenix... Parts of it will stick with you, ain't no doubt about that.
— The Other Paper 12.13.01
